By By Steve Strong / area horticulture area
Sept. 18, 2002
Home gardening is a tough job any time of year, and the recent drought has presented more of a challenge than usual.
Relief is just around the corner in the form of cooler, and hopefully wetter, fall weather, prompting vegetable growers to get started on fall planting.
Several crops can be grown through the fall and winter months with a minimum of care, and many of these cool season choices offer some of the tastiest rewards for the backyard grower. Leafy greens are among the most popular crops, including turnip, mustard, collard and a wide range of lettuces and cabbages.
Best months to plant
September and October are the best months for planting fall greens, as nighttime temperatures change from warmer to cooler. Root crops such as onion, beet, carrot, radish and rutabaga also perform best when planted in fall, as opposed to spring when soil temperatures are again on the rise.
With the present dry soil conditions it is a good idea to hand-water the garden site deeply and thoroughly a day or two in advance to make sure seeds are planted in moist soil. Don't be fooled by surface level moisture (where it appears the soil is soaked but may still be bone dry just an inch or 2 underneath) germinating seedlings may sprout and quickly die if the new baby roots have no water to grow toward.
Soil testing is recommended for fall planting, especially where summer crops may have absorbed much of the existing fertilizer and changed the garden's nutrient levels. Lime is often applied in the fall to provide needed calcium and magnesium and to help the crops take up other fertilizer better (nitrate, phosphate and potassium).
Soil testing
Testing the soil is as simple as collecting a pint-size sample of garden dirt, one tablespoon at a time from throughout the planting area. Bag the individual scoops of soil together into one sample and drop it by your county Extension Service office along with a check or money order for just $6 per sample.
The Extension Service is directly connected to Mississippi State University, with expert help available to diagnose disease and insect problems and answer other questions related to crop production. These same offices also provide personal assistance for farmers with winter ryegrass pastures, and deer hunters with wild game food plots.
The number to call in Lauderdale County is 482-9764, and the computer savvy gardeners may wish to access the MSU Web site at http://www.msucares.com for a wealth of online information. In addition, the website contains contact information for both county personnel and specialists at the main campus in Starkville.
Some of the more important things to watch for in the fall garden include diseases like white spot fungus on leafy greens along with cabbage looper worms and their adult moths. Early treatment is necessary to prevent huge disease and insect outbreaks, so be aware that the pests are surely coming and be prepared to combat them ahead of time.
The Extension Service has a fantastic garden tabloid, Publication 1091, available free of charge when you visit the office or access it online. This vegetable resource guide gives advice for each specific crop and provides tips on every subject from starting seeds to harvest and storage.
In the meantime, pray for rain and plan on a lot of hand watering. Mulching between rows and individual plants using straw and/or old newspapers will reduce moisture loss from the soil, and also help control winter weeds.
Good luck with your fall planting.