September in the Garden

Sep 1, 2019 | Home and Garden

[title subtitle=”words: Megan Lankford, Horticulture Supervisor,
Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
image: LeManna/Shutterstock”][/title]

The Dirt:
By the time Labor Day rolls around, many a gardener is more than ready for the cool weather to set in. This is the time of year I find myself daydreaming of crisp, buttery lettuce, along with the tang of mustard greens, and the sweetness of autumn peas. Add some warm apple pie and I’m in heaven.

Tips:
I’m always antsy to get my fall veggies in the ground before my summer ones are quite done producing. Since my garden is smaller than I’d like, I’ve started using mini cabbages to get them going earlier. Taking up about half the space as a traditional cabbage, and maturing at least twenty to thirty days earlier, they’re a great space and time saver.

Mid to late September is also a great time to plant garlic. Heads can be purchased locally or online. Simply break apart the head into individual cloves, plant them with the pointy end sticking up, water them, and cover them with six inches of straw. They won’t need much water to get going, and too much can cause them to rot. Don’t forget they’ll be in the garden until June or July, so don’t plan on putting anything there until mid-summer of next year.

Kale is one of my all-time favorite vegetables. While I have tried many kinds, my favorite is dinosaur kale. It is easy to grow, plus it’s not frilly so you can see the cabbage loopers or other pests that may be eating your veggies. I love sautéing it and putting it in quiche, or all by itself in kale salad!

You Can Plant:
Arugula, Bok Choi, Cabbage, Collards, Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Kale, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Peas, Shallots, Spinach, Swiss Chard

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