[title subtitle=”words: Catherine Frederick
and Jerry Johnston with Farmers Co-op”][/title]
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Q: What vegetables can we plant in September?
A: It’s time to transition to a fall garden. You can now plant:
Transplants
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Brussel Sprouts
Collard Greens
Seed
Kale
Mustard Greens
Turnips
Radishes
Swiss Chard
Carrot
Beets
Spinach
Onion sets
Multiplying onions (lasts all winter)
English peas
Q: When will fall vegetables be ready to harvest?
A: Transplants are generally ready for harvest in about six weeks. Since these are all cold crops, frost won’t hurt them; some people have broccoli all winter long. There is no need to cover these crops. Planted seeds will start to show in about a week, and can generally be harvested between forty-five and seventy days.
Q: If we had a summer garden, is there anything we should do for the soil before we plant the fall crops?
A: Make sure to remove any dead plant matter, replace any lost soil, mix well with existing, add lime as our area is lime-poor, and fertilize.
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Q: Is there anything we need to do for our flowers or bushes?
A: You won’t prune roses until March, but you can fertilize all plants in September. Be sure to check for bugs. We’ve had a lot of rain and this has caused some aphid infestations. We have a garden safe spray we recommend called Eight®, which eliminates several garden pests.
Q: Is there anything we can do to extend the growing season for our summer crops?
A: You can build a covering for your existing garden — this works best for raised beds — with PVC pipe and plastic. Basically you place sturdy pipes in each corner of your raised beds, driving them into the ground. Curve the PVC and place the ends into the pipe, it will look like a half hoop. Place plastic over the PVC, creating a mini-greenhouse.
Q: Is it time to plant fall bulbs?
A: Yes! Our fall bulbs are in at Farmers Co-op. It’s time to plant tulips, daffodils, lilies, and more, which will be up in the spring.
Q: What’s your favorite fall crop?
A: Oh, I just love broccoli and cauliflower!
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