Thursday, September 18, 2008

Fall Veggies

Piri mentioned she is more interested in growing food than flowers. I guess you have to choose when you only have 100 square feet to grow on. Here’s a list of vegetables you can start now.

Best Vegetables for Fall Growing:

Kale - Nutritious leafy greens on productive plants that over-winter easily even in cold climates.

Collards - Another leafy green similar to kale but with larger, stronger flavored leaves.

Lettuce - Plant varieties bred especially for growing during the fall season or in cold frames.

Spinach - Not as easy to grow as kale and collards, these leafy greens will also over-winter.

Turnips - Here’s a quick maturing root crop that’s productive and easy to grow.

Rutabagas - Larger and sweeter than turnips, plant earlier in the summer for fall harvests.

Broccoli - Popular, productive and much easier to grow than cauliflower.

Cauliflower - Finicky grower, planting must be timed well in order to develop large heads.

Mustard - Spicy hot leaves, this is a very fast growing vegetable.

Mache - Very cold hardy, mild greens can be grown right into the winter months.

Cabbage - Grow from transplants (like broccoli and cauliflower) or start seeds indoors under lights.

Oriental Vegetables - Wide range of unusual varieties are available for fall production.

Escarole - A bitter leafy green vegetable that can be cooked or used raw as a salad green.

Endive - Similar to escarole with attractive frilly leaves.

Brussels sprouts - Start seed in early summer or purchase transplants.

Arugula - Fast growing leafy greens for salads or gourmet recipes.

Leeks - One of the hardiest plants in the garden, leeks can even withstand winter freezes.

3 comments:

Piri said...

Thanks for the list! I need to hurry up and make some new raised beds so I can plant some of these. I also want to make a simple cold frame, mostly just a raised bed with a plexi-glass lid to help some things winter over a little better. I don't know where I will find the time and energy. Can I have some donkey manure?

Lynnis said...

I have a cold frame you can borrow if you like. You are welcome to all the donkey and chicken poop you can haul.

Piri said...

I think garlic is also planted in the fall.