September was hot this year. But a few cool days near the end of the month was enough to coax me into getting started. I usually plant my fall/winter garden around October 15th, but this year I planted a few weeks earlier. With such short growing seasons, a head-start is always good if you can get one.... just make sure the weather is on your side. The highs should be 95 degrees or lower when you plant. I used all "early" seed varieties and sewed them in the soil by September 23rd, just two days before my birthday! Unfortunately it heated up again, so my spinach (needs cool soil for germinating) and winter thyme died off , but everything else hung in there! I replanted the spinach last week and it is already up again!
Most of my seeds sprouted 5-6 days later, the peas being the first to show themselves. The pictures below are all from from the end of October.
Left: Box 1-- Swiss chard along the back wall, lettuces in the middle, and peas in the front. Garnet Giant and Basil on the far end. Right: Garnet Giant... this stuff is spicy!
Sweet Basil. Grown from seed fallen from the previous year's plant.
My bell and jalepeno peppers are still producing healthy peppers. They have survived through a few winters and I am hoping to keep them around even longer. If you prune them back in the winter, you can keep them year round.
Varieties Used
(most purched from Johnny's Sleected Seeds Catalog)
Box 1:
Box 1:
Bright Lights Swiss Chard 28 days
Soltero (Lettuce, Red Lollo Soltero) 53 days
Garnet Giant (Greens, Mustard Garnet Giant) 21 Baby/ 45 mature
Prize Head Leaf Lettuce 45 days
Oak Leaf (Lettuce, Green Oakleaf Panisse MTO) 48 days
Red Grand Rapids Red Sails MTO 29 days baby/55 full
Peas (from seed harvested from last years crop)
Box 2:
Broccoli (De Cecco--48 days, Blue Wind F1-- 49 days,)
Cauliflower (White Freemont F1) 62 days
Cabbage (Early Green Farao F1) 64 days
and 2 existing bell pepper plants, and 1 jalepeno
Box 3:
Carrots (Mokum and Napoli)
Kale (Dwarf Blue Curled, Vate's Strain)
Spinach (Smooth Leaf Emu F1 42 days and Smooth Leaf 7-green F1--36 days)
Pots:
Sage Broad Leaf
Cilantro
Parsley
Dill
Winter Thyme (did not sprout) I replanted it today... I think the soil was too warm.
Broccoli by seed. I have never done it by seed before. We'll see if it works out! It is much smaller than the transplants.
Broccoli by transplant.
Cauliflower by seed.
Sage
This is what spinach looks like when it first sprouts. It always has the two long and skinny leaves, then round ones sprout between them.
Other plants I need to add: some more onions and oregano. It's a good time to plant strawberries... if only I had more space!!!
