Fall gardens perform best when planted in mid-July, says K-State horticulture expert
MANHATTAN, Kansas – We’re approaching mid-July, so Kansas gardeners are turning to harvesting tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and many other fruits and vegetables.
Now is not the time to start over …right?
“Probably the last thing most gardeners are thinking about right now is planting vegetables,” said Ward Upham, horticulture expert at Kansas State University. “But fall gardens will often produce better, tastier, cooler season crops if you plant now.”
Upham said fall vegetables do well if allowed to ripen during cooler, less stressful times. This means that a fall bounty requires putting seeds in the soil as early as mid-July.
Planting vegetables during the summer heat, however, requires a different approach. “Plant the seeds a little deeper than in the spring to keep them cooler and the soil around the seeds to stay moist longer,” Upham said. “Plant thicker and thin the plants later. Plants may also need to be protected from rabbits by using fences.
Upham shared a timely timeline to help gardeners plan for a fall harvest:
Mid-July
Plant potatoes if you can find any, or use seed potatoes that you could have saved. Do not use freshly dug up potatoes as they have built-in dormancy which will prevent growth. Also, don’t use grocery store potatoes; they will not germinate because they have often been treated.
Cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower can be grown from seed in mid-July. “Pick a protected location where the soil can stay moist and the rabbits won’t disturb them,” Upham said, adding that the crops should be transplanted in mid-August.
End of July
Sow the beets, carrots and beans.
End of July to beginning of August
Long-season maturing seed spinach and lettuce. Leaf lettuce will be sown later.
Mid-August to end of August
Transplant the cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower to their final locations.
“There is no need to fertilize before planting these crops,” Upham said. “Dress them two weeks after transplanting or four weeks after sowing by applying 2 tablespoons of 16-0-0 fertilizer or 1 tablespoon of 27-33-3 or 30-3-4 fertilizer. ”
Upham said liquid fertilizer can also be used (there are many store brands available) and should be used according to label directions. “It would be a good idea to wash the leaves with clean water to avoid burns from the fertilizer,” he said.
Fall crops should be watered more frequently so that the seeds do not dry out. Upham recommends a garden hose or drip irrigation next to the row, which allows water to slowly seep into the soil. “Aerial watering often causes the soil to crust, making it more difficult for tender young plants to emerge,” he said.
Upham and his colleagues at K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources publish a weekly horticulture newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes. The newsletter can be viewed online or can be emailed weekly.