Time to start thinking about planting cool-season vegetables

Something happens around Aug. 15; I always feel a change in the weather conditions. It's that time of year when you get a second chance to plant your cool-season vegetables. That's also good news because if you had a bad summer garden, it is a chance to start over. You can grow the same crops you grew in this spring starting now and into mid-October.

Go ahead and give a fall vegetable garden a try; it will become your favorite time to garden in Las Vegas. It means the vegetables will thrive through our Indian autumn days and cool, crisp evenings.

Note these advantages: Temperatures are showing signs of relief and it will be comfortable to work in. The weeds grow slower and you won't have as many. Watering will still be necessary until you get them up. As it cools, you won't have to water as often and insect activity slows, with many disappearing until spring. Your cool-season crops have stronger colors and often have higher sugar levels.

And here is another reason for planting a fall garden: Do you remember your mother insisting you eat your vegetables? Researchers are now confirming your mother's instincts. They are finding that not only is gardening a great way to exercise, but these vegetables are excellent foods to fight cancer. So consider gardening this fall if for no other reason than for your health.

Notice all the cool-season vegetables to include in your autumn garden: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (including Chinese cabbage), carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, collards, endive, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas radishes, rutabagas, salsify, shallots, spinach and turnips.

If you are new to vegetable gardening, when setting up the size of your garden, my advice is to start small. You will get a feel of how much time you have to devote to it. Many "first timers" start out too large and become overwhelmed. This way you will have a success story to talk about and you'll have some of your own produce to put on your Thanksgiving table.

It may seem obvious, but plant only what you and your family like and can eat. Just because radishes come out of the ground in 30 days doesn't mean you have to plant them. I can't eat them, but now I have grandchildren and want to teach them to garden. Since radishes are so quick-growing, I want them to have a success story to tell.

Plant your garden as close as possible to the house for easy access or on the southern side of the home, because it receives full sun and is shelter from northerly winds. But stay away from trees; the extensive root systems rob vegetables of nutrients and moisture. Although cool-season vegetables will tolerate some shade, your veggies will grow more rapidly as we go into fall.

Spade and work your soil and enrich it with organic materials such as compost or potting soil and add a balanced vegetable fertilizer to it. Water your garden area and let the soil settle for a couple of days; then sow the seeds while the soil is still moist.

For a general planting schedule or timetable, you need to know the first average frost date is Nov. 11. Use that date to work backward to determine the appropriate time to plant those winter vegetables. For example, if it takes a vegetable 70 days to mature then count back 70 days from the first frost and add two weeks for cold-weather insurance. Your cool-season crops are hardy and can take light frosts, but don't push your luck. It also gives more time for the plants to mature.

Local research finds we can plant into October, but you are living on the edge, as we may have an early frost or an unexpected cold snap. Planting then allows several weeks for harvest before Jack Frost visits the valley. Most of the time he comes much later.

Plant seeds directly in the ground a bit deeper to compensate for the heat. Planting depth is more critical than most gardeners realize. I have found that after laying out my garden, I place a rake handle along the row and press it into the ground to the desired planting depth. For example, you are supposed to plant lettuce seeds a quarter of an inch deep. Have you ever tried to place a seed a quarter of an inch in the ground? It is hard! Lay the rake handle along the row and press it down to the desired depth. Then place the seeds along the furrow and lightly cover the seeds.

Special hint: To help speed up seed germination, soak your seeds in compost tea for 15 minutes to overnight before sowing them.

If you can find transplants such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and onions get them, as it will save about six weeks of growing time.

When transplanting into the garden, do it toward the evening so plants have the cool night temperatures to recover from transplant shock. And keep them watered, never allowing them to dry out. Young transplants may benefit from light shade for the first few days until their new roots become established. Young seedlings will need water more often until established.

Now for a step often overlooked by gardeners: Our soils have a tendency to form a crust over seeds. This crust is equal to putting a cement sidewalk over the seeds, which is how tough that soil crust can be. This results in crops failing to emerge.

"Place a light organic mulch over the row of seeds to discourage the crusting and hold onto the moisture while the seedlings emerge," says master gardener Don Fabbi.

And now comes that dreaded task that most people never do. Thinning is difficult, especially for beginning gardeners to pull up healthy plants, but it is an important process in successful gardening and must be done ruthlessly.

Cool-season vegetables are not fond of crowds, so when sowing seeds, note the spacings on the seed package label so you don't have to thin. Plant a couple of seeds at the head of the row and then plant the next seeds the recommended distance down the row.

When your plants get about two-inches tall, thin them by first removing the weaker plants. Don't throw the seedlings away, use them in salads. Do not wait too long before thinning, or injury will result from crowding and disturbing the remaining plants.

Finally, if you haven't the room for a large garden, try gardening in pots and planters. Most vegetables grow well in containers if they're grown in a quality, lightweight potting soil.

By planning and planting a fall/winter vegetable garden, it is possible to have fresh vegetables even up to Christmas time. At the time when retail vegetable prices are on the rise, you can be reaping large and varied harvests from your still-productive garden site.

Linn Mills writes a garden column each Thursday. You can reach him at lmills@reviewjournal.com or at the Gardens at the Springs Preserve, 822-7754.