Guest Columnist: Nicole Stoner – Extension Educator focused in horticulture
In August we can begin to think about a fall garden. Fall gardens are often more productive than spring gardens, due to the cooler temperatures through the majority of the life of the plants.
While we have missed the timeline for some of these vegetables, here are the best times to plant a fall garden in our area. For a fall harvest, plant beets August 1-10; carrots August 1-15; Chinese cabbage August 1-20; lettuce August 1-5; mustard August 1-25; radish August 1-20; snap beans August 1-5; spinach August 20- September 15; Swiss chard August 1-20; and turnips August 1-15 (from Backyard Farmer online calendar).
The first frost in Beatrice occurs around October 1-10, on average and is within a week either way for the surrounding counties. The best way to determine when to plant a fall garden is to count backward from the first frost date and compare it to your harvest time listed on the package. You do want to add a fall factor of about 10-14 days to include extra time for development during the cooler temperatures of fall.
If you have any further questions please contact Nicole Stoner at (402) 223-1384, nstoner2@unl.edu, visit the Gage County Extension website at www.gage.unl.edu, or like her facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NicoleStonerHorticulture and follow her on twitter @Nikki_Stoner.
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