There are several types of vegetables, each of which comes in a multitude of varieties, and of which the growing period depends on the season. While some vegetables are eaten in summer, winter or spring, others can only be used as food in autumn. Fall vegetables are plentiful and are subject to binding growing methods because of their many requirements. These vegetables are harvested between September and Christmas.

Autumn is the season that starts September 21 and ends on December 21. During that time period, many plants grow extraordinarily well and can be incorporated in many dishes to provide a fresh supply of vitamins. However, to achieve this goal and take full advantage of these vegetables, it is necessary to take care of them on a regular basis.

Preliminary practices to the planting of fall vegetables

Prior to sowing, water the furrow’s bottom sufficiently before planting the seed. This is particularly beneficial to the good seeds, which will then grow faster than weeds. Do not forget to pack the earth well after sowing: this prevents rats from scraping the ground, especially when it is covered with a floating row cover to maintain freshness. An excellent planting method consists of sowing the first seeds on-the-fly among tomato plants. It is particularly interesting to plant vegetables on land that was previously used for growing beans, because the remaining leaf stalks can be used to provide shade to the seedlings. However, if the ground was previously used to grow strawberries, care must be taken to remove all traces of ancient crops, such as worm-eaten fruit, to prevent contamination of the new vegetable crop. For vegetables grown indoors, care should be taken to moisten and thin out plants. For the plants’ spacing not to appear insufficient, they must be mixed with coffee grounds. Bush beans and butterhead-type lettuce can be sown just after the first potato harvests.

Planting fall vegetables

Before putting the seeds in the ground, scratch the earth with a hoe or weed-hook, being careful not to turn over the land. Planting fall vegetables must begin in the first days of August. To do so, build small sand beds, about 1.5 to 2 inches (4 to 6 cm) deep and dig furrows using a hoe. Two or three seeds should be placed in each hole, while ensuring that the seedlings are spaced 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) apart. To promote germination, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. The use of compost and universal potting soil for covering up the seeds is very advantageous in grounds that have coarse structures.

How to maintain fall vegetables

Maintaining a fall vegetable garden starts with reduced frequency watering, although large quantities of water are still needed for irrigation. For example, 10.5 square feet of land (1 m²) require a weekly water supply of approximately 6.5 gallons (25 L). The plants’ dried stems should be removed at their base and plants such as beans and roses, which tend to grow in a disorderly manner, should be trimmed. The aim is to allow the plants to always receive light.

Some fall vegetables and their planting times

Autumn is a season that lasts about four months. And every month there are vegetables available to enrich the diet. More specifically, the month of September is the most appropriate period for picking potatoes, courgettes, carrots, spinach, leeks, eggplant, flageolet, cabbage, beet and cucumber. In October, focus the harvest on peppers, broccoli, squash, turnips, radishes, and fennel apples. As for onions, salsify, celery branch, Chinese artichoke, red cabbage and endive, they are ideally harvested in November. From the beginning of December, two or three weeks before the end of fall, harvest vegetables such as beets, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac and cardoon.

Related posts:

  1. Summer vegetables
  2. Green vegetables
  3. Steps to follow before planting and transplanting vegetables
  4. Winter vegetables
  5. Preserving your vegetables in the freezer

Published in Creating a vegetable garden by Alexander on 07 Sep 2011