Here's how to get fall vegetables when planting in July
If your tomato plants and other spring vegetables are healthy and going strong, good work! If they are struggling and looking poorly, join the club.
Some spring garden plants just don’t make it through the hot, dry summertime (especially tomatoes) and that’s OK, because many of those warm season crops can do well in the fall. Just start over with healthy new plants in July, and by the time the weather starts cooling down in the fall the plants will be producing a nice crop.
It may be hard to believe that July is an appropriate time to plant vegetables, because the heat does make it challenging for the small transplants to get established, but it’s worth it when fall arrives.
There are actually two categories for fall garden crops – warm season and cool season. Many of the warm season crops planted in the spring can be planted in July and produce a good harvest up until the first freeze in November.
These include cucumber, eggplant, peppers, squash and tomatoes. The cool season crops like beets, kale, lettuce, broccoli and carrots should wait to be planted until at least September and can grow through fall and into winter.
Try to find large, healthy transplants – it may require some calling around since vegetables are not as available in nurseries in the summer. But they can be found with a bit of checking.
To keep them alive through the heat of summer, the plants will need light but frequent watering and lots of mulch. A 3-inch-deep layer of wood mulch around the plants will help keep the soil cool and hold the water in; this will make a big difference in helping the plants survive.
As the plants grow deeper root systems, reduce the frequency of irrigation but water deeply each time. It may also help to make a little cardboard tent to go over the plants to give some shade in the afternoon until becoming better established with a good root system.
Try to get as much healthy growth from the plants as quickly as possible, to get the biggest harvest before the November freeze. After allowing time to get established, fertilize with light, frequent applications of nitrogen to help with growth. If you enjoyed a good spring harvest, then fall can be just as rewarding; and if the spring garden didn’t work out, don’t give up – try a fall garden. The plants will be more productive, pest populations start to go down, and it can be a more worthwhile endeavor.
Allison Watkins is the Tom Green County Extension horticulturist. Contact her at email@example.com.