The Master Gardener program began in the 1970's in response to the many gardening questions that resulted from the rapidly increasing level of interest in home gardening. The idea was to train knowledgeable gardener volunteers to help University Extension staff deliver home gardening information to the public.

Our local Master Gardeners are able to build on their interests and acquire greater expertise through the resources available through the Extension Service and the University of Missouri.

University of Missouri Extension provides equal opportunity to all participants in extension programs and activities, and for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without discrimination on the basis of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or status as a protected veteran.

Hickory County Master Gardeners recommend contacting your local Extension Service for more complete plant and growing information and how to become a Master Gardener.

Meetings are reserved for Master Gardener members, but community programs hosted by the Master Gardeners are public events and will be announced in the local newspaper.

As of 12/31/2014, this blog will no longer post new articles. It will remain active as an archive. Please use the tools available in the right column to search for information and source links provided in previous articles.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://extension.missouri.edu/ and http://mg.missouri.edu/.


Fall Gardening


Getting the Most from Your Fall Garden
Fall is an excellent extension of the garden season and a vital period for intensive gardening methods. Many cool-season and some warm-season vegetables attain their peak quality when grown and harvested as late crops. When planning for the fall garden, gardeners must consider the space needed, soil preparation, rotations and varieties desired. Seeds that were purchased for spring planting can be used for the fall garden provided they were stored in a cool location and kept dry.
The challenge with fall vegetable production is to seed or transplant a crop when the weather is hot and harvest as temperatures cool. When seeding in late summer for a fall crop, moisture is often an issue. Water immediately after seeding or transplanting. Plant the seeds slightly deeper than you would normally plant them in spring to improve moisture availability for germination and root growth.
Many warm-season vegetables can be grown successfully in late summer and fall, including fall tomatoes, snap beans and summer and winter squash. Several heat-tolerant tomato varieties can be transplanted in July for a fall crop. Remember that most warm- season vegetables are tender and must be harvested before frost. Any tomatoes left on the vine when frost is predicted can be harvested green for green tomatoes, or, if they have started to turn, can be stored in a paper bag or wrapped in newsprint to ripen inside at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Snap beans can be seeded in early to mid-August in most areas of Missouri. Bush beans grow best at temperatures from 75 to 85 degrees but will drop flowers if temperatures exceed 90. They mature in approximately 60 days and make an excellent fall crop.
Pumpkins and winter squash are traditional warm-season fall crops that are often seeded or transplanted in mid-June through July for fall harvest. The plant is sensitive to cool temperatures, but the fruit is often harvested after the first frost. Summer squash can also be established in mid-July through August in certain areas of Missouri by direct seeding or transplants. The crop reaches maturity in 40 to 50 days.
Cool-season vegetables will thrive in the cooler nights of late summer and fall and are not as sensitive to frost. Consider planting hardy cole crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and Chinese cabbage in early to mid-August for fall harvest. Establish late-season cole crops from transplants (four to six weeks old); it is difficult to get uniform seed germination and seedling emergence in the high soil temperatures common in late summer. Transplanting in late afternoon or early evening will reduce transplant shock. Also, you can increase plant spacing to accelerate growth.
Greens (collards, kale, mustards and turnips) are also well adapted for fall harvest. These crops can be seeded through August and harvested approximately 50 days from seeding. Turnips can be planted to produce greens or roots, depending on the variety. Spinach is also a cool-season crop that grows well in the fall, because it is sensitive to high temperatures that can cause it to develop a yellow color and bolt.

Beets can be seeded for fall production from late July to mid-August. It is important to thin beets to about 2 inches between plants, which will allow the beets to grow large enough for harvest.

Fall Garden Planting Schedule
12 to 14 weeks before your first killing frost 
    Direct-sow last plantings of fast-maturing, warm-season vegetables such as snap beans, cucumbers, and summer squash. Also sow parsnips and rutabagas, and begin planting cilantro, lettuce, and radishes.
    Start cabbage family seedlings indoors, and set out the seedlings as promptly as possible.
    In climates with long autumns, plant celery, bulb fennel, and parsley in the fall.

10 to 12 weeks before your first killing frost 
    Set out broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower seedlings, along with celery, bulb fennel and parsley.
    Direct-sow beets, carrots, collards, leeks and scallions, along with more lettuce and radishes. 

8 to 10 weeks before your first killing frost 
    Direct-sow arugula, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, turnips, spinach, mustard, mâche 
    Sow more lettuce and radishes.

6 to 8 weeks before first killing frost 
    Make a final sowing of spinach.
    Make a final sowing of lettuce beneath a protective tunnel or frame.

Helpful Tips:

1. Starting Seeds 
The important thing is to get the plants up and growing in time to catch the last waves of summer heat.

2. Think Soil First                                                                                                         Your fall garden provides an opportunity to manage soil fertility, and even control weeds.  You can also use vigorous leafy greens to “mop up” excess nitrogen left behind by spring crops.

3. Try New Crops                                                            Several of the best crops for your fall garden may not only be new to your garden, but new to your kitchen, too. Set aside small spaces to experiment with nutty arugula, crunchy Chinese cabbage, and super-cold-hardy mâche (corn salad).

4. Watering Fall Garden Plants: Keep ’Em Soaked         Your best defense is to install a soaker hose before you set out plants or sow seeds.  You may still need to water by hand to make sure conditions stay moist, but shade covers can make the difference between watering once a day or four times as often.

5. Go Mad for Mulch                                               Whether you use fresh green grass clippings, last year’s almost-rotted leaves, spoiled hay, or another great mulch you have on hand, place it over sheets of newspaper between plants. The newspaper will block light, which will prevent weed growth, help keep the soil cool and moist, and attract night crawlers and other earthworms. 

6. Deploy Your Defenses Against Garden Pests        Luscious little seedlings attract a long list of aggressive pests, including cabbage worms, army worms, and ever-voracious grasshoppers. Damage from all of these pests (and more) can be prevented by covering seedlings with row covers the day they go into the garden. 
What About….Winter Gardening?????
Some vegetables such as leeks, spinach, kale, chard, and other hardy greens can survive a freeze and sometimes make it through a Missouri winter to continue growing in the spring.  Last year, I had leeks to eat into December and saved some that were pulled up in February.  Carrots that didn't get pulled up during the summer were left until November and were exceptionally sweet after the freeze date.  The kale and spinach held their own during freezes, ice, and snow and went dormant December and January. They were harvested in April after they put on fresh leaves.  No wonder kale and spinach are known as "SUPER FOODS!" 
Iced kale in my garden 12/22/2013
Spinach under snow 1/19/2014.  It was planted from seed the 2nd week of September 2013.
The same spinach on 3/22/2014 as it came out of dormancy.
First harvest of spinach on 4/14/14 at the same time of early Spring flowers and blooming Redbuds!
Spinach and/or kale; the key ingredient for a nice "Green Drink" along with lettuce, celery, apple, lemon, and ginger.  

What a great way to start Spring...with something good for you from your Fall Garden! 


Sources and Additional Information:
MU Extension  Master Gardener Core Manual 
MU Extension  Fall gardening feeds body and spirit
 MU Extension   Vegetable Planting Calendar

Mother Earth News  Grow Your Best Fall Garden Vegetables: What, When and How

Photos:  Beti Pearson, Hickory County Master Gardener and Missouri Master Naturalist

Posted:  8/29/2014

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