The Madman Is Worrying About The Fall Frost
Do you know how many days until the first fall frost? The madman does. To him it’s a very important number and the rest of the year’s garden planning revolves around it.
It didn’t used to be that way. Back at the beginning we planted in the spring and harvested through the summer. If plants stopped producing, they just sat there until we put the garden to bed. Things are different now. The madman has discovered the art of second season planting. He calls it an art because it requires a lot more thinking.
Anxious Thinking
The first bit of thinking always causes a bit of anxiety. He counts backwards from October 15 which is the approximate first fall frost date in our area (to find the date in your area, click here). It seems he always does the same backwards counting every year and comes to the same conclusion around now – there’s only 80 more days before frost. I have to remind him, it is Connecticut, and every year, our growing season from May 15 to October 15 only has 150 days. It never seems to calm him down, but I know it’s just because he’s thinking about his seeds. So, while I’m relaxing with my birds, pollinators and flowers, he’s worrying over his planting schedule and that first fall frost.
Extend the Eating Season
Our goal with the second planting is to extend our fresh eating season through the fall frost. And, to have vegetables to store for the winter. This year, more than ever, we think it will be important to be somewhat self-reliant. We are looking at heat, fire and drought on the other side of the country and we know that a lot of our fresh fruits and vegetables come from California. With weather conditions as they are, the madman is concerned that getting good produce may be difficult this winter. Remember, we are not homesteaders and we don’t plan to become totally self-sufficient, but the madman does like to eat.
Now that he’s figured out how long of a growing season he has left, he frets about what to plant. This also requires a bit of thinking – he can’t just go to his seed box and grab his favorite vegetable. Some of those hot peppers of his need at least 120 days.
Plant What You Eat
His first rule as he sorts through his seeds is quite simple. Only plant what we will eat. We only have so much garden space so he doesn’t want to clutter up that space with something there’s no way we’ll eat. He loves his beets, especially his Chioggias, so he would rather devote his rows to those babies instead of something like turnips. In truth, one year we did try turnips and discovered we really didn’t like them. This is not meant to insult turnip growers of America.
Germination
Carrots and radishes round out the traditional root crops on his list. In a usual summer, it’s hot and dry and getting the seeds to germinate is often the most difficult part of growing a second season crop. The madman isn’t the only one struggling with germination. The key is to keep the seeds moist until they germinate (remember this year’s resolutions?). In a hot and dry summer, like last year, you have to add moisture yourself. The madman was out at least twice a day watering his seeds last summer.
Some people cover their seeds with moist newspaper, or straw, or a thin cloth. The madman is still experimenting with various methods. But, for now, he plants thickly and waters constantly. He can do that for a couple of weeks, but if all the seeds in a row come up, I’ll hear him complaining that now he’s got to thin them. But, our second planting is not limited to root crops.
Late Summer Squash
I noticed that he put in some late season zucchinis the other day. He planted them as soon as he lifted his garlic. Then he made sure he removed all the mulch from the garlic patch so the squash bugs wouldn’t find a place to hide. Although he holds off on mulching squash, he does mulch the tomatoes.
Yes, he even tries a second season of tomatoes. We can thank friend and fellow master gardener Jim Woodworth for the idea to do this. One day while working at the Haddam Model Garden, Jim mentioned an organic farm somewhere along the Connecticut River. The owner would plant lots of determinant tomatoes in mid-July so he would have a fresh crop of tomatoes just as everyone’s large Big Boy indeterminates were burning themselves out. The madman decided that despite the fact that Farmington is colder than the towns along the southern Connecticut River, it would be worth a try. Since he always has plenty of extra seeds, he starts some in mid-May for transplanting in mid-July. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. Again, heat and dry are the enemy so the madman keeps a careful watch over these tomatoes.
Don’t Plant All At Once
From now through early September, he will be planting a selection of carrots, beets, radishes and salad greens, both traditional and Asian. I have to watch him because he has a tendency to plant quite a few extras and I have to remind him not to or he’ll run out of space. In second season planting it is better to plant some seeds every 10-14 days rather than plant them all at once. Remember, greens cannot be stored in the refrigerator for very long so planting small bunches at a time will ensure fresh produce into the fall.
Fall Potatoes?-No Way!
So, to keep himself busy, he has also taken up planting a second crop of potatoes. If you know him, I’m sure you’ve heard of his trials and tribulations while searching for seed potatoes in mid-summer. This year, he managed to find some new potatoes in early July. They have been sitting in a brown paper bag in a dark closet sprouting eyes since he got them around the fourth of July. We know they are sprouting because he is constantly checking on them. He plans to plant them as soon as the onions are harvested since they are planted in the same garden space.
Lots of people plant other crops in the fall, but remember, the madman feels that at this point you should be planting what you will use yourself. Remember, gardening is a personal activity and you should make is enjoyable.
I think he is suggesting he would enjoy a glass of lemonade.
