Second Harvest – Fall Planting

August 27, 2012  •  Informational

My garden came and went early this year. While the farmer’s markets in Denver were still selling hothouse tomatoes, my plants had produced their full year’s bounty and already withered away. That’s partially because I plant early – a good couple of 2-3 weeks ahead of that Mother’s Day milestone they tout here in Colorado. You need water walls to do that, as they’ll heat up during the day and keep plants from freezing over night. But what’s a girl to do when the season is over so early? Why plant a second rotation of crops, of course!I learned that the hardest thing about planting a late season garden isn’t trying to figure out what to plant, but rather finding seeds. Most nurseries locally only buy enough to sell out early in the season. So I mail ordered mine from Burpee – and was happy to find how many organic varieties they have. As for what to plant, if you’re going to try to harvest something in the fall, you need something that grows fast and is hardy to a bit of cold should you get hit early with a cold snap. (When’s the first Monday night Broncos game? That’s usually when it happens here in Denver, which makes it seem like we live in the frozen tundra, but I’m certain is just free marketing for the ski industry statewide!)

So as of this past weekend, my garden holds a row of arugula (this really only grows when it’s cooler, otherwise it will just bolt), baby spinach, Swiss chard, kale, and green onions. Check back in 30 days and you’ll be amazed!

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