With the summer sun high in the sky you’re going to be harvesting and feasting on your homegrown vegetables now.  But as your plants become less productive it’s always a good idea to get them out of the garden.  Good sanitation is a primary aspect of pest management as dying and dead plants are prime real estate for insects and disease pathogens to harbor and build their populations.

Now don’t think that with the removal of your first summer plants your gardening season is coming to a close! On the contrary, cleaning out those declining plants gives you the space you need for planting those fall vegetable crops!  There are many plants that can be planted this time of the year, and some plants, such as broccoli, collards and brussels sprouts, produce their best flavor when maturing in cooler weather.  Many squashes are traditionally grown in the fall and can be stored well into the winter. Salad greens tolerate the cooler weather with east also!

Even still, most of the active growing needs to happen well before frost (~November 3 in Washington, NC).  Long-season crops such as brussels sprouts need the remainder of the season to grow from seed to maturity, so you had better get planting!

So you’re probably thinking to yourself, ‘Where do I find plants this time of year?’ Many of the crops that grow well in the fall can be grown from seed!  So flip open that seed catalog or stop by your local garden store and see what they have to offer! It’s summer, the soil is warm and dry at the surface so seeds may be planted deeper than spring planting depths.  Remember to water- consider ways to keep the soil moist and cool as the seeds germinate and through early development.

If you are planting into a garden that has been flourishing all summer insect populations and disease pressure may be greater for your fall garden.  The pest populations have been building up throughout the growing season.  That means a proactive approach to pest management will be your best tool of defense!  A healthy plant resists pests better than a sick one and scouting will keep you ahead of the game!

Towards the end of the fall growing season you may be concerned with frost. Many plants can be protected through the first few light frosts with light fabric.  Don’t give up when you see the temperatures dip, they are often followed by more good growing days.  With a little experimentation, and some luck with the weather, you may have fresh tomatoes for your Thanksgiving spread.

For more details on some of these suggestions as well as planting strategies for specific crops, see Growing a Fall Vegetable Garden at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-8001.pdf

Beaufort County Master Gardener Fall Plant Sale - Saturday, October10th @ 9am. For more information contact Tanya Weyhrauch at 252-946-0111 or the web at www.beaufortcountymastergardeners.org