Starting a late Zone 5 garden

[Sabriel]

I just got a community plot, but it's already mid-June. Does anyone have suggestions for things I can plant (from seed) that will produce before the first frost? Around here, it's as early as the end of September.

Thanks! So far I've only done a little 4x8 raised-bed, so this will be an entirely new thing.

[amerikat]

1. Your local garden center

has everything on sale. Don't start from seed when they will
almost give it away at this late point in the planting season.
Grow what you like to eat. Some tomatoes mature and give fruit in as
few as 53 days. All gardening is different from year to year.
Depends on the weather for any given year.

As far as what to plant late in the season....basil does well when planted in June or July.
Many plants can do well early or late but not in the heat of summer. Early crops like peas,beans,
lettuce, spinach, onions, can be planted late summer but won't thrive until the fall.

Gardening is complex. Plant and learn and keep a journal for reference.
Happy and productive gardening.

[Sabriel]

4. I thought about the mark-downs

But they're still pretty expensive right now. Maybe in another week the price will drop more.

I love the journal tip. Thanks!

[Denninmi]

2. Not too late.

I just got most of my garden in this weekend. A lot from transplants, but some direct-sown as well.

I can't think of ANYTHING you couldn't plant from seed now, with the exception of peppers and eggplant -- those you definitely would want to use transplants, preferably larger ones. If you must direct sow tomatoes from seed instead of using transplants, I'd be sure to select early varieties like Burpee's 4th of July, which is only about 60 days from seed.

For all of it, if you have concerns about the time frame, just pick the faster maturing strains of each crop -- pick a sweet corn with a 65 day maturity rather than an 85 to 90 day maturity, that sort of thing.

Good luck.

[Sabriel]

3. Thanks!

I'm a little leery of early frosts around here, but you make it sound like I still have plenty of time.

[Kolesar]

5. You can sow spinach August 1 and it will survive past the first mild frosts

Sow short season vegetables like radishes.
Sow lettuce if you have a spot that gets some afternoon sun.

Like Deninmi, we did not put our garden in until last weekend. It had been too wet.

[Denninmi]

6. Fall and winter gardening -- a whole 'nother story.

There are all kinds of things you can do for fall, and many crops will even overwinter in most regions, although the further north, the more "iffy" it gets. Spinach, leaf and romaine lettuce, and several other things actually do better for me in the spring if sown in late summer and overwintered. They get an earlier start and mature before the heat kicks in.

[Kolesar]

7. We just harvested five pounds of cold frame carrots that I sowed on September 15

We also harvested lettuce and parsley that was was grown under row covers. I thought that I was going to harvest those last year.


I have an impression that broccoli tastes best when sowed later and harvested in September and October. At this time, I am pursuing the idea of fresh vegetables with high vitamin content all year long:
http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/books/index.html#harvest

[mopinko]

8. brussel sprouts.

short season stuff like radishes and lettuce. maybe some peas?

eta, cherry tomatoes.

[Sabriel]

12. I love them, but no one else will touch them in the family

Their loss. Thanks for the suggestions, mopinko.

[mopinko]

9. beans like to start late, also. they produce quickly.

they like the heat. soak the seeds over night to cut germination time.

[Botany]

10. suggestions

get peppers, tomatoes, and herbs as started plants

Swiss Chard comes up from seed pdq ..... nice hot weather green ..... you can cut it and it will sprout new leaves until mid to late fall

KY Wonder pole beans are good and quick from seed

plan for a fall crop of sugar snap sweet peas & lettuce

if you have room cilantro comes up quick from seed too ..... space it out ..... new seeds every 10 days

brandywine, jet star, and lemon boy are great tomatoes

[Sabriel]

11. That's weird, Botany

I bought many of the things you posted, before I even read this, right down to the tomato types!

Except the cilantro, which never seems to do well here.

[NEOhiodemocrat]

13. Do you have access to any sprouted potatoes?

I am still planting them in my garden (zone 5 also). Frost won't hurt them much, but they will probably be done before then anyway. Dig when the plants die back. I have been on a potato kick for the last few years. We are still eating ones from last year's garden! Onions good also and beans.

[mopinko]

14. i am trying them in containers.

they seem to be doing great so far. started them in kitchen size trash cans, and am hilling them up with 5 gal buckets with the bottoms cut off. one of the few really, really happy plants in my garden.
home grown potatoes, like most everything else, are really tasty.

[Sabriel]

15. I'd try them, but they're obscenely cheap from farms here

I can get 20 pounds for $3, right from the grower, so it's not worth it to grow them myself.

[WhiteTara]

16. vining plants...squash, pumpkin, watermelon

You can put in broccoli and cauliflower and late fall plants.