What to Plant in your Garden during October!

Oct 5

Greens and cool crops truthfully grow in the later part of our second warm season. They need cooler temps to keep them from Bolting (or going to seed) and to avoid the stress of summer heat which will bring on pest pressure. These crops will grow well into the cool season and can often be grown up until spring, weather dependent. Here is a look at what greens we recommend for October.

MUSTARD

(Mustard) Triple Curled Mustard provides a stronger flavor but is harder to wash and clean, while Florida Broadleaf is the mainstay and grows huge, tasteful leaves.

SPINACH

(Spinach) Bloomsdale is an old heirloom favorite.

KALE

Of all the greens Kale can be rather large and needs a little more spacing. It performs well in the cool season, but can also be grown almost year round in our area.

COLLARDS

Georgia Southern is the go to variety.

LETTUCE

Lettuce needs cooler temps to perform well and October is a great month for it. Our temps don’t get cool enough to grow a heading lettuce like Romain or Iceberg so plant a variety of leaf lettuces that can be continually harvested.

BROCCOLI

Broccoli can be started as early as August because it can handle some heat, but does much better in the cooler temperatures. Calabrese or Green Sprouting Broccoli matures quickly and produces tons of side shoots. Waltham takes much longer but does produce a much larger head.

CAULIFLOWER

Cauliflower only likes the cooler temps. Snowball is a great option. As heads start setting, clothespin the top two leaves over the head to shield it from the sun. This will keep the heads from turning yellow as easy.

CABBAGE

There are many shapes and sizes of cabbage. They can range from very large varieties such as Flat Dutch , which can produce a 10-12 pound head to Coppenhagen which is a market sized cabbage at 3-4 pounds. Chinese cabbage varieties such as Pok Choy or Bok Choy work well in October as well. While not an actual cabbage, KohlRabi, known as an above ground cabbage can be planted now. White or Purple Vienna are common varieties

Root Crops - October is still an opportune time to plant below ground crops. Here is a look at what root crops can be planted in October.

TURNIPS

Purple Top Turnips are a must for most gardeners this time of year. You can use these for dual purpose production with turnip roots and turnip greens being harvestable.

BEETS

Beets, while possibly the most difficult seeds to germinate in the garden, thrive in October. Detroit Dark Red is the old time favorite while Early Wonder is our choice as they reach maturity quicker and still hold a great taste.

CARROTS

Carrots are another favorite, you will need to directly sow these and keep them damp until germination. You can cover our soil with burlap or something similar to keep the soil damp through the germination process, removing it once the seeds sprout. Make sure to thin the carrots 2” apart so they have less competition and space to grow.

RADISH

Radish are the fastest growing crop in the home garden. You can turn a crop of radish in 30-40 days and they can easily be planted underneath taller growing crops. Cherry Belle and the White Tip Sparkler are some of our favorites. Timing your harvest right is key to keeping your radishes from becoming hot. The longer they stay in the ground, the hotter they tend to be.

GARLIC

Fall is the time to plant Garlic. Garlic is the longest crop to reach maturity in the home garden. Make sure when you plant your garlic, that it will not interfere with your spring and summer plantings the following year.

HERBS

We highly recommend planting herbs throughout your garden. They will provide continuous harvests and attract many pollinators throughout the year.

Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Sage, Chives, Dill and Parsley - ( main food source for Black Swallowtail Butterfly ) Cilantro - Does really well in the fall season.