Turning the calendar and the cooler weather in the evenings this past week are welcome signs signaling the impending start of fall and with it, cooler temperatures. Time to plant your fall vegetable garden! Living in the North Carolina allows us gardeners to take advantage of not two but three growing seasons: cool temperature gardening in spring, warm temperature gardening from late spring to early fall, and cool temperature gardening in fall and into early winter.
After scorching temperatures that encourage lettuce and leafy greens to bloom and turn bitter we are finally able to enjoy fresh salad greens from the garden again. It’s time to plant arugula, lettuce, spinach, and kale. While its easy to pick these up at the grocery store I find homegrown varieties to be much tastier, almost spicy and I always save space for these guys in our raised bed. Sow a few every week for a continuous harvest.
Let’s think a few months ahead and consider what side you’re going to bring to your Mom’s Thanksgiving dinner. My I suggest roasted root vegetables from your own vegetable garden? It’s time to get those seeds into the ground. Grow beets, carrots, and parsnips and harvest them all winter long. The cold soil will keep them fresh just like a vegetable cellar.
Another great way to use those carrots are soups. Get your leek seeds and garlic in the ground now for punches of flavor. Plant garlic cloves now and they will grow into a nice bulb throughout the winter. They’ll be ready to harvest in spring.
Information source: Carolinas Fruit & Vegetable Gardening by Katie Elzer-Peters
