Fall Veggie-Bed Garden

With fall rapidly closing in, a decision was made to plant a small fall ‘Veggie-Bed’ garden. Here in Chesapeake, Virginia we are in the plant hardiness Zone 8a [1] with an average first frost date of November 27 for 2018 [2]. Furthermore, the amount of daylight starting on August 16th was 13.5 hours and 9.9 hours on our average first frost date. This gives us an average of 11.7 hours duration of daylight.

Starting Fall Vegetable Gardens

“Right now, before you forget, put a rubber band around your wrist to remind you of one gardening task that cannot be postponed, planting seeds for fall garden vegetables” (motherearthnews.com) [4].

“Cooler weather is just one of the reasons why fall is the best season for vegetable gardening. A shorter growing season and sweeter veggies are two more” (homedepot.com) [5].

“If you are interested in planting vegetables here are some choices for a fall garden. Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, kale, onions, radishes, spinach and turnips” (almanac.com) [6].

Length of Daylight Can Affect Fall Vegetable Growth

“Although many vegetables grow and mature well into the fall, most need to be started before the nights turn cold. In climates with early frost dates, your fall garden will need to be started in mid-summer, late July through August. Even though the daytime temperatures remain high, evening temps will start to fall and the length of daylight is decreasing. So choose varieties with short days to maturity and get them in the ground on time” (thespruce.com) [7].

“The two primary environmental factors that affect plant growth are temperature and day length. Temperature is easy enough to understand: Every plant species has a temperature range in which it will grow, and optimum temperatures in which it will thrive. Day length is a little more complicated, especially in combination with temperature. Understanding the relationship between the two can lead to more successful season extension and variety selection” (johnnyseeds.com) [8].

Broccoli

“The Sun King Hybrid Broccoli grow attractive blue-green heads that sweeten when kissed by fall frosts; however, harvest before heavy frost hits. Well leafed plants yield 6-8″ diameter heads and 5-10 1″ side shoots as well. Avoid planting in garden area where cabbage family was grown the year before” (burpee.com) [9].

August 16, 2018

Broccoli (Sun King Hybrid) was the first choice for the fall ‘Veggie-Bed’ garden. With an average germination time of 15 days and 71 days to harvest, a total of 86 days from date sowed (August 16th) to an estimated harvest date of November 15th.

Broccoli seeds were sown thinly in a tilled row and covered with ¼ “ of fine soil. Pine needles were applied thinly to hold moisture in the soil.

Carrots

“Scarlet Nantes Carrot is a finely-flavored carrot does well as a bunching carrot and as a storage carrot. It grows 6-8″ long and is practically coreless. Can be sown in midsummer for fall harvest. In frost free areas, sow in fall” (burpee.com) [10].

August 16, 2018

Carrots (Scarlet Nantes) was the second choice to sow for the fall ‘Veggie-Bed’ garden. With an average germination time of 17.5 days, and an average day to harvest time of 67.5 days. The seeds were sown on August 16th and have a harvest date of November 8th.

Carrot seeds were sown in a deep well-worked, stone-free soil bed. Seeds were sown thinly in rows 12’’ apart and covered with fine soil and firmed lightly. Pine needles were applied thinly to hold moisture in the soil.

Beets

“Detroit Dark Red Medium Top Beets are perfectly round 3″ beets have striking deep red flesh that’s incredibly sweet. Baby beets make excellent eating, and harvesting them helps promote the growth of the remaining beets” (burpee.com) [11].

August 19, 2018

Beets (Detroit Dark Red Medium Top) was the third choice for the fall ‘Veggie-Bed’ garden. With an average germination time of 17.5 days and 59 days to harvest, a total of 76.5 days from date sowed (August 19th) to an estimated harvest date of November 4th.

Beet seeds were sown in a well-worked soil bed. Seeds were sown thinly in rows 12’’ apart and covered with fine soil and firmed lightly. Pine needles were applied thinly to hold moisture in the soil.

 Collards

” Georgia Collards are tender, blue-green leaves that will withstand light frost. The mild cabbage-like flavor improves with a light frost. Plant in late summer for a fall to winter harvest. Avoid areas where any of the cabbage family members were grown the previous year” (burpee.com) [12].

August 19, 2018

Collards (Georgia) was the fourth choice for the fall ‘Veggie-Bed’ garden. With an average germination time of 15.5 days and 65 days to harvest, a total of 80.5 days from date sowed (August 19th) to an estimated harvest date of November 8th.

Collards seeds were sown in a thinly in a tilled row and covered with ¼’’ of fine soil and firmed lightly. Pine needles were applied thinly to hold moisture in the soil.

August 30th

A row of collards (Georgia) seedlings 11 days after sowing.

Turnips

“Purple Top White Globe Turnips are deliciously sweet and have tender white roots. The turnips are often 4″ and sometimes 6″ across, handsomely blushed with pink to purple at the crown. Young leaves make the classic cooked southern greens” (burpee.com) [13].

August 21, 2018

Turnips (Purple Top White Globe) was the fifth choice for the fall ‘Veggie-Bed’ garden. With an average germination time of 10.5 days and 55 days to harvest, a total of 65.5 days from date sowed (August 21st) to an estimated harvest date of October 26th.

Turnip seeds were sown in a well-worked soil bed. Seeds were sown thinly in rows 11/2’ apart and covered with ½’’ fine soil and firmed lightly. Pine needles were applied thinly to hold moisture in the soil.

August 30th

Clusters of turnips (Purple Top White Globe) seedlings nine days after sowing.

Swiss Chard

“Bright Lights Swiss Chard has stems in gold, pink and crimson. A few plants will be white and pink striped, orange, scarlet, purple, green and white. All are delicious to eat, though they are at their best harvested young for salads” (burpee.com) [14].

August 22, 2018

Swiss Chard (Bright Lights) was the sixth choice for the fall ‘Veggie-Bed’ garden. With an average germination time of 10.5 days and 60 days to harvest, a total of 70.5 days from date sowed (August 22nd) to an estimated harvest date of October 31st.

Swiss chard seeds were sown in a thinly in a tilled row and covered with ½ ’’ of fine soil and firmed lightly. Pine needles were applied thinly to hold moisture in the soil.

Sources:

[1] https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2012/usda-unveils-new-plant-hardiness-zone-map/

[2] https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates/zipcode/23321

[3] http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Dur_OneYear.php/

[4] https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/fall-garden-vegetables-zmaz09aszraw

[5] http://gardenclub.homedepot.com/why-fall-best-grow-vegetable-garden/

[6] https://www.almanac.com/content/fall-garden-planting-fall

[7] https://www.thespruce.com/preparing-your-vegetable-garden-for-fall-1402167

[8] http://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/library-vegetables-day-length-production.html

[9] https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/broccoli/broccoli-sun-king-hybrid-prod003176.html

[10] https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/carrots/carrot-scarlet-nantes-organic-prod000638.html

[11] https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/beets/beet-detroit-dark-red-medium-top-prod000611.html

[12] https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/collards/collards-georgia-prod000650.html

[13] https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/turnips/turnip-purple-top-white-globe-prod001185.html

[14] https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/swiss-chard/swiss-chard-bright-lights-prod000947.html

Writer: Tom Myrick