Garden Season 2010 : Part 4: Major Planting Season is upon us!

The end of summer planting season here in Phoenix's Low-Desert Climate is probably the most rewarding. Both the garden and the Gardener will have the benefit of the monsoon rains and the beautiful weather of fall.
Most of the plants will survive and even benefit from the light frosts of winter (greens and 'fruits' become sweeter) and many will continue producing from fall through the winter and spring -- right up until the heat of June allows the squashes and melons to take over their space!!

Also, This post is almost late for a small window of the prime time for a few late summer crops such as beans and cucumber and the tail end of a few such as squash and sunflowers.
These crops are great for this time of year because their 'early summer' season often ended in bitter cucumbers and zucchini (ie summer squash) from the increasing intensity of our summers. The fall weather merely slows them down until they are finished.

Please take a look at the calendar page here, http://www.urbanfarm.org/Planting_Calendar.pdf
but here is an abbreviated list.

End of August/Beginning of September Summer crops
select the shortest "days until harvest" if you are planting into September
  • Green Beans (pick sweet young beans often to promote longer harvest)
  • Corn (quick)
  • Cucumber
  • small Summer Squash (Zucchini, yellow crookneck)
  • Tomato transplants
September Fall/Winter/Spring crops
Enjoy the seasons with a continuous harvest from one time planting or subsequent replacement plantings for overlapping harvest. Try seeds, if you have the time, it's frugal especially when you share!
  • Beet
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Carrot
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Cilantro
  • Garlic
  • Kale, arugula, other greens
  • (spinach, lettuce in the second half of September)
  • Parsley
  • Peas
  • some Herbs such as Thyme, Sage, Fennel
It's always amazing to me just how well things grow here once the peak of summer is over. Established plants left in the ground such as beets and tomatoes that died on top during the scorching days will come up again from the root. Don't go crazy pulling anything out unless you need the space to plant a different plant - It is amazing what will provide for you over and over again with minimal effort.

Spring and Fall crops such as greens (spinach, etc) or peas that have such a short life in other parts of the country can produce(!) for five consecutive months here!

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