Sure, the autumn chill still seems far away, but if you want to enjoy a delicious fall crop, it’s time to start thinking about your fall garden. Here are a few tips for making the most of your fall garden.
Plant Earlier Than You Think
You’ll want to start planting your fall garden ASAP. Radishes, spinach, and lettuce are fast-growing, so those can wait a little longer, but carrots, cabbage, and broccoli need more time to mature. When in doubt, plant early. Once that first frost hits, the gardening season is basically over.
Summer Crops: Keep or Delete?
The answer: It depends. Sometimes crops such as tomatoes and peppers keep producing until early fall, so there is no need to pull up these perfectly good crops, especially if you have space. If you don’t have room or don’t think your plants will continue to produce, pull them up to make room for your fall veggies.
Let’s Talk Vegetables
The following vegetables need the most time to mature:
- Broccoli: Broccoli is usually ready to harvest after 10-12 weeks. Make sure to pick the florets before they turn yellow, and use a sharp knife to cut them about 6 inches below the floret head.
- Brussels Sprouts: Once Brussels sprouts reach about 6 inches tall, they need to be staked because they aren’t even close to reaching their maximum height. Brussels sprouts grow to 2-3 feet tall. They are heavy when full and need extra support.
- Cabbage: Cabbage requires consistent moisture to grow a full head, which comes to fruition after 6-8 weeks.
- Carrots: Carrots are a simple fall vegetable to grow but take a while to germinate. Keep in mind that carrots harvested early are sweeter and more tender.
- Cauliflower: If you live in a warmer climate, cauliflower may be tricky because it needs consistently cool temperatures. Heads will be ready to harvest in 50-100 days.
The following vegetables are speedier growers:
- Arugula: These seedlings emerge in 7-14 days and are ready for harvest in 3-4 weeks. Much like carrots, the earlier you harvest arugula, the more tender and sweeter it is.
- Beets: Beets are ready in 4-6 weeks and should be pulled as soon as they are the size of a golf ball. The sooner you harvest them, the better they taste.
- Radishes: Radish seedlings emerge in just seven days and may be ready to harvest in as little as three weeks but no more than six weeks.
- Spinach: Spinach is cold-hardy, so it can stay in the ground for a long time. Once the leaves reach the desired size, which usually takes about four weeks, they can be harvested.