Fall Vegetable Gardening Presented by Kent Phillips Howard Co MG

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What Do We Mean By Fall Gardening?  Planting crops for harvest prior to frost or a hard freeze

What Do We Mean By Fall Gardening?  Planting crops that can be overwintered for winter or spring harvest.

What Do We Mean By Fall Gardening?  Planting cover crops on unused beds to increase soil fertility and minimize winter weeds

What Do We Mean By Fall Gardening?  Extending the season by using a cold frame, greenhouse or low tunnel.

Why Plant Fall Crops?  Fewer harmful insects  Fewer weeds  Extended use of garden space  Fresh vegetables for the table for a longer time

Brassica crops: broccoli, cabbage, collards, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts Greens: leaf lettuce, spinach, arugula, Asian greens, mustard, Swiss chard, some herbs Root crops: rutabagas, beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips Fall (Cool Season) Crops

Half-hardy vegetables Survive light frost – Beets – Cauliflower – Chard – Chinese Cabbage – Kohlrabi – Lettuce – Mustard – Peas – Potatoes – Rutabagas

Hardy Survive heavy frost – Broccoli – Broccoli Raab – Brussels Sprouts – Cabbage – Collards – Kale – Radishes – Spinach – Turnips

Overwintering Crops  Garlic  Kale  Leeks  Shallots  Spinach Leeks Leeks

Preparing the Site  Remove waste from previous crop.  If ground is dry, give it a thorough soaking.  Work compost into top few inches of soil.  Add recommended amount of Nitrogen (.20#/100 sq. ft. of garden.

Nitrogen Calculation  Soybean meal – /.07 = 2.85 #/100.2/.07 = 2.85 #/100  Blood Meal – /.15 = 1.3 #/100.2/.15 = 1.3 #/100  .2/.1 = 2 #/100

Using Seeds and Transplants  Direct seeded vegetables Turnips, spinach, kale, lettuce, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, rutabagas, parsnips, etc.  Transplanted vegetables Broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc. See HG 16 for vegetables that are normally transplanted. They have an * Shortens length of time to harvest.

HG 16 Planting Dates for Vegetable Crops in Central MD Crop Planting dates Beets Apr 1-June 15 June 20-Aug 1 Broccoli* Apr 1-May 1 July 20-Aug 20 Brussels sprouts* Apr 1-May 1 July 1-Aug 1 Cabbage* Mar 15-Apr 10 July 10-Aug 20 Cabbage, Chinese Mar 15-May 1 July 1-Aug 5 Carrots Apr 10-June 1 June 15-Aug 1 Cauliflower* Apr 1-May 1 July 1-Aug 1 Chard, Swiss Apr 15-June 15 June 15-July 25 Collards* Apr 1-June 1 July 10-Aug 10 Garlic Oct 15 – Nov 15 Kale July10 – Aug 10 Lettuce, head* Aug 1 – Aug15 Lettuce, leaf Jul 15 – Sept 1 Radishes Jul 20 – Sept 15 Spinach Aug 1 – Sept 5 Turnips Jul 10 – Sept 1

Fall Days & Cooler Temps  Cool nights slow plant growth but you can speed up growth using row cover.  Vegetables take longer to mature.  Days grow shorter, less sunlight energy for plants.  These environmental conditions add sugar to cole crops.  Lettuce and spinach will not bolt.

Calculating Planting Date + Short-Day Factor  First frost date for your area (early October)  Days to maturity and germination time  Add 14 days for Short Day Factor  Information on back of seed packet Formula: Frost date - Days to maturity - days to germinate - SDF (14 days) = Days to plant before frost Frost date - Days to maturity - days to germinate - SDF (14 days) = Days to plant before frost

Calculation For Bloomsdale Long Standing spinach Days to germination: 7 to 10 Days to maturity: 40 to 48 Short Day Factor (SDF): __14__ 61 to 72 Counting back from Oct the dates to sow are about Aug. 8 to Aug 19. Seeds sown later in early Sept can be wintered over for a spring crop

Calculation For Premium Crop Broccoli Days to maturity: 60 Short Day Factor (SDF): __14__ 74 Counting back from Oct the dates to transplant broccoli plants are about Aug. 6 Plants put in earlier will yield earlier After central head is picked, broccoli will produce many side shoots Low tunnels can be used to extend season (thru Dec.)

Seeds to Sow Direct seed:  Beets  Broccoli raab  Chinese cabbage  Cilantro  Collards  Endive  Kale  Kohlrabi  Lettuce  Mustard greens  Spinach  Turnips

Sowing Seeds  Water soil before sowing.  Sow in the late afternoon so germination will begin overnight.

Direct Sow  Plant seeds slightly deeper. Depth may be 1 ½ to 2 times deeper than spring.  Cover seeds in furrow with compost, soilless mix, or vermiculite.  Keep soil cool and moist. Cover seeded area with burlap, newspapers, or boards.  Can shade soil, or use light mulch.  Slow growing beets and carrots will suffer setbacks if soil is dry.

Germinating Seeds  Another tip is to pre-germinate seeds.  Soak seeds overnight in a moistened paper towel enclosed in a plastic bag. Do not soak longer or delicate seedling parts will be damaged in planting.

Putting out Transplants  Seedlings need gradual exposure to direct sunlight  Will benefit from light shading for the first few days  Keep them soaked

Row Cover Protection  Throw a bed sheet over row cover for a few days to provide shade.  Row covers deter insects and larger critters.  Row covers can extend season by warming crop.

Interplant  Use shade from existing plants.  Sow lettuce, carrots, arugula, beets, collards.

Planting Schedule weeks before hard frost:  Set out transplants  Direct sow beets, carrots, collards & more lettuce, radishes,

Planting Schedule  8 to 10 weeks before hard frost, mid to late October.  Sow Asian greens, arugula, turnips, spinach, mustard  More lettuce, radishes, beets, collards

Planting Schedule 6 to 8 weeks before hard frost:  Sow spinach.  Sow half-hardy vegetables under protective cover. Mid October plant garlic, shallots, multiplying onions.

Protected Gardening Moving a zone South Floating Row Cover – Provides 4-10 degrees of protection Cold Frame Hoop House Greenhouse

Cover Crops Check out GIEI website for info on cover crops – GE006_CoverCrop2.pdf Different cover crops do different things – Break up clay soil (forage radish) – Deep root systems to capture nutrients (winter rye) – Add nitrogen to the soil (legumes) Plant a legume and cereal together to get additional benefit.

Winterizing the Garden September – Pull up and compost undiseased spent plants October - Pull up and compost undiseased spent plants. Cover pepper and tomato plants to prolong production. Remove and store stakes and cages. Plant cover crop in empty areas. Till in organic matter. November – Cover empty beds with shredded leaves. Mulch overwintering carrots, leeks, winter onions, strawberries, radishes and parsnips with clean straw. December – Get soil sample for spring planting

Resources Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) – – – Grow-It-Eat-It website – Master Gardener state website –

This program was brought to you by Maryland Master Gardener Program Howard County University of Maryland Extension