Now is Time to Plant for Fall Vegetable Crop

First posted on 08-05-2010

As the dog days of summer are upon us, now is the time for gardeners to think about planting of that fall vegetable crop.

“Fall is an excellent extension of the vegetable garden season and a vital period for intensive gardening methods,” said David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. “Many cool-season and some warm-season vegetables attain their peak quality when grown and harvested as late crops.”

Greens and lettuce are some of the most well adapted vegetables for a fall garden. Turnips should be seeded in August and mature approximately 50 days from seeding. Depending on the variety both its roots and greens can be harvested.

Lettuce and spinach are also fall favorites. If planted in the first week of September spinach often can be enjoyed in the fall but also survive winter and produce abundantly in April.

Many warm season vegetables can also be grown in late summer and fall including fall tomatoes, snap beans and squash. Snap beans can be seeded in early to mid-August in most areas of Missouri.

Planting can be one tricky aspect of growing a fall garden, though. Moisture is often an issue when seeding or transplanting in hot weather, and water should be applied immediately to ensure the establishment of seedlings. Trinklein recommends planting the seed slightly deeper that you would normally plant them in the spring to improve moisture availability for germination and root growth.

Since it is difficult to get uniform seed germination and seedling emergence in high soil temperatures, consider transplanting seedlings started in a hot bed for hardy crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage in early to mid-August. These crops should be four to six weeks old when transplanted into the garden. Transplanting in the late afternoon or early evening will reduce transplant shock, he said.

More on fall gardens can be found at http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=MG5.

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