Temperatures should moderate in September much to the relief of gardeners and their fall vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and okra.
The most influential changes in that regard are the nighttime temperatures, and when they fall to 70 degrees and below, expect the fall tomatoes to respond quickly with leaf expansion and blooms. Eggplants and peppers will resume the production of larger fruit.
Okra is more dependent on day length than temperatures, but there should be another period of heavy production in September before the winter decline begins.
Help the fall vegetables maximize their growth and production by side dressing the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants with lawn fertilizer. One-third cup per plant of slow-release product such as 19-5-09 works well, or use one of the 3-1-2 ratio “winterizers.” Apply the granules 6 inches from the plant stem. Okra will probably not benefit from additional fertilization.
As exciting as the response of the remaining summer vegetables is to the moderation of temperatures in September, planting the winter vegetables is even more exciting. Among the vegetables to plant as transplants are broccoli, cabbage, collards, Brussels sprouts, kale, Swiss chard and Chinese cabbage. Consider planting lettuce, radishes, turnips, rutabagas, carrots and beets by seed.
Air and soil temperatures are important to the development of all winter vegetables. Lingering heat may slow down the germination and development rate, but there are two important winter vegetables that are especially sensitive to the heat. Wait until October to plant spinach transplants and December to plant onion transplants.
This week in the garden
If you want to prevent winter weeds on the lawn and shrub borders, it is time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide. If the weeds that cause the most problems are broadleafs like bedstraw and henbit, select a product that targets broadleaf weeds.
If grassy weeds such as annual bluegrass and rescue grass are the main problem, use a pre-emergent herbicide that is formulated for grassy weeds. Some products such as Amaze, XL and Dimension work well for both type weeds. Review the label to ensure that the herbicide you select will control the weeds that cause you the most problem.
It is a good time to spread wildflower seeds. The best sites are in full sun without any sod or organic material cover. The seed needs to make contact with the soil. Seeds for individual species or a mix are available at area nurseries.
One or more bird baths refilled with water every day will meet the moisture needs of birds, butterflies and honeybees. They’re also an excellent way to attract and observe wildlife in your yard.
Supplement a hummingbird feeder on your patio with a few nectar sources in containers. In full sun provide firebush or porter weed. For the shade offer firespike or penta. The hummingbirds will compete for the nectar and sugar water.
For the most success, the garden bed for the winter vegetables should be in full sun. Incorporate 2 inches of compost and 10 cups of slow-release lawn fertilizer (19-5-9) per 100 square feet of bed. The soil should be moist at planting time, so irrigate generously before the planting if it has not rained in the last week.
Swiss chard deserves a special note. Grow it in a container or raised bed. It produces a large quantity of a tasty, nutritious greens for salads and recipes.
Of all the greens, Swiss chard best resists developing a bitter taste in late spring, and it also is an ideal partner to use in recipes with nutritious but sometimes overly strong-tasting kale. Plant the selection “Bright Lights.” It is especially attractive with yellow, orange and green stems.
Leaf lettuce is easy to grow by seed as long as the soil has cooled a few degrees and you do not cover the seed with soil. Try the reseeding Crawford lettuce; it’s a favorite of the Gardening Volunteers of South Texas and Bexar County Master Gardeners and is available at several of the local nurseries in San Antonio.
Broccoli planted in September will produce large heads in time for use before Thanksgiving, and then will go on to produce a second crop of smaller heads in the winter. It works to plant broccoli and other large cole crops such as Brussels sprouts and cauliflower 2.5 feet apart in the row.
To maximize production, side dress the plants with a product such as “winterizer” lawn fertilizer every three to four weeks. It is also essential that you be ready to apply a Bt product such as Dipel or Bio-worm Killer at the first sign of foliar feeding by cabbage loopers. The Bt product is applied to the foliage and consumed by the caterpillars as they feed.
Calvin Finch is a retired Texas A&M horticulturist. calvinrfinch@gmail.com
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Calvin Finch: How to prepare your winter vegetable garden - San Antonio Express-News
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