How To: Late Summer Gardening

Late Summer Gardening

By Bethany Beebe

This time of year, we enjoy the peak bounty of the garden. From fresh flowers, tomatoes, and zucchini to melons, cucumbers, and more, the black soil of Indiana gardens is a gold mine that pays dividends of flavor and color. Shorter days and cooler temperatures need not mean an end to all that wonderful freshness. Some investment of time and labor can stretch payouts into the Fall.

Beauty Now

Both the beautiful and functional should be considered this time of year. It is worth the time to cut a bouquet of fresh flowers, infusing any space with the natural, vibrant color only nature can create. Drying flowers can allow the beauty of the summer months to stretch into off-season times.

Planting for Fall Harvest

Early in the month of August, seeds for some popular edible Fall harvest items should be directly sown into the soil. Snap beans, kale, kohlrabi, beets, and carrots will have enough time to reach maturity before the weather becomes too cold, if planted now. Vegetables like radishes, spinach, green onions, and spinach should wait for late August or early September to be fresh Fall finds.

What to Harvest

Many seasonal favorites are ripe for the picking. Sweet potatoes, melons, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes should all be harvested. Anything sensitive to the cold should be protected as the month of September goes on should light frost threaten. Use a variety of protection, ranging from a blanket to newspapers (just not plastic) for coverage.

When the tomato plants are done for the season, any fruit that is mature, but still green, can be ripened by wrapping in newspaper or leaving on the vine and placing in a cool (about 55-60 degree F) area until ready for use. Winter squash, with its tough skin and deep coloration, should be harvested prior to frost. Preparing herbs to be harvested over winter can also happen now; potting up parsley, basil, or other favorites gives you the chance to enjoy garden flavor when snow flies. Pears ripen best off the tree; when their color just begins to turn and they remove from the tree with relative ease, they should be harvested to complete their ripening in your care.

Preparing for the Future

Starting near the end of September can lay the foundation for a great season next year. About four to six weeks before the ground freezes, spring bulbs can be planted. Placing these bulbs in their winter home too early can cause them to grow too early; conversely, they need enough time to establish a strong root system. Impatiens, wax begonias, or coleus can be prepared for next year by digging the root system and cutting off approximately half of the plant. One can also keep the shoot end and place it in moist vermiculite, perlite, or a soil mix to root another plant. No matter what projects you tackle, though many this time of year, payout in quality, flavor, color, and financial savings can all be yours. a

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