Gardening: Round 2

July 23, 2012

In this hot dry weather, I’m sure no one is thinking about planting more garden vegetable. But did you know that you can plant a fall crop of certain cool weather vegetables? Many of our favorite spring crops can be replanted in late summer for a fall harvest. Also, many of the pests and diseases that plague early crops are not as much of an issue late in the season.

Most of the early spring veggies have a short maturity time and can easily be grown a second time around in late summer for harvest in the fall. These crops prefer the cooler temperatures of the spring and fall instead of the heat of the summer season. Lettuce especially loves the lower temperatures and will even grow in light shade.

The University of Missouri Extension website has a vegetable planting guide specifically for the state of Missouri. It lists spring and fall planting dates, recommended varieties, and other plant specific information. The fall plant dates for lettuce and spinach are from August 1st thru August 20th, broccoli from July 25th through August 5th, carrots from July 25th through 30th, and cauliflower from July 20th through August 5th. These dates are coming up fast, so get your seeds ready now.

Heather C.
Lee's Summit Branch