Fall garden

[897tgigvib]

Kale is usually an easy one unless you've been getting those fat grey aphids. Some of the folks here have recipes for Kale chips that I wanna try. Supposedly everyone loves Kale chips!

Swiss Chard is usually very easy too. It's nice to thin them to a single plant every 8 inches or so. They'll tough it out all winter if your winter is not too long or cold.

Turnips are a good one to try. I just planted some "Round Red".

I'm still figuring the best time for Beets to be planted around here. I just planted some "intermediate yellow mangel" beets.

I also just planted some "watermelon radish".

My Leek seeds have not yet sprouted, neither have my carrot seeds.

I'm planting leeks to use as small size green oniony soup addition stuff...slurp...another crop that'll need my sonic noisemaking gopher repellent doodads right next to. So far no gophers, but I sadly had to use mousetraps to kill 2 voles.



Am considering planting Rutabagas and that big reddish mustard in the bed I DIATOMACEOUS EARTHED heavily to slow the big grey aphids. I think it destroyed the aphids completely! waiting to see first...

 

[Smiles Jr.]

. . . Am considering planting Rutabagas and that big reddish mustard in the bed I DIATOMACEOUS EARTHED heavily to slow the big grey aphids. I think it destroyed the aphids completely! waiting to see first.

I have had very good results from using diatomaceous earth, too. I always forget to mention it in my posts but I have an old duster that works very good to blow the stuff onto my plants. But I think the biggest bang for my buck is accomplished by hand dusting the soil all around the plants. I've heard folks say that rain will wash it away or cake it to the point that it doesn't work any more but that is not my experience. I dust in early spring and again in mid summer and for the last four years my bug problems have almost disappeared. Oh boy, now I've done it! I hope the bugs can't read this post.

 

[so lucky]

Smiles, I don't know why it is, but mentioning something like that is the surest way to jinx yourself. I can say "I never get a toothache" and, unfailingly, I get one the next day. I don't know what the mechanism is for this phenomena, but it exists. I just haven't figured out how to use it to my advantage. Let's see......"I never get a million dollar check in the mail".......

 

[Highpointfarm]

now your thinking with your wallet

 

[897tgigvib]

Speaking about saying something then it happening, sure enough a few leek seeds have sprouted, and maybe a couple carrot seeds too.

 

[digitS']

Typical fall crops are garlic, green peas, mustard, turnips, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, kale, chard, short season green beans, onions. I think some people plant a few potatoes. Chinese cabbage. Just about any greens.

Chinese cabbage is in the turnip family as is bok choy. There are some interesting varieties of Asian mustards. Western cabbage and broccoli are Brassica oleracea as is guy lon (kailan). If you are unsure about having enough mild fall weather for things like cabbage & broccoli, some of these Asian veggies make for quick, tasty and healthy food.

My bush beans are already planted as are the late plantings of cucumbers and summer squash. I've never tried cucumbers late but expect the early ones to kind of "shrink" late in the season. Also, there's that nasty powdery mildew that attacks the older plants, as well.

I have some lettuce seed sown in containers to set out as transplants in the open garden, later. I think I'm really a little too early for that but if I wait until late August to direct-sow seed in the garden, that will be too late even tho' bok choy can be directly sown in my garden from now until the end of August. It is easiest to start lettuce in containers for later transplanting and the 1st half of August is a good time for me to sow that lettuce seed.

Here is a cellphone picture from August 21st, a couple of years ago. All of these bok choy plants reached harvestable size, even the tiniest, latest-sown seedlings. Those are farthest from the camera.

Welcome to the forums !

Steve

 

[strantor]

Does all the previous advice apply to people in SE TX as well? When should I start planting?

 

[digitS']

Oh boy, Strantor . .

. I wouldn't be able to advise you on dates!

There would be a lot of difference in weather/climate between here & there.

Steve

 

[897tgigvib]

Nacoqtpie and the mama chicken are from more down that way and may know what to plant when down there.

 

[plainolebill]

Steve, Do you eat all that bok choy? Any slugs in that neck of the woods?