What to Plant in September
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While gardens in the northern states start to wind down in September, it’s the perfect time to start a garden in the southern states. However, depending on where you live, autumn is an ideal time to grow some vegetables that thrive in cooler weather. You may be surprised at all the vegetables, fruits, and herbs you can plant in September.
I try to update this list annually to keep it as current as possible. This year, food prices have increased, with much of the rise attributed to flooding in the Midwest and Southeast and the ongoing drought in the West. If you want to stay ahead of future price increases, you should consider growing more of your own food; it makes sense.
Here are a few reasons why growing even a little of your own food matters, pots included.
Fresh food right outside your door means you’re never fully dependent on the store shelf being stocked. Even a few pots of lettuce, herbs, or tomatoes give you something to fall back on when supply chains hiccup or prices spike.
Homegrown food tastes better and often has more nutrition, since it goes from plant to plate without days or weeks of travel and storage in between.
Growing something, even in a small space, teaches skills that matter. Learning how to start seeds, keep a plant alive, and harvest at the right time builds confidence you can lean on if you ever need to grow more.
It saves money over time. A few dollars in seeds or a small starter plant can yield meals worth far more than the initial investment, especially with herbs, greens, and peppers that keep producing.
It’s a wonderful way to involve family, especially children, in understanding where food comes from and the patience it takes to grow it.
Even a small harvest reduces your reliance on others for your basic needs, and that sense of self-reliance brings real peace of mind.
Gardening in pots also means almost anyone can do this. You don’t need land or a big yard, just a sunny spot on a porch, balcony, or windowsill.
How I store my garden seeds:
Plastic Photo Container and Label Maker
I highly recommend these products for your seedlings: CowPots and Organic Seedling Soil. This way, you plant your seeds indoors and then place the CowPots in your garden when the temperatures are right.
Why Have a Fall Garden?
Planting crops in September allows you to continue growing and eating fresh, healthy foods at home. Not only is this a great way to keep eating your own food, but there are also many interesting cool-weather plants to try.
While you might miss your sweet peppers and tomatoes of summer, fall veggies offer you healthy, flavorful foods you can enjoy just as much or even more.
You also get a lot of benefits from your fall garden. Here are just a few you may enjoy:
- Water your plants less. With cooler temps, you won’t have to water your garden as much. This means less sweat and cost for you.
- Fewer pests. Fall offers your garden a respite from many pests you encounter in spring and summer. That means fewer treatments to rid the garden of pests.
- Frost Sweetens some veggies. While the summer heat can make arugula and lettuce bitter, frost actually sweetens their flavors.
How to Have a Fall Garden
Almost everything that you plant in the spring can be grown in your fall garden, too. Spring-sown seeds are cool-season plants. This means they can tolerate a light frost, thrive in less light, and perform best in mild temps.
Before you can get started on your fall garden, you’ll want to know the frost dates for your region. Check here to find your zone.
What is a Frost Date?
Frost dates are defined by the day on which there’s a 50/50 chance of frost. You’ll want your plants planted in September to reach maturity about 2 weeks before this date, to be on the safe side.
When to Plant Your Seeds
You’ll want your plants to be at maturity before the first frost. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Check the seed packet for maturity information.
- Check your region’s frost dates. You can look up the dates by zone. See the link above to save some time.
- Count back from the frost date to a suggested plant date to see when the best time to plant your garden is. Of course, this depends on how long it takes particular plants to mature.
Give Basic Care
Just like your spring or summer garden, a fall garden has four basic needs. These needs include:
Sunlight
You still need to make sure what you plant in September receives the right amount of sunlight. Although fall veggies can tolerate shade, you’ll want to plant them in an area that gets plenty of sun as well.
Soil
No matter where you live, plants need great soil. Soil needs to be rich in nutrients and well-draining. You can improve your traditional garden with garden-specific soil. Please try adding some mulch to your soil. I buy Organic Raised Bed Mix
Water
Although you may not have to water your plants as often, you still need to water your plants consistently. A good rule of thumb is to give your plants an inch of water per week. You can use an inexpensive rain gauge to see if you need to add more water during the week.
Food
When you feel hungry, you don’t perform your best. The same is true with plants. In order for plants to flourish, whether in spring, summer, or fall, you’ll need to provide your plants with a good top-shelf fertilizer. You can also add natural ingredients such as earthworm castings, kelp, and bone meal to your garden to provide your plants with nutrition. Quality fertilizer should be available at your local garden store. They should also be able to advise you on which nutrients are best for this time of year.
Are you ready to find out what you can plant in September?
What to Plant in September
Arugula (shown in the image below) is one of my favorite items to plant this time of year! I could eat a fresh salad every night! My dream would be to grow my tomatoes year-round. Mark and I would love to have room for a small greenhouse, but it probably isn’t in the cards.
Once you’ve determined your frost dates, it’s important to know what you can and can’t plant in your region. Below, you’ll find out what you can plant in your region/state in the month of September.
Related: What to Stock Up on In September
What to Plant in September by Zone
Please keep in mind that, with Climate Change or whatever recent trends you see, the weather has changed across different zones. We have droughts, flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes. Please follow your local weather channel for temperatures.
Zones: New England Region
The New England Region of the United States is the easternmost part of the U.S. The states in this region include Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. This region is characterized by bitterly cold winters and semi-humid summers.
Due to the climate of this region, the vegetables that do well here in September include: (The image below is Bok Choy). In case you missed my post, Healthy Bok Choy Salad Recipe
- Arugula
- Bok Choy
- Lettuce
- Mache
- Radishes
- Spinach
Zones: Mid-Atlantic Region
The Mid-Atlantic region is south and west of the New England States. The states in the Mid-Atlantic are New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Although the Mid-Atlantic region is quite different from the New England region, they share similar climates. Some plants to consider are:
- Arugula
- Bok Choy
- Lettuce
- Mache
- Radishes
- Spinach
Therefore, for the most part, the same vegetables that can be grown in the New England states can be grown in the Mid-Atlantic states in September.
Zones: Southern Region
States in the southern region make up the third region of the United States. These states include Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The southern region states are characterized by humid subtropical climates that include mild winters and hot, humid summers.
In September, you’ll want to plant the following plants:
- Arugula
- Beets
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Collard greens
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mustard greens
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Turnips
Zones: Midwest Region
States in the Midwest are considered part of the Interior Plains and the Interior Highlands regions. The states that encompass the Midwest region include Michigan, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri. In the Midwest, you’ll find that temperatures can be drastically different from summer to winter, and temperatures can vary from state to state.
Because temperatures vary across this region, you’ll want to check your frost dates by zip code. Plants that do well in September in this region include:
- Arugula
- Collard greens
- Lettuce
- Mache
- Mustard greens
- Peas
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Turnips
Zones: South-West Region
Part of the Atlantic Gulf Coastal Plain, the South-West region includes Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Most of the South-West region has an arid desert climate, so it’s very hot and dry.
Although the climate is very hot and dry, there are still a lot of vegetables you can plant in September. If you live in this region, you can plant the following:
- Arugula
- Beets
- Bok choy
- Broccoli (transplants)
- Brussels sprouts (transplants)
- Cabbage (transplants)
- Carrots
- Cauliflower (transplants)
- Collard greens
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Mustard greens
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
- Turnips
Zones: Rocky Mountains Region
This region is made up of states that run through the Rocky Mountains. States that run through the Rockies include Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Nevada. The climate in the mountains becomes colder as altitude increases. In some locations, the climate tends to be wetter than the surrounding flatlands.
Because temperatures in the mountains can change by the hour, we can only plant a few plants in September. These include:
- Arugula
- Lettuce
- Mache
- Spinach
Zones: Pacific Coastal Region
The Pacific Coastal Region comprises the states that border the Pacific Ocean. The states found in the Pacific Coastal Region are California, Oregon, and Washington. These states generally have a Mediterranean type of climate with rainy winters and dry summers.
You can plant the following in this region in September:
- Arugula
- Bok choy
- Collard greens
- Lettuce
- Mache
- Mustard greens
- Radishes
- Spinach
Perennials to Plant in September
Another option to consider when planting in September is perennial vegetables and fruits. Perennials come back year after year, which is a great option for those of us who don’t want to plant stuff every year. The cooler fall temperatures give the plants a chance to become established and take root. Perennials, such as asparagus and strawberries, can be planted in the fall and harvested in the spring.
Related: What You Need to Know About Growing Asparagus
Planting perennial herbs such as mint, thyme, oregano, sage, chives, lemon balm, lavender, and rosemary in September allows the plants to develop a good root system while avoiding heat stress. To find out if these plants are perennial in your region/zone, check here: USDA Hardiness Zone
What are you planning to plant in September? If you’re worried about the cold, see if these Cloches (Plant Protectors) would work for you. A cold frame would work as well, depending on the temperatures you get in your area. Cold Frame
Greenhouse
How many of you have a greenhouse, big or small? I would love one. What do you like about it? Does it work as well as you had hoped? Do you have to heat it? I know we need to place them where they get full sun. Let me know what your experiences have been, both good and challenging.
What flowers are good to plant in September?
In September, I always plant daffodils or tulips. Watch for the sales and get ready to sow those little bulbs! I dig holes about 4-6 inches deep, place the bulbs in them, and cover them with soil. Next spring you’ll see little green tips start to grow and pop up through your soil. My favorite daffodils are Lily Lent.
Can I plant onions in September?
Typically, you harvest onions in the fall and let them dry so you have onions year-round.
Can I use leaves to mulch my garden soil?
Fall is a great time to use a tiller or a shovel to mulch your leaves into your soil. They should break down by next spring. I highly recommend turning the leaves under your soil surface.
Clean Out Your Weeds
In the fall, it’s a great time to clean up your yard and pull the weeds and debris left over from your harvest.
Winter Squashes
If you planted some winter squash, you should be able to harvest it and let it cure over the winter to eat until you plant it next year. Winter squash has a thicker rind and therefore should last for several months. I’m talking about Acorn, Spaghetti, and Butternut squash. My mouth is watering right now; I love winter squash!
Please Check Out What To Plant Each Month:
- What To Plant In January
- What To Plant In February
- What To Plant In March
- What To Plant In April
- What To Plant In May
- What To Plant In June
- What To Plant In July
- What To Plant In August
- What To Plant In September
- What To Plant In October
Final Word
No matter where you live, you can grow at least some of your own food. Even if all you have is a sunny windowsill or a small porch, a few pots of lettuce, herbs, or tomatoes can make a real difference. Homegrown food tastes better, saves you money, and means you’re not fully dependent on the store shelf being stocked. It teaches skills you’ll be glad you have, gives your family a chance to understand where food really comes from, and brings a sense of peace knowing you can provide for yourself even in a small way.
Start small if you need to, but start. Every pot you plant is one more step toward being prepared. You know, when you plant those seeds, water them in, and wait for them to sprout, the anticipation is just fun. Life is so awesome when you start eating your harvest of healthy vegetables from your very own garden. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Lettuce Growing Your Own Deposit photos_7522318_s-2019, Bok Choy Deposit photos_308249330_s-2019, Arugula Lettuce Deposit photos_130604196_s-2019, Radishes in the Garden Deposit photos_71340343_s-2019, Garlic Ready To Plant Depositphotos_225888192_s-2019
Linda, My mom always had a fall garden. Me, if I make it through the summer one I count
myself as lucky.
I do have a question: for the past 2 weeks I get another “email” from Food Storage mom.
Is that one of yours? I never know, did I sign up for it and forget it? It’s not signed like you. Am I losing
my mind or what? This weeks is titled: Can you believe it’s Friday? If it is yours forgive me for being so
crazy and forgetting but I just want to be careful before I respond to anything.
I hate getting off subject but I think of things and want to say it before I forget. We talk about
stocking up on items before an emergency but there are a few things I don’t remember seeing on any of the list to buy a few extra of, what about having a few extra bottles of perfume/ cologne ( for the men) just cause we are in a emergency doesn’t mean we don’t need to feel good about our selves.
What about make-up? ( I don’t wear it but I know a lot of people do) We have chocolate listed ( with good reason), also games to play and I thought what about just a little something to make us
feel just a little ” normal”.
Hi June, yes, that is my Friday night newsletter to remind people to prep! I totally understand the statement, did I sign up for something??? It’s a friendly reminder to my awesome readers to be prepared. Perfume and cologne would be awesome. I have a girl send it out for me, I’m not very techy. I asked her to remove the statement respond to me on that newsletter. Hugs, Linda
You only listed Texas as zone 6-7 southwest gulf coast.i live in Houston Metro area.we are zones 8 and 9. Texas goes all the way to zone 10 down by Brownsville. I was disappointed not to see these areas.
Hi Debra, thanks for letting me know. Linda
I was just thinking about some of the non necessities, that we should include in our prep. Perfumes and colognes are a definite, especially if we are isolated at home! I know there are cheaper candles to be had, but for me, it is large jar candles from Yankee Candle, hand soaps and sanitizers from Bath and Body Works, and chocolates from Lindt. There has to be some pleasures to be had!!
Hi Chris, chocolate is essential!! I say whatever item(s) makes us happy, add them NOW! We may not be able to get them next week! Bring on your favorite candles, I will grab ore M & M’s! Life is good! Linda
I like you website. Thank you for all the information you share!
I was looking at your “What to plant in September” section for California and wanted to make a little comment. Most of those things that you listed are great for the coastal regions. However,California is made of of 3-4 different climates. The Central Valley of California is more like Arizona or Texas. We can’t plant our “winter garden” (what most people call their Spring garden) until the middle of October. Then we can plant peas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, kale, etc. It’s little more complicated than Oregon or Washington. Thanks again for all you do!!!
Hi Robin, oh I’m so glad you told me this! I had no idea that the Central Valley of California has 3-4 different climates!! I love California by the way! I have a daughter that lives in Southern California and she has the most beautiful flowers! Thanks for letting me know! Linda
Linda, the link to the August planting in this series seems to be broken. When I clicked on it, it was a repeat of the March planting article. Could you please fix this? Thank you!
Hu Wolphene, thanks for letting me know, I fixed it. https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/plant-in-august/ Linda
Robin:
Where can I find the Planting guides for February, November and December. This has been one merry go round in our lives this year. From the middle of June my husband was in the hospital and then things just went on from there culminating in our sons Wedding on Nov. 2. (the only good thing that happened that whole crazy half year.)
I would also like to find the What to stock up on in December. I did some thing right this year by getting all those except December.
Thank you so much for your help
With the Love of YESHUA JESUS
A JEW 4 JESUS
ROMANS 1;16
Hi Jackie, oh I’m so sorry about your sweet husband, I hope he’s doing better. Oh my, having your son get married is such a blessing!! I have written about all 12 months “What To Stock Up On”. Plus, I am in the middle of “What To Plant In February”. So, I have 12 months on “stocking up” and will have all 12 months on “what to plant” every single month. Let me grab the December stocking up post link for you. https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/what-to-stock-up-on-in-december/ I’m actually adding all the zones as fast as I can. Watch for the February post “What To Plant In February” coming soon. All the months will be put in each post for you. Have fun gardening my friend, Linda
Linda:
Thank you so much for sending the December “What to stock up on” link. I now have all the links for that. I love all your articles but being 69 I can only stay on the computer for a short time each day and it does not let me get everything I want. My husband and I are both Veterans and I must say I really respect the Men and Women who are in there today. We will celebrate our 50th Anniversary of our Betrothal (a Jewish ceremony where although you don’t see each other for a year or talk to each other you are considered married. That was to protect the women in biblical times because they would have been left with nothing if there betrothed did within that year. That will be in July and we celebrate our 49th Civil wedding anniversary April 3rd. So we get to celebrate twice. We don’t do much because both of our health is not good but it is simple with our kids.
Love
Jackie
Hi Jackie, oh thank you for sharing your Wedding and Betrothal story. I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing about it. Thanks to you and your husband for serving our country. My husband and I were married for 50 years this past July. It’s so fun to hear about others who have married or betrothed for 50 years. It’s amazing! We drove up north to enjoy the celebration with our kids and grandkids. We ordered (takeout) Chinese food from our favorite restaurant and served it in the cartons (no cleanup). The restaurant couldn’t seat 35 people all at once. It worked out great having the “party” at my daughter’s home. Simple and delightful. It’s all about family, right? Let me know if you need any article links anytime. I will get them for you! Happy New Year, girlfriend! Love, Linda
Jackie: Thank you for being outspoken about your identity and your faith. Glad to “meet” you sister! I used to work with and sing for JFJ decades and decades ago. Moishe R . wanted to have me record a JFJ album with friends, one of whom is still living in Israel since they emigrated in the 1980’s. Sorry if I am taking up too much space by being so personal!
Best in Yeshua always,
Jess (Joyce) E. S.
Hi, I live in Colorado and though we are part of the Rockies, our state is also part of the Southwest. I garden zone 6a whilst my friends up north garden in a different zone. And across the mountains they have different zones. Crazy Colorado! That’s why we say Mother Nature in Colorado always says, “Hold my beer!!”
Great article. Keep them coming.
Hi Marisol, “hold my beer”, now I have the giggles! The weather can change when we least expect it! Linda
Linda, I even plant bush beans in September. The cooler weather is easier on them than our intense summers and with an “average” first frost date of Nov 15 and by using row covers if necessary I usually get a good crop. It is often better than my summer crop, what with fewer insect and disease problems due to less stress on the plants. I often plan a fall crop of peas as well. I just sent out my monthly Dying Time Newsletter (Volume 66) titled Planning and Planting Your Fall Garden and the Importance of Journaling. You can sign up for it–it’s free–on my website listed below.
Hi Ray, oh awesome!! I love fresh green beans and they are so easy to grow!! Linda
Ray, I’d like to know your website address. If it’s OK with Linda to post it.
Deborah,
Thanks for the inquiry. I always enjoy your posts. My website address is https://raymonddeanwhite.com/ and if you click on the Free Prepper Info link it takes you to a page that has all of my archived Newsletter Articles on it. You can also sign up for my free monthly newsletter on my site. It is a secure site but for some reason my webmaster still hasn’t gotten around to putting the secure site sticker on it. I’m getting onto her about that.
You’ll note Linda’s site is featured prominently on my landing page.
Thank you so much, Ray. Your site is awesome! Very informative.
Thanks Deborah, I’m working on getting the Newsletter Archives re-done so that the Newsletter Title is shown instead of just the Volume Number. We’ll see how that goes.
Oh, and I just checked in with my hosting service and they said my SSL was valid but then I got cut off before they could explain WHY my URL didn’t come up with the https address instead of the regular http. Competence is SO hard to find these days.
Hi Ray, it’s working now!!! https://raymonddeanwhite.com/ SQUEAL!! I LOVE IT!! LINDA
Hi Ray, you are so good to me, thank you for sharing my website, my friend, Linda
Hi Deborah, yes it is for sure!! I changed out his http to the https (It’s working Ray!!!)
Linda,
Most all of Arizona is in Zones 8-9. Only the high mountain areas get significant winters. So most Arizonans can grow any plant that can handle the shorter daylight hours of winter. Where I live we rarely get frost, snowfall or hard freezes. They happen, but simply covering my hoop houses with plastic handles all those problems. I’m planting carrots, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, shell peas, snow peas and garlic (interplanted with the broccoli) this month. I should be harvesting the shell and edible pod peas beginning in November and continuing through Spring. This year I planted Johnny’s Premium Shell peas instead of the Green Arrow shell peas I normally plant. I like to experiment with new varieties.
My Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes are outproducing my ability to keep up with them now that temps have dropped into the high 90’s. The Peacevine (OP variety of Sweet 100) weren’t very productive this year, but it looks like their productivity is starting to pick up with “cooler” weather. I’m hoping they’ll shine in October and November.
Hi Ray, oh my gosh, I love hearing this about what you are planting! You can always use your blender to pulverize the cherry tomatoes skins and all for soup. Yes, you have to freeze it, but use it first. Linda
Linda,
So do you have a good tomato soup recipe? My wife and I both like tomato soup served with grilled cheese sandwiches.
I’m off to a 911 memorial service now. I’ll never forget 911, but the day I really miss is 9/12. All Americans came together then. Didn’t matter if you were liberal, conservative, gay, straight, Republican or Democrat, we all pulled together. Stores ran out of American Flags because everyone was buying them and flying them. Yes, I miss 9/12 and wish we could recapture that feeling–without having to be attacked first.
Hi Ray, no I don’t!! I make Campbell’s Tomato Soup with a 1/2 can of milk! Lazy here! LOL! I agree 9/12 brought Americans together. Great comment! Linda
Linda,
That’s how Jane and I make it too.
Hi Ray, it sounds like you and I need to come up with a good tomato soup from scratch!! LOL! Linda
I planted 3 potatoes that were growing on the counter bout 2 weeks ago. Who knows if they’ll make or not lol. We had an ice storm last October while the leaves were still on the trees that wiped everything out and some years I’ve hunted in a t-shirt in November.
Falls just too busy with hunting, wood cutting and projects I just don’t wanna do when it’s 100 degrees to plant much. One of those projects is to break new ground on an expanded garden though.
Hi Matt, that’s cool about the potatoes on the counter. Crazy weather the last few years! Good luck hunting! You know I love hearing this! Linda
Linda, I’ve been stocking up on seeds while they are still available so I clicked on your Seeds Now link and found some seeds I’ve been looking for–alfalfa, broccoli and clover sprouts, Detroit Dark Red beets, Corn Salad, and one of my all time favorite carrots, Kuroda.
I’ve had to go to at least half a dozen places to find the seeds I want to stock up on. Even though I save seeds from many heirloom varieties, I think you can’t have too many seeds. I’m still looking for the Purple Queen Garlic I love–made the mistake of digging it all up last year and not saving any for this year. Won’t do that again.
While the few summer crops I planted are still doing well I’ve started my fall garden. First I planted a final crop of Dragon Tongue Bush beans, which, yes, I still have plenty of time to get a decent bean crop in before any hard freezes or frosts. Just six days ago I planted Pak Choi in a large pot and it’s up and thriving already. Four days ago i planted Crispino and Jericho lettuces in separate large pots. I finished up two days ago by planting Calabrese Broccoli in a large pot.
Later this month I’ll be planting more lettuce, carrots, beets, chard, shell peas, snow peas, broccoli and so on in my garden beds. And I’ve ordered Covington Sweet Potato slips for next Spring. They’ll ship in February or early March.
People should be planting survival gardens now and next year–with a strong focus on high carb, high calorie, highly nutritious crops like potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and peas. I usually don’t mess with ordering seed potatoes–I just use the Russet Burbanks or Kennebecs I get at the store. I need to make my potato beds much deeper before I replant them next February. They are only 12″ deep now and they need to be at least 24″ deep to maximize production.
I always enjoy your What To Plant articles. You give great advice. I hope you get some benefit from me using your Seeds Now link before ordering from them.
Hi Ray, thank you, my friend, yes I make a little money when people order seeds from that link. You know I love hearing about your garden. You just put out a great post on all of your favorite garden seeds! I loved it! Linda
Hi, I just want to say that Wyoming includes Zone 4b, which is where I live. I have tomatoes and potatoes growing since May. My July 27 – September 5 plantings have been wax beans, bush beans, sweet peppers, chard, cilantro, cucumber, snap peas, purslane, green bunching onion, parsley, and basil. I do not have a yard or garden space, so everything is in a pot or other container, and I constructed a make-shift greenhouse out of 2mil clear plastic drop cloths, poles/long branches, and burlap shade cloth. The sun is intense and we are in the low 90s again this week, the wind is ever-present and can easily be over 24mph, and we have a herd of mule deer in town, so protecting the garden is imperative. We’re in the low 50s at night already, which is why the beans and peas are growing. I anticipate several plants needing to finish indoors, under grow lights, because my first frost date could be as soon as Sept. 26. I’m waiting for daytime temps to be under 80F before I start any lettuces, arugula, and kale. I will try to grow these last 3 indoors throughout the winter — wish me luck!
HI Mary-Ann A., oh how I love hearing how people are growing their own food. You have gardens in pots and you made your own greenhouse!!!!! Boy, your first frost is coming up!! I love hearing what you planted, it brings me so much joy! Thank you for sharing! Linda
I tried again and it still didn’t work. I changed the URL where March was replaced with August. That worked! Might be useful for anyone else having this problem. Thanks!
HI Wolphene, thank you for checking it, I better check it again. Darn, Linda
Linda:
I aged some since my last post on this subject. Instead of being 69 I am now on my way to 73. My question for you this time is where can I get the purple garlic you showed in your picture of Garlic. I don’t have a lot of space but I am hoping that if I put garlic out my neighbors cows won’t want to take anything I plant. or if they do then they can get a good bellyache and I don’t think the neighbors will like garlic tasting milk and they may keep them fenced in. LOL but not sure it will help.
Hi Jackie, I wish I could help you, I only buy two different kinds of garlic to plant and they are cream colored. I’m not sure where you can get the purple kind. Linda
Linda,
2024’s summer garden was a big disappointment this year. A too cool for too long Spring was great for my Winter/Spring crops like Broccoli, Bok Choi, Peas, Carrots, Lettuce and Cabbage, but delayed the planting of my warm weather varieties so long that our intense summer heat hit them hard and shut down production.
I did get several tomatoes, but no melons, no corn, and until last week no beans. It was so hot and windy for so long that, despite frequent watering, my pole beans withered and died as did several of my tomato and squash plants. My watermelons and cantaloupe grew well–long vines and lots of leaves, but no flowers. I’ll add more phosphorous to the soil this fall to try and remedy that for next year. My normally dependable Hopi Pale Gray squash is finally blooming, so I should get some of that. It’s very tasty and is the best long term storage squash I’ve ever grown.
Next week I’ll put in more beans and a few zucchini. By the end of September, or possibly early October, I’ll have my cold weather crops in. Because our winters are so mild my gardens are usually very productive all winter long.
Here’s hoping you’ll be able to get a garden in next Spring.
Oh, I have a new Facebook page for promoting my books and where I’m going to post my Newsletter Articles (haven’t got that done yet). With your permission I’ll also repost your articles and a link to this site on it.
Hi Ray, wow what a shame, the weather is so unpredictable! When you get your FaceBook page up and running you can use anything off my website, let me know when it goes live. But I will promote your page as well. Yours books are the best! Linda
Linda, my new facebook page is up and running, but it needs a lot of work. I have posted your site’s link on it already.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563550119917
Hi Ray, I just “Likes” so I’m following you now. Great idea, thank you for sharing my post. I will share your books as well. Linda
Thank you, Linda.
The only planting here will be tulips for spring. The nearby farms are starting to advertise apple picking. There is still 3 weeks left to summer, but we seemed to go from too hot- low 90s to too low 55° in just days. I’m trying to keep from bringing out fall too soon.
Chris, tulips and daffodils are my all time favorite flowers when they peak through the snow right before spring! SQUEAL! Wow, I can’t believe we’re down to 3 weeks before fall hits. Boy, where did summer go? Linda
Linda, the links for November and December aren’t there. You gave the December link in a reply to a comment, but November still isn’t there. Nice post. you should give the “zones” by the agricultural zone system, or hardiness zones:https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
Which goes by zip codes. Many states have more than one zone in it.
HI Carol, I do not plant in November or December. It’s too cold in most states. I used to put the zones then I was criticized for the zones being off due to climate changes everywhere. I will not post zones any longer. People will have to look up their own zones. Linda
I have to edit my comment: you supplied the link to what to stock up on in December, not the planting info. So, we need the links for what to plant in November and December. I also saw that you DO link to the hardiness zones, but you don’t use them in this post, as Oregon (as well as Washington and California) have more than 1 planting zone based on temperature and weather patterns. The “coastal” region is much different than inland regions: central and eastern…..so what will grow in the PNW coastal region is different than the central or eastern regions.
I keep forgetting that where I live is backward to were most of you live. I can start my seeds for my tower garden towards the end of September…IF it finally cools down enough. Nothing much survives our normal summers and this year nothing at all made it. Our native plants do just fine. If only they tasted good!
Can’t have a garden in the ground out here unless I have an armed guard or some sort of creature that will run off everything and not eat my garden while it’s doing that!
The locals think pythons are tasty. I’d have to get really hungry. Squirrels and raccoons, hawks, and coyotes. The first 2 aren’t worth the effort to clean for the bit of meat on them. I guess some of the good ole boys will eat anything. My neighbor’s chicken coop is like a fortified prison. Even the bottom has metal “fencing!”
Your humor for the day.
Hi CAddison, oh my gosh, I could not eat any of those either! Nope, I will grow more vegetables. LOL! The fortified prison for the chickens- I think everyone needs one of those! My neighbor just lost a couple of chickens to a raccoon, we think. I love your comment; you made my day! Linda
Generally the chickens are ok outside during the day. The dog in the yard helps. The neighbor’s chickens have an inner clock and migrate to the coop on their own about dusk. Just census count and close the door. They put “hardware cloth” under the coop and have sand over it. They poop in the sand. Easy clean up.
Raccoon in particular will dig under the coop to get at the chickens. I suppose coyotes would as well. Coyotes got some a few years ago because they left the chickens out. It was a grim scene for the children.
I figure that when “it” hits, the produce grown on our island or canned will be ok. Commercially canned should be germ/parasite free (and for those who always find something to grips about- let’s exclude clostridium botulinum, etc. I did some work with that stuff- getting animals to the labs before they died. Something like 1/25,000 of a teaspoon is fatal to humans and a wine glass, evenly distibuted, could wipe out a significant % of the population. Fentanyl is less deadly in my opinion. I don’t recommend use of either!)
Canned may not be to some’s taste or up to some’s nutritional standards. They are going to have to “get over it” or starve at some point. Well, you know my saying about that!
Hi CAddison, great tips on the chicken coops. Let’s hope everyone washes their hands a lot. I will not eat any food canned by anyone except myself. But I am a Master Canner and Preserver. I know about rebel canners, and they are not funny to me. Period. Linda
I so miss the gardening. Our summer weather has been up and down. At this point all we can count on is our local farmers market.
Hi Chris, I wish we had good farmers’ markets- great reminder. Linda
Linda, my new author page is https://authorraymonddeanwhite.com
I built PVC bird netting cages for my new fruit trees. I’m adding compost, worm castings and Happy Frog soil to one of my raised beds and tilling it in with a hoe. Actually I don’t till in the worm castings. I dig trenches a few inches deep, pour in the castings then cover them with soil.
Once the bed is done I’ll plant more beans. My fall crop of beans always beats my summer crop. I’ still buried in tomatoes because, even though most of my plant shut down during the heat of summer, the new storage tomatoes (Anarita and Pienello de Gallo) kept producing. I have more than I can eat or give away to neighbors and friends, so I may have to make sauce, or donate a bunch to a local food bank.
When it gets cold enough I’ll pull them and hang them upside down inside to see if they really stay fresh for months as advertised.
I still have a Hopi Grey Squash I harvested in August of 2025 that is STILL good.
Jane and I celebrated our 40th anniversary on August 26.
Hi Ray, Happy Anniversary!!! I love hearing this!!! I’m losing my energy these days, so I’m not able to care for the tomatoes as I did in the spring. I was able to donate some to the food bank, which makes me happy. I need more space between the pots, but I’m still glad I did the garden pots. Linda