Gardening with just 57 days to the fall equinox
There's still time for some fall cropping
Personally I LOVE the long hot days of summer, although I’m not at all fond of the intense heat waves and drought conditions we’ve been experiencing in the last few years. That (normal) summer heat brings us favorite foods like juicy ripe tomatoes and summer crisp corn, pepper, melons, eggplants, and the like. Yum!
But I am always shocked to realize that as we hit the end of July, that the start of MUCH cooler weather looms startling close. It’s jut 57 days to the Fall Equinox. Where does the time go?
The Fall Equinox is the second time in the year when the hours of daylight equal the hours of darkness. It is typically September 22 or 23 in the northern hemisphere. And by the time we are creeping up to that date, our summer heat has (usually) dwindled significantly and the risk of a frost is increasing day by day.
So crazy as this always feels to me while the days and nights are so hot, now is the time to revisit our list of favorite cool season crops in order to create a bountiful fall harvest. It does take a few tricks to make this work. Let’s dive in.
Starting cool season crops in the heat of summer
I wrote about cool season crops earlier this spring here at TNH. It’s a good idea to revisit what cool season crops are, and go over the list of plants best suited for creating a harvest this fall. But to briefly recap, the traits that make cool season crops ideal right now are:
Can germinate in cool temperaturesUsually direct seeded although some can be transplanted
Fast maturing
Many allow for partial harvesting
We need crops that can grow fast, and ideally allow partial harvesting. That means we will likely still get some useful harvests from putting in this effort, even if a cold snap shuts our garden down early.
But you see I crossed out one of the most significant traits of cool season crops - namely that they will germinate in cool soil. This doesn’t automatically mean they won’t germinate in hot soil, but I suspect you can see the conflict with starting these plants in the blazing sun.
It can take a little finesse to make this work well. The payoff for making this effort is a potential bumper crop of extra food you can harvest, enjoy and even put away for winter.
Tips for starting cool season crops in the heat of summer
Plant in the shade of your tall summer crops
If you are growing tall, heat loving crops like tomatoes, beans or corn, then try seeding your cool season crops into the shade they create. You can use those tall plants to deflect either morning or afternoon sun, so choose the side that makes the most sense for the kind of heat you experience in your area. Or experiment by putting some on either side and see which one gives you the better yield.
Fill plant after summer crop harvests
Some crops planting in the spring, like onions, broccoli, and many of the greens mature by mid-summer and are done. You can remove those plants now and replace them with a second crop made up of cool season veggies that will mature in the fall.
Create shade where you need it
Most of the cool season crops might need a few weeks of shade to get started, but then will thrive just fine as the shift in summer temperatures begins to lean cooler. Create shade where you need it using hoops with shade cloth, a beach umbrella, shade sail, or even a suspended towel or curtain hung to cast a shadow. These temporary shade-makers can drastically improve your chances of quickly germinating cool season crops in the summer.
Start seeds indoors
While most gardeners are excited to start seeds (way too soon) as winter winds down in the anticipation of spring gardens, fewer consider the fact that indoors is sufficiently cooler than outdoors in summer. That means creating cool season transplants inside is often the most fool proof method for bonus fall crops than struggling with hot soil outside. Just remember to harden off your transplants and shade them for a few days when moving them out to the garden. Or wait for a cooler day/night combo (if one is in the forecast) before moving your fall crop starts outside.
Focus on your favorites
Not all of the cool season crops we covered in the spring are suitable for fall cropping. Remember the 57 days to Equinox limitation and pick the crops with the shortest maturity dates. Short season brassicas like radish, mustards, arugula, and some of the broccolis will do just fine. But Brussel sprouts take too long, and you would have to find the shortest maturity dates and small varieties of cabbage or cauliflower to make those work.
Lettuce, spinach, beets, small carrots, parsley, chives and peas are also good candidates. But longer growing crops like onions, potatoes and chickpeas cannot be used to create a fall crop.
When I was growing up, my father never fill-planted in after a summer harvest or re-seeded for fall crops. It just wasn’t something he thought of doing. And to be honest I have to remind myself (by writing this post to share), that diving back into my seeds and picking out fall candidates has to happen right now at the end of July.
What usually happens for me is I am busy enjoying summer, and the nights of late August start reminding me of fall and then I think - Oh fall crops! But by the end of August (if this was August 27 instead of July 27), there are just 29 days left to the Equinox - and the only plants that will give a partial harvest are greens.
So if you want something more than just some greens - the time to start re-seeding for fall crops is right now.
Also, I am using the Fall Equinox as THE DATE - and of course it is not. It’s just a handy place holder for the fact that cooler temperatures are much more likely by that point in September.
I usually do okay with greens, but fall peas are extra sweet and crisp and unless I plant right now, I miss out. Do you typically plant for a fall yield? If you do - which crop does best for you? Let us know in the comments.