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Time To Consider
The springtime enthusiasm for the summer vegetable garden often wilts in the heat of summer. This week, this column offers a gentle reminder our region has usually enjoys a second, more temperate “summer” late September through November and even though we usually have some cool and even frosty days the second half of October and November, there are plenty of plant options and plant protection strategies that can allow us to enjoy fresh produce from our backyard well into the fall.
Perhaps this summer’s heat thwarted the efforts of some to garden or often summer travel or family obligations prevent the garden from being quite the success we hoped for. But folks should not let the conventional associations we have with September and October keep us from enjoying fresh garden produce we grow ourselves.
The fall crops of broccoli, cabbage, salad greens, turnips and peas are of course a popular options we look to plant in August. But with a little planning, tomatoes, peppers and summer squash are all options well into October. Simple frost protection covers that can be made with locally available materials can allow a gardener to enjoy fresh tomatoes will past those first frosty mornings in October.
For more information on fall gardening, call the Rockbridge Extension office at (540) 463-4734. Some great resources can also be found at https://extension. umd.edu/resource/row-covers/ and https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/ floating-row-cover/
