Now is the time to plant fall vegetables

Warm sunny days and cool nights help boost the growth of root crops

With summer heat soaring, starting vegetables is probably the last thing on your mind, but mid-July to mid-August is the ideal time to start cool-season crops for a fall harvest. The warm, sunny days and cool nights of autumn are ideal for growing root crops, leafy greens, cabbage family crops and alliums. We can also replant many warm-season vegetables that may have succumbed to summer heat or pests, including cucumbers, beans and summer squash. With a little planning, you can produce fresh produce well into autumn and early winter.

Crop Selection

When selecting crops for the fall garden, choose varieties that have a short maturation period to ensure a good harvest before freezing temperatures arrive. This is particularly true for fall plantings of warm-season crops, which are particularly sensitive to frost. Cool-season vegetables are more forgiving of cold weather and many tolerate light frosts. However, selecting fast-maturing varieties provides other benefits, such as the ability to sow successive plantings of salad crops such as radish for continual harvest.

When to Sow Fall Crops

Planting times vary by crop and are based on two factors: the average first frost date for your area and the amount of time it takes to produce a harvestable crop. First frost dates range from mid-October in the panhandle to early November in southern Oklahoma. Maturation time is often listed as “Days to Maturity” on seed packets and catalogue descriptions. The accompanying table lists average planting windows for common crops. To pinpoint planting times for specific varieties, simply count backwards from the average first frost date using the number of days to maturity. This gives you the last possible date to plant and still produce a crop.

Starting Seeds in Summer

Getting seeds and plants started in the heat of summer can be challenging. A few simple tips and tricks will help you find success with establishing fall crops.

Plant in Furrows. Dig a furrow or trench several inches deep and sow seeds or set plants in the bottom of the furrow. Cover seeds with the appropriate amount of soil, but do not fill the furrow. Soil in the bottom of the furrow will be lightly shaded from the side walls and remain cooler than the soil surface. Sowing in furrows also helps direct water to where it is needed to germinate seeds.

Provide Shade. Surface soil temperatures can reach up to 140 degrees Farenheit in the heat of summer. Give seedlings a helping hand by providing a bit of shade to lower soil temperatures and reduce evaporation. Lay an old window screen over furrows or erect a shade cloth to shelter young transplants. Take advantage of established plants in your garden to shade seeds or seedlings. Try sowing lettuce seeds in the shade of tall tomato plants or planting peas under okra. Be creative and use materials you have on hand.

Provide Consistent Moisture. Seeds need constant moisture to germinate. Hydrate seeds before sowing by soaking them overnight. This can be done for most seeds except beans and peas, which split from soaking. Irrigate the planting bed regularly to keep soil moist, but not wet. Irrigation will also favor weeds, so be sure to gently remove weeds regularly.

The fall vegetable garden is immensely rewarding but takes patience and persistence to establish. A little planning and preparation will ensure you get the timing right and have the tools on hand needed to establish plants during the summer heat. Your efforts will be worth it when you’re still eating garden-fresh salads in November!

Planting times for common fall crops