What should I plant in my Arkansas fall garden?

[FeatherFeetFarm]

I love the state! But youre right. It is very diverse.

 

[FeatherFeetFarm]

I'm ordering them tommorow and I'm hoping to plant them by the 20th. Should I do any soil prep? I'm starting them in a seed tray. Thanks and I'll keep you updated!

 

[meadow]

I'm ordering them tommorow and I'm hoping to plant them by the 20th. Should I do any soil prep? I'm starting them in a seed tray. Thanks and I'll keep you updated!

My brother likes to 'plant' fish or fish scraps underneath where squash will be planted, but he does a lot of fishing. Along the same lines, I've heard that putting a shovel full of well-rotted manure about a foot down from the planting hole is good for them too. I've not had experience with either method.

When you say "seed tray" I picture something that is probably too small for crops that do not like to be disturbed. I use disposable plastic drinking cups for starting squash and melons so they have plenty of room until time to transplant. I've always started cucumbers in smaller cells (the kind that you plant right into the ground, both small peat pots and peat pellets that swell up with water) but this year I had to restart one variety and did it in a cup without thinking. Those little cucumber plants are doing really well! They are in the process of being hardened off and even DH comments on how nice they look. eta: although it could also be the warmer weather and not the pot, but they are much larger and robust than any other cucumbers I've done.

 

[FeatherFeetFarm]

I wont get anything planted by the 20th like I wanted to. But, it wont be too long after. Here are the starter cups I have. I will definitely be planting the squash and other large seeds in bathroom cups.

Its this but I'm missing the bottom tray. I found it while I was cleaning out my great Uncles house so who knows how old they are.

 

[meadow]

Wait a second... !

You're in a warm climate, correct? It may be a toss-up for your situation as to which will grow faster, a transplant or a direct-seeded plant. If you choose to direct seed, you could also start a couple inside as extra insurance.

As for the cups.. I think bathroom cups are 5 oz? The ones I use for squash, beans and melon starts are the kind you'd find at a picnic. I have a giant bag of Costco's Kirkland brand "The Big Red Cup" and it says they are 18 oz. I think the ones I've seen in grocery stores might be 16 oz?

eta: milk cartons can make great containers for starting tomatoes. If you cut one up for dividers, 4 tomatoes can be started in one carton. Here is a video:

 

[FeatherFeetFarm]

Wait a second... !

You're in a warm climate, correct? It may be a toss-up for your situation as to which will grow faster, a transplant or a direct-seeded plant. If you choose to direct seed, you could also start a couple inside as extra insurance.

As for the cups.. I think bathroom cups are 5 oz? The ones I use for squash, beans and melon starts are the kind you'd find at a picnic. I have a giant bag of Costco's Kirkland brand "The Big Red Cup" and it says they are 18 oz. I think the ones I've seen in grocery stores might be 16 oz?

eta: milk cartons can make great containers for starting tomatoes. If you cut one up for dividers, 4 tomatoes can be started in one carton. Here is a video:

Its extremely hot. Like 100 degrees plus. And it hasnt rained in weeks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've been on vacation with the family. I don't take a computer or internet on vacation.

I was in the northwest corner of Arkansas, outside of Prairie Grove. Not sure where you are. But yeah, hot and dry sounds right. I never tried starting anything you listed for the fall. If you can get then to grow the cukes and yellow summer squash should produce well. Not sure how the tomatoes will do. My problem with tomatoes was that the summers would get so hot that new tomatoes would not set on. So I'd start tomatoes as soon as I could in the spring and get some early before it got too hot for them to set on. But I'd keep them alive with a lot of watering in the summer and when it cooled off enough in the fall they'd produce a lot. The others, I don't know if they have enough time to make or not. One way to find out.

I did not start the fall seeds indoors, just direct seeded them. Most of what I tried in the Fall was greens like chard, and kale. I'd also try turnips, carrots, and beets. Trouble was I had to start them in August during the dry heat. If you don't keep them watered they dry up. Also the bugs are at their peak. They can eat sprouts to the ground pretty much overnight. Starting them indoors soon is probably a real good idea.

I picked up a bunch of sheets from a thrift store really cheap. If frost threatened or a hard freeze and I was overwintering anything I'd use those and hold them in place with rocks. I had a lot of rocks readily available. I could extend the season in the fall and protect direct seeded stuff in the spring.

Good luck with it. Look forward to reading how you do.

 

[FeatherFeetFarm]

I've been on vacation with the family. I don't take a computer or internet on vacation.

I was in the northwest corner of Arkansas, outside of Prairie Grove. Not sure where you are. But yeah, hot and dry sounds right. I never tried starting anything you listed for the fall. If you can get then to grow the cukes and yellow summer squash should produce well. Not sure how the tomatoes will do. My problem with tomatoes was that the summers would get so hot that new tomatoes would not set on. So I'd start tomatoes as soon as I could in the spring and get some early before it got too hot for them to set on. But I'd keep them alive with a lot of watering in the summer and when it cooled off enough in the fall they'd produce a lot. The others, I don't know if they have enough time to make or not. One way to find out.

I did not start the fall seeds indoors, just direct seeded them. Most of what I tried in the Fall was greens like chard, and kale. I'd also try turnips, carrots, and beets. Trouble was I had to start them in August during the dry heat. If you don't keep them watered they dry up. Also the bugs are at their peak. They can eat sprouts to the ground pretty much overnight. Starting them indoors soon is probably a real good idea.

I picked up a bunch of sheets from a thrift store really cheap. If frost threatened or a hard freeze and I was overwintering anything I'd use those and hold them in place with rocks. I had a lot of rocks readily available. I could extend the season in the fall and protect direct seeded stuff in the spring.

Good luck with it. Look forward to reading how you do.

Ive been up there! Ive been around Corning. And yes. I think its just too hot and dry to start them outside. During spring, we always either start outside or buy already started plants. When do you guys suggest I should transplant?

 

[Ridgerunner]

CornIng, over in the northeast corner, flat and gumbo muck. Former marshland and considered part of the delta region. Quite different than what I had. Rich land but probably doesn't drain well.

I'd transplant cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower around the end of February, depending on the weather. Usually the first spell when it was dry enough to work the ground and protect with sheets when frost was a threat. I's also plant potatoes and onions, and sow seeds for carrots, beets, turnips, lettuce, chard and kale then. The cool weather crops. Then around the first of May I'd start the warm weather stuff like transplant tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant and direct seed beans, corn, and squash. I'd transplant sweet potatoes in mid to late May, they like it warm. In late October I'd plant garlic cloves and let it overwinter.

I haven't grown the crops you are talking about in the fall. My thoughts would be to start them indoors as soon as you reasonably can and do a good job hardening them off before you transplant them. It's going to be trial and error to find what works for you.

 

[FeatherFeetFarm]

Sorry that I have so many questions, but what does it mean to harden them off? Is that where you slowly introduce them to the outside environment so they are use to it when you transplant? They should be coming in soon. I'm so excited!