Paul James, host of HGTV's Gardening by the Yard, explains how to grow warm-season vegetables. Most spring and fall vegetables prefer to grow in cool weather, which is why they're called cool-season crops. And if you get them planted early enough in the spring and a late freeze doesn't zap them, they may have a chance to develop to maturity before the summer heat arrives. Unfortunately, the combination of increasing temperatures and increasing day length causes many spring-planted crops to turn bitter or bolt prematurely. But in the fall the situation is just the opposite. Fall vegetables have the opportunity to grow and reach maturity during a time when temperatures are ideal. As a result, the chemicals responsible for flavor, including sugars, are at their peak. Getting a fall vegetable garden up and growing can be a bit challenging, however, because seeds must be sown and transplants set out in late summer when temperatures can still be brutal. Topping the list are greens of all kinds, from the familiar, such as lettuce and spinach (figure A), to arugula and radicchio. It's a good idea to sow seeds of various greens twice as deep as usual, so if the seed packet recommends a planting depth of 1/4", plant them 1/2" deep. That way the soil will insulate the seeds somewhat, and the germination rate will be closer to normal. It's also absolutely essential to keep the seed bed evenly moist at all times, which may mean watering as often as twice a day until the seeds germinate. To further insulate the soil from hot temperatures and maintain even soil moisture, apply a light layer of mulch, ideally in the form of grass clippings (figure B).
Within a week or so, greens should germinate, at which time they should be thinned to prevent overcrowding, which can lead to stunted growth, pest and disease problems and a disappointing harvest. Root crops such as turnips, radishes, carrots and beets (figure C) grow especially well during the fall months, and the same rules regarding planting twice as deep, watering often and mulching apply to them too. These vegetables can survive temperatures several degrees below freezing. In fact, carrots may be left in the ground during the winter months if adequately protected. Once they've reached harvest size and just before the first hard freeze, cover carrots with shredded leaves. Then simply reach into the leaves and harvest.
Cold crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower (figure D) often grow better in the fall, especially Brussels sprouts. It's better to find transplants rather than grow them from seed, however, because they reach maturity slowly. They should be heavily mulched with hay, straw or compost, and in a windy region of the country, place a cedar shingle on the windward side of each transplant to prevent them from drying out too quickly.
In many regions of the country it's possible to get in a fall crop of potatoes, although the harvest may not be quite as bountiful as from spring-planted potatoes. A few summer crops that tolerate cool temperatures, including tomatoes, squash and beans, may also be planted. The tomatoes may not have enough time to ripen fully, but green tomatoes are perfect for frying or for making chow-chow. Fall is also a great time to plant trees and shrubs as well as a number of perennials.
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