What can I plant as of today?

[aimeesh]

so I just started gardening for the first time ever, this year. I was close to being a complete failure. I lost everything to pests/rot other than my basil and sunflowers.

I'd like to have something to show for before the years end and I was wondering what the possibilities are for starting a new set for the fall season? I'm going out tomorrow.

I was thinking of carrots and spinach but I'd like to know what else I could choose to plant right now.

any advice on types of containers and fertilizers/etc would be greatly appreciated!

thanks!

[cynthia_h]

It's a good time to be planning your fall/winter garden in the Bay Area, but I'm not clear on the precise planting conditions in Rocklin. My Sunset book (see my response to your post in the Introductions forum) is downstairs, and right now I'm upstairs. Sorry....

A fall garden includes carrots and spinach and can also include kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, bok choy or any of its closely related greens, rapini (aka broccoli rabe), beets, parsnips, turnips, chard, and the like. Pretty much root crops (but not potatoes) and leafy greens.

You'll have to be on high alert for snails and slugs, which LOVE the leafy greens. I go out Snail Hunting and keep their numbers down. After my hunts earlier this year, I've only found a total of 45 or so since mid-June. (Grim satisfaction? You bet.) There may be additional pests in Rocklin, but here in El Cerrito, and before that in Berkeley, snails and slugs were my #1 Enemy for cool-weather gardening.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[rainbowgardener]

Your conditions are a lot different from mine, but I love fall gardening. Things seem to do much better and there are fewer pests (but I don't have nearly the slug/snail issue that cynthia does). Insect pests don't like the cooler weather.

So cool weather crops to be thinking of: carrots, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, chard, any other greens you like...

Last year, was the first year I did fall planted spinach. I planted some in mid-October, which is way too late in my climate for a fall crop. But in the mild winter we had last year (which you always have), it over wintered and took off in early spring and I had the best spinach crop ever. It lasted and lasted, unlike the spring planted spinach which tends to bolt as soon as the weather warms.

PS. I just saw your other post that said you are container growing. This post didn't mention that. Some people grow carrots in containers, but I wouldn't. Carrots are slow. So they sit and take up container room for six months and then you pull the one carrot you got from one seed and it is done and over. For containers, I much prefer things you can keep eating from for awhile, which would be everything else on my list.

Spinach is pretty shallow rooted and would go well in one of those long narrow, 8" deep planters.

[gixxerific]

RBG you just gave me an idea. I just took out all of my Dwarfs that were in pots on the front porch (warm decent amount of sun but not all day). I could get a bit of manure to freshen the pots up and do the greens for fall and maybe try some peas. I don't really have room in the garden right now so my fall planting is getting to be too late.

[aimeesh]

oh yes, wouldve been helpful to mention I'm container gardening sorry!

thanks for the help, I'm still going to give carrot a try, some lettuce, and spinach!
I already have basil that seems to be doing *okay*.... I learned a little late about pruning them so they're a bit gangly.

*yay* so happy to have a second chance before the year is over

[klevelyn]

You live in growing zone 9 so you can garden year round. My father starts his winter garden in Sept. and lives in the same zone. He grows beautiful cauliflowers. Cabbage, broccoli with all fit in a container.

Have fun. I have just planted my carrots, spinach and kale for my winter garden. I live in Zone 4 so I protect my winter garden with mulch and a hoop house.

[cynthia_h]

You get that copy of Sunset's book yet? Lots of info in there! Since you indicate that you're exclusively, or largely, a container gardener, I'd like to recommend The Bountiful Container, by McGee and Stuckey. I have a copy, and it's helped me decide which veggies go into the ground vs. which ones go into a container.

Cynthia

[3 Pound Tomato]

I plant cilantro this time of year and a row of turnips.