Been getting ready for a fall garden

[gixxerific]

I just picked some potatoes and red onions. So I had some space left along with where my lettuce was.

I tilled it up (some of it was fresh garden, meaning it was thick grass before this spring) than I added some peat moss and organic compost than tiled it up very thoroughly again. I know it's not time to plant yet but just trying to get it ready. Like I said it was a fresh garden this year.

I plan to try some new things. As well as some stuff that never did good in the summer like broccoli spinach, some lettuces, maybe Brussels sprouts. Who knows what I will put in there I don't have a whole lot of room but I will grow as much as I can.

What do you all do for a fall garden?

[cynthia_h]

Kale (I grew red Russian kale last year), chard, spinach, mache (also called corn salad), broccoli romanesco, rapini (broccoli raab), peas, carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, chicory, potatoes, bok choy, komatsuna, ...

There's just a whole raft of veggies grown for their roots or leaves vs. their fruit. The "fruiting" vegetables, e.g., eggplant, tomatoes, tomatilloes, peppers, melons, and okra, like the heat. But hot conditions either devastate (roots) or prematurely accelerate (leaves) the cool-loving veggies.

So, rather than lists of what will grow, you'll be about 85 to 90% correct by thinking about the growth habit of the plant:

Leaf? Root? => most likely a cool season plant

Fruit / melon? => warm/hot season plant

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[gixxerific]

Thanks Cynthia, I know the difference between cool an warm weather crops.

Actually I just took a break from writing up a quick reference manual if you will, on cool weather vegetables. It is purely for personal use, put together from a few different sources. I was tired of looking up info with all the other junk in the way. So I'm making a reference of the most important items pertaining to several veggies. Maybe I'll post it up when I'm done. It can't hurt.

Just wondering what most people love to grow in the fall\winter. Up until now I have never had a "fall"garden. But I have always had a great spring\summer garden. I want to expand my garden.

I just moved to this house 2 years ago so the soil I'm working with, though heavily modified multiple times since I have been here, still isn't what it should be. But never fear I am working on that with great diligence.

Dono

[cynthia_h]

My real surprises last year were the kale and the rapini.

I had *never* eaten either one at all, and I've eaten a lot of variety in my life.

So now I'm completely spoiled for these two veggies: organically grown, freshly picked, washed, and cooked for dinner....no left-overs!

They were both soooo sweet that even DH liked them! (the original meat & potatoes guy) But after a couple of weeks with kale & rapini & pasta dishes to keep up with the incredibly abundant crop, DH said he was "tired" of them.

I asked, incredulously, "You're tired of fresh, free, organic produce?" No response. "Well, I guess there's that much more for me, and now some for the dogs!"

So don't restrict yourself to veggies you're familiar with. Try some new ones; maybe you'll have your own pleasant and yummy surprise!

I didn't mean to sound like I was talking down to you on cool vs. warm. I'm sorry if it came across that way.

When I respond here, I often respond with the OP in mind only, but sometimes, on questions of potentially more general interest (in this case, what to plant in a fall garden), I add info that new gardeners may not have come across yet.

I'm looking forward to your compendium!

Cynthia H.

[gixxerific]

I didn't mean to sound like I was talking down to you on cool vs. warm. I'm sorry if it came across that way.

No prob I am new on this site so just trying to let you know that I am fairly knowledgeable in the garden. I know enough to to put any garden in this subdivision to shame , put your money up suckers.

About what you said in trying new things. I am planning on that for sure. I know I will put in broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and other lettuces. I think I might try some brussels sprouts and asparagus (though not really a fall crop). Oh and carrots and cabbage and peas and..........................................................................................................................whatever else I can squeeze in there.

Dono

[momo]

My favorite crop last winter was my Broccoliflower it was delicious and it looked really cool!
[img]https://i454.photobucket.com/albums/qq268/momo2820/broccoliflower.jpg[/img]

But, like always, my family loved everything we grew. Of course we grew lots of greens and some beets, and I think the 'Bull's Blood' beets had the tastiest greens that came out of the garden all year. Way better than the chard I grew.