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julieann_grow

How and where?

julieann_grow
17 years ago

'm trying to plan my Fall veggie garden and the Louisiana Ag Center website has a good list of WHEN to plant the Fall veggies. But, I don't know WHERE in my garden b/c I do not know how long the current crops will last into the Fall.

I currently have field peas, cukes, tomatoes, pole beans, pole yard long beans, squash, eggplants.

So, some of the Fall plantings start as early as July and August. Will my current crops be "gone" by then? What happens to them...I mean do they stop setting fruit, get diseases...? How will I know when to pull them up?

I mean, I am in Louisiana where it is warm and I keep them watered. I don't quite understand why they would stop producing at all other than July/Aug when it is probably too hot for some to set fruit. But then in Sept when it cools down a bit, wouldn't they just start producing again until frost.

Do people have their Fall crops planted along side of the existing crops or in place of?

Thanks...

Confused in Louisiana (aka Julie)

I posted this on the South forum, then realized that it might do well here.

Comments (2)

  • billme
    17 years ago

    I'm in a totally different zone (probably in many ways...)but this is what I've done in the past. Ordinarily, I have some crops that are ready to harvest a few weeks prior to my fall crops being planted. These might be spring peas, early root crops like carrots or turnips, or salad greens. After these come out, I'll treat the beds to some compost, let them sit for a week or two to let any weed seeds germinate, lightly cultivate, then plant my fall crops. From what you write, that isn't likely an option, except for with the peas, but you have another choice. If your tomatoes are staked, or even better running up a trellis or twine, you can prune the lower leaves and simply plant fall crops underneath. You may be able to do the same with the pole beans, although I don't know how they will respond to pruning - it may be to their advantage with the heat you have.

    On the other hand, some plants do slow down production after the first heavy flush, so you may get a better return from some things by removing one crop to replace it with another. You might want to harvest your pole beans (I'm assuming they're green beans and not for drying), underplant with fall crops that might benefit from some shade in the hotter months, then cut back the stalks when things cool down and you're ready for something new on your plate.

  • little_dani
    17 years ago

    Your tomatoes will stop setting fruit when the temp at night stays too hot. You will do better to root some of the suckers on your plants and set them out, or start from seed. I love to try new/old varieties, so I usually go for seed.

    Other crops are going to get tired, and stop producing when it gets to our hot hot time of summer. I am down on the Texas Coast, and our climates are about the same. I try to have a fall garden pretty much in place, as far as tomatoes, beans, squash and such by September 1, and proceed with the cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, lettuce, onions (seed), celery, peas (snow peas and such),as the fall continues and temps drop.

    The eggplants will just keep on producing until frost gets it. I didn't see any mention of okra in your garden.

    You can plant okra right now, and enjoy lots of it before frost.

    With care, tomatoes will produce all winter here, outdoors.

    Janie

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