not sure when to start my fall veggies...help please?

12 years ago

hi everyone!

i hope your summer has been 'fruitful'!

anyway, my summer crops are coming to an end for various reasons - green beans it's just time; tomatoes due to wilt; zucchini due to no boy flowers for me to hand pollinate with, and now, i've got a bad case of PM coming on, and i can't seem to get ahead of it.

but my sweet peppers are going like gang busters though!

i plan to start cabbage, broccoli, collards, spinach, various lettuces, and maybe some chard. so when should i start them? and i prefer to start them outdoors, however i can start them inside.

would love your suggestions. i'm in the western east bay (contra costa county, on san pablo bay).

thanks!

angela :)

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Comments (5)

railparail
12 years ago
There was a discussion regarding this recently: apparently time is running out fast!
ladybugsmom192
Original Author
12 years ago
oh yeah? i did a couple searches, and specific for my area too, the info was all over the place, and and not informative really. i have duplicating, so i did check before posting.

can you attach link to that discussion? i'd really appreciate it.

thanks :)
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chadinlg Zone 9b Los Gatos CA
12 years ago
It depends on whether you want to get a harvest in before December, or just have strong plants for an early Spring harvest. Most everything will stop growing in December and January. Things will grow fast in September and October, waning in November. The time to start depends on the time to harvest - lettuce takes less time so getting it started later is not so bad. But broccoli etc. will take too long so it needs an earlier start if you want a winter harvest.

Frost is not a problem - the only cool weather veggie which I have had frost damage on is potatoes - and they recovered just fine.

Chad
ladybugsmom192
Original Author
12 years ago
thanks chad. ideally i'd like a november harvest. which is what i've planned on. i've already started my broccoli and cabbage inside in trays under lights about a week ago, and already have them outside. just thought i'd experiement a bit.

i've got to clear two of my beds though - one has green beans (haricot vert) the other has basil, zukes, and tomatoes.

so do you think it's too late for me? do you think i have enough time to clear and get my beds (soil) ready?

thanks!

:)
chadinlg Zone 9b Los Gatos CA
12 years ago
Time to Harvest for Broccoli started from transplants is listed as 55 - 85 days (quite a range) so if we have a mild start to winter you have 2 months of decent growth till December. I think you would have needed to plant out at the end of August to be sure of a November Harvest.

If you plant now you might get some small florets in December, but IF they don't do their thing by then you will still have nice big plants to bloom in February.

I have this dilemma also as the Tomatoes will hold on until November (at least) If your beans are still doing well I would leave them as they will like the cooler weather coming up. The zukes are probably suffering from powdery mildew and you won't miss them... Basil can be refreshed by cutting it way back and will also grow into November...

If you cut things back there may be room to plant the transplants alongside the things you are keeping on for another month or so.

Chad