Fall Vegetable GardeningSub Title

Jo Ann Russo XX@sss.sls

2

Crops to be harvested this fall

• Plants that will survive a light frost:– Beets– Carrots– Chard– Mustard– Cauliflower– Radish

Plants that will withstand frost

– Broccoli– Cabbage– Brussels Sprouts– Lettuce– Peas– Turnips– Kale– Spinach– Broccoli Raab

Protected GardeningMoving a zone South

• Floating Row Cover– Provides 10-15 degrees

of protection

• Cold Frame• Hoop House• Greenhouse

Herbs for the Cold Frame

• Chives• Oregano• Sage • Thyme

Overwintering Crops

• Broccoli Raab• Chicories• Garlic• Kale• Leeks• Spinach• Multplier Onions

• Leeks

Select varieties which are cold hardy and quick maturingGreens – select leafy rather than heading varieties

Selecting Crops for Fall Planting

Arugula

Weather Considerations

• High heat and humidity in August – Start cool weather crops

in a protected spot– Indoors under lights,

under shade cloth or in a shady part of the garden

Light• As we move into September

– days are shorter – the sun’s angle is lower in the sky– light is less intense– mature growth may shade the growing area

• Therefore we need to add a short day factor when calculating when to plant for fall harvest.

Calculating last seed starting date

• Check first frost date for your area• Check seed pack for days to maturity• Formula

– Days to germination+Days to transplant+ maturity+SDF=Days to plant before frost

i.e.Buttercrunch Lettuce matures in 46 days 4+0+46+14=64

- Therefore plant this variety by Aug.20th or by Sept. 8th for baby greens

• Germination can be speeded up by soaking or pre-sprouting seeds

• Timeline can be extended by using purchased transplants– Transplants are available from local garden

centers by the last week in August– Or…grow your own!

Late August-Early September

Plant:• Beet• Spinach• Broccoli Raab• Carrot• Endive• Kale• Turnip• Lettuce

Winterizing the Garden• September – Pull up and compost spent plants• October - Pull up and compost spent plants. Cover

pepper and tomato plants to prolong production. Remove and store stakes and cages. Plant cover crop in empty areas. Till in organic matter.

• November – Cover empty beds with shredded leaves. Mulch overwintering carrots, leeks, winter onions and radishes and parsnips with clean straw.

• December – Get soil sample for spring planting

EXTRA SLIDES

Resources• Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC)

– 800-342-2507– http://extension.umd.edu/hgic

• Grow-It-Eat-It website– http://extension.umd.edu/growit

• Master Gardener state website– http://extension.umd.edu/mg

This program was brought to you by

Maryland Master Gardener Program

Howard County

University of Maryland Extension