4 minute read
garden/landscape
Late Season Crops
By Bethany Beebe
Even after the watermelon vines have wilted and the tomato plants are toast, Hoosier gardens have potential. Fall favorites offer bounty even after the weather forecast calls for frost. With a bit of planning, you can stretch the growing season, reaping the joy only a garden can grow.
Many spring selections return as options with the increasingly cool weather and moisture of Autumn, according to Purdue Extension1 . Rosie Lerner writes that the bolting or bitter flavor caused by heat will not bother crops like spinach, lettuce, or radishes when sewn during this second planting’s cooler season. With a few considerations like what to plant, when to plant it, and how to protect your selections, you can meet success.
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What to plant
Focusing on Fall means looking to hardier vegetables instead of the tender-to-frost options of summer2. Tomato plants, watermelon vines, sweet corn, and green bean plants, among others, cannot tolerate the chills of frosty weather. But we can turn to other favorites. Purdue Extension offers many hearty vegetable options: turnips, spinach, radishes, peas, parsley, onions, mustard greens, kohlrabi, kale, collards, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and broccoli, are all on the table as options that could make their way to your table! In fact, for some seeds like lettuce or peas, summery soil temperatures at or above 85 degrees F will prevent germination; since Spring often warms quickly in Indiana, the Fall harvest of such selections can often be stronger than earlier in the season.
When to plant
Produce takes time to produce! Since planning is part of the garden game, knowing when to start the process is key. With the number of days to harvest, which can be found on seed packages or from reliable sources like Purdue Extension, the intrepid gardener can work backwards to establish a planting time, with the expected date of first frost as the starting point from which to work backwards3. In northern Indiana, middle-August and early September generally is the latest time to sew for hearty vegetables. For a full listing of plant options and recommended last dates to plant, consider visiting Purdue Extension HO-66-W2. The spacing, depth to plant, and average days to harvest are also given in this valuable guide. Planting the seeds on the deeper side of the accepted range can allow them greater protection from summer’s heat and some additional moisture1. During the dry summer months, assuring seeds and plants receive adequate moisture is critical; often a hard, crusty soil exists this time of year1. Multiple plantings can stretch harvest opportunities further and increase the likelihood of success3 . Covering
Stretching that success through initial chilly snaps can be simple and cost effective. Lerner suggests that even after the first frost, we can enjoy several weeks of good growing here in Indiana1 . Cover individual plants with items, such as upturned empty milk jugs or paper cups. Larger groupings can be covered with a blanket or cloths as long as the weight of the coverings is supported so the plants are not harmed. If you are interested in a more significant investment, hot beds or cold frames are options.
With so many options to grow and means to do it, late-season gardening can stretch the joy of the season, bringing the bounty of your soil to your salad.
Resources:
1 https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/the-fall-vegetable-garden/ 2 https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HO/HO-66-W.pdf 3 https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HO/HO-186-W. pdf?_ga=2.234582558.1031638578.1627561368-1499576382.1607431711
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