Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
beans, and squash, which they grew together. In this case, the
pole beans and squash vines used the corn stalks for support.
Fall Gardening
Frost hardy crops and biennials kept alive over the winter for
seed production (called “overwintering”) can be planted first
in the spring, harvested in the summer, and then replanted for
a second fall or early winter harvest. Late harvests can be
achieved for many crops without going to the trouble of using
season extension structures. Overwintering crops, so they can
be used either as needed or for seed production, is more
problematic. In the South or Pacific Northwest, it can be done
outdoors. In the upper Midwest or Northeast, such plants have
to be brought indoors for the winter or else protected with, at
minimum, an unheated greenhouse or cold frame.
For purposes of fall gardening, crops can be divided into three
categories: tender, semihardy, and hardy. Tender crops are
damaged by a light frost. Semihardy crops will tolerate a light
frost, and hardy crops will tolerate hard frosts.
The best bets for fall gardening are semihardy and hardy
crops. Some hardy crops, like broccoli and spinach, often
taste better when grown in the fall rather than in the spring.
Semihardy crops should be timed for harvests within 28 days
after the first frost, and hardy crops should be timed within 56
days after the first frost. For this, the time to harvest needs to
be known. Each variety of a given crop has slightly different
dates of maturity, and those dates are indicated in seed
catalogs and on seed packets. Because growth is slower in the
fall, 10 days should be added to the maturity date, so plant 10
days earlier for fall harvests.
