Fall planting Zone 5

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Is there anything that I can plant now through fall?

 

[digitS']

I have already begun to sow bok choy seed for the fall. That will continue for about another month.

It won't just be all bok choy, all the time. There is komatsuna seed to get into the ground also .

This can be varied further, of course. It is just what I have been successful doing and reflects my tastes. I haven't really cared for turnips but it must have been over 30 years since I've grown them and I should really go back and find out if I like the greens. Bok choy is in the same family with turnips and that's a fairly broad family, there are other things.

Komatsuna is in the mustard family, as best as I understand, and an even broader family. You may be able to grow a quick-maturing cabbage from transplants or broccoli, I really don't know since I've never done this. There are lots of late-maturing cabbage out in the garden that were set out in the spring. All of my early cabbage has been harvested.

So, that's the idea - quick-maturing greens. I don't know why I don't sow spinach seed but I don't have a great deal of confidence in it. Spinach really likes to bolt to seed here and might just rush into that stage. One thing, lots of people plant spinach to over-winter but we aren't quite to that point in zone 5.

I also have some lettuce starts that will be transplanted out in a couple of weeks. They should do fine but direct-seeding in the garden hasn't worked very well and I haven't had much luck with radish at this time of year. Other gardeners may have some ideas about carrots.

Steve

 

[lesa]

If you have carrot seeds laying around- I would go ahead and plant them. They will get a quick start, with the warm soil. Even if they don't end up huge, by the time the snow flies, there is no such thing as a carrot that is too small....Most of the greens should be fine- Swiss chard, lettuces, etc. Beets are another one.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Hmmm, i should put the rest of that beet seed i have in the ground. Had no luck this spring, i think it was a water issue, they may have been too far from the soaker hose, and it took me a while to realize it

 

[wifezilla]

I am taking all of the pea seeds I still have in my stash and planting those. If I don't get a fall crop, I am giving up on peas all together. The weather here is so weird, spring planting peas has been a disaster and they don't stand a chance in summer. I am also going to grow some little round carrots, swiss chard, and I have canton bok pak choy seeds left too.

My experimental winter crop will be maca. It prefers winter weather, so we'll see how it does. If it can live at 14,000 feet in the Andes, the Pikes Peak area should be a piece of cake for those plants.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Thanks all! I didn't realize I still had time for all that! I have carrots in the ground right now. They are long, but very skinny still. Maybe I can squeeze in some more lettuce somewhere. Bok Choy huh? I don't know if I like it, but it would be worth trying. I'm sure I've had it in chinese food. I'll have to try and find some seeds somewhere. We definately need more raised beds next year!

 

[digitS']

I am taking all of the pea seeds I still have in my stash and planting those. . .

Oh yeah, peas!

This is the time when I have plant snow peas for about the last 3 years. I had such terrible pea fortune in the spring that I'm all discouraged this year . . .

This has worked for harvesting the pods; snow peas tend to be quicker than the other types because you are harvesting just the pods not waiting for the seeds. You should also learn if you enjoy the tendrils in salad or stir-fry. Really, they taste just like peas!

Anyway, I have picked snow peas on an October morning that were covered with frost. If they slow too much because of the cold, start harvesting the tendrils. Those with flowers are especially attractive in a salad.

Steve

 

[wifezilla]

Thanks for the tips Steve. Since you are fighting a lot of the same weird weather I am, it does cheer me up a bit knowing you have gotten fall pea crops.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Maybe some snow pea pods in my future too!

 

[hoodat]

Maybe some snow pea pods in my future too!

Don't forget the chinese greens like pak choy and kailaan. They should do well as a fall crop in your zone. For more traditional greens there is mustard and collards and/or kale.