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Fall Wrap-up
Plant individual cloves of garlic now for a crop of garlic bulbs next summer. Select very large
cloves to produce the largest bulbs. Plant them 6" deep and 6" apart.
Pumpkins, summer squashes and gourds for storage should be harvested before the first frost. Take
care not to nick the rind since this will diminish the storage time.
Carrots, leeks and potatoes can tolerate freezing temperatures. Mulch them with straw and leave
them in the ground to be harvested as needed well into December.
The frost will soon be on the pumpkins in northern climates, if it isn't already. Prepare for
next year's garden by clearing away any diseased plant remains and forking under everything else.
Organic matter added now and even roughly turned under will decay in place, making the soil dry
faster and warm sooner next spring.
Fourth Week in September
Watch nightly weather forecasts for frost predictions. Prepare to protect tomatoes and peppers still trying to ripen. Even if you can protect them from frost, once the days are consistently cool, ripening slows enough that you don't gain much by leaving them on the plants. Harvest full sized ones and ripen indoors in a paper bag or box. Smaller ones can be fried green.
(Click here for Fried Green Tomatoes recipe.)
Third Week in September
Cole crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and especially Brussels sprouts become even more flavorful and productive during the cool fall weather. July transplants of these crops should be ready for their first harvest.
Second Week in September
Watermelons are ripe when the fruits are full size, dull in color and the portion touching the soil turns from greenish white to cream. The tendrils nearest the melon curl and dry up when a melon is ripe.
First Week in September
For fully ripe tomatoes, leave the completely red fruits on the plants for another five to eight days during the warm, sunny days of August and early September.
Click here for More on Vegetable Gardening
Share the Harvest
You can be a volunteer in your own backyard, by growing and donating fresh produce to help feed hungry people right in your community. It's easy!
1. Plant it!
Grow an extra row of durable vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, green beans, tomatoes,
squash, onions, and potatoes. Also, fruits like apples, berries and melons are needed.
2. Donate it!
Contact Second Harvest Food Bank (www.SecondHarvest.org or 1-800-236-1208) to locate a food pantry or soup kitchen in your neighborhood. Or check with your local community service agency or church.
3.Tell us about your Commitment!
Are you growing an extra row? Is your group volunteering at a soup kitchen? Let us know what you're
doing to help.
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Get clever ideas for drying flowers in Family Fun.
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Legal Stuff You Should Know
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