Tom Ingram Master Gardener
If you grow vegetables, you know that the average last freeze date is April 15th, as that date is typically considered the start of the official gardening season. But did you know that here in Oklahoma we have another vegetable growing season? This second, and often overlooked, gardening season is fall gardening. Here's what you need to know about fall gardening season.
The fall gardening season begins around mid-July. This is the time to start planting your second crop of vegetables for a cool-weather harvest. Vegetables you choose for your fall garden can mostly be divided into two categories. The first are tender vegetables. Tender vegetables should be harvested before the first frost, which on average occurs around November 15th. Vegetables in this category include beans, cilantro, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, and tomatoes.
Anyone else reading this…
At Seed to Supper Farm, which trains Master Gardeners to grow vegetables that are then donated to local food pantries, we've started planting tender vegetables for the fall. So far, we've planted acorn and butternut squash, as well as some corn for an early fall harvest. This is the first time we've grown fall corn, but we're also open to trying new things on our farm.
Another category of vegetables that are good for fall planting are those in the half-hardy category. Half-hardy plants can withstand a few light frosts and still continue to produce. Plants in this category include beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, potatoes, kale, peas, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnips. We will be planting seeds for some of these on our farm in the coming weeks.
One of the things I especially love about a vibrant fall garden is that with cooler temperatures looming on the distant horizon, gardening becomes a little more enjoyable—at least for me. Sure, it's hot outside right now, but in a few weeks the temperatures will start to drop and it will be a lot more enjoyable to be outside.
Even better, fall gardens tend to have fewer pest problems. One reason for this is that some of the voracious pests have already completed, or are at least nearing the end of, their life cycles. … I’m talking to you, pumpkin pests. Yes, pumpkin pests are still around, but you don’t have to contend with as many generations proliferating in your garden in the fall.
Also, some fall-planted crops are less attractive to various insects. For example, pumpkin pests prefer zucchini and yellow squash over fall-planted varieties such as acorn and butternut. Do pumpkin pests target acorn and butternut squash? Yes, but they seem easier to deal with in the fall, probably because their numbers are reduced.
If you are planting in a fall garden, you need to know how many days between planting and harvesting the crops you want to plant. For example, let's say you want to plant cucumbers in the fall. Cucumbers are considered a delicate fall plant, so you want to plant them when you have at least 60-70 days before November 15th. However, you should also remember that last year's first frost was October 30th, and the year before that it was October 18th. For example, to be on the safe side, you don't want to plant cucumbers after mid-August, so late July to early August is the best time to plant them.
Some plants will have more success if you start them in your garden as seedlings rather than seeds. Vegetables in this category include cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. Now is the perfect time to start seeds for these plants indoors, as they usually take 4 to 6 weeks to grow from seed before they're ready to plant.
To make your transplants more successful, remember to acclimate your plants. This requires gradually introducing them to the outdoors, rather than simply moving them from the comfort of an indoor grow room to the harsh outdoors. To acclimate your seedlings, plan to gradually increase their exposure to the outdoors over the course of several days.
At first, place it outside in the shade for a few hours. Each day, place it outside and increase the amount of time it gets sunlight. If you do this properly, you will see a physical change as the plant starts to look like an outdoor plant and not a spoiled baby. Once planted, keep watering it as it will have a hard time establishing roots and meeting its needs for moisture and nutrients.
Our website (tulsamastergardeners.org) has some great fall gardening information from OSU. Click on the Lawn and Garden Help section, then click on Vegetables. We'll see you in the garden!
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To get answers to all your gardening questions, call the Tulsa Master Gardeners Helpline at 918-746-3701, stop by the Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th St., or email mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.
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