By Al Brandenburg

Al Brandenburg

Fall planting can be very productive as temps cool and we get ready to plant cabbage, lettuce, brussels sprouts, escarole, beets and, my favorite, swiss chard.

First things first. Remove all tomato and other plants that have died (peppers, if healthy and getting enough water, will start to produce again as temps cool). Add more humus and plant scraps to your soil and turn it over to loosen it.

Swiss chard reaches a mature height of 1-2 feet and is relatively easy to sow from seed or transplants. You can grow chard anywhere that lettuce and spinach will grow. It can be planted early in the season, as the seedlings are tolerant to frost. Swiss chard likes organic-rich, well-drained soil and plenty of sun. Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender (smaller than 4 inches) or after maturity. Plant swiss chard seeds 2-3 weeks after Labor Day. Sow seed 3 inches apart and thin as necessary. Continue planting seeds at 10-day intervals for a month. Once you have begun your Swiss chard harvest, the plants can be continually harvested through February.

Beets, with earthy sweetness and rich colors, are a delicious addition to your garden. They don’t require much room, and they like cool weather. Plant the seeds 1-2 inches apart in the row. Cover the seeds lightly with loose soil, and then sprinkle it with water. You should see the plants sprouting in seven to 14 days. Thin to assure good bulb growth. You can plant beets in partial shade, but you want their roots to reach a depth of at least 3-6 inches, so don’t plant them under a tree where they might run into tree roots.

Cabbage thrives in cool weather. In most areas, you can plant an early crop for fresh eating and a late crop — usually the more problem-free and tasty of the two — primarily for winter storage. Choose early varieties such as Primax for summer harvest; midseason and late-season cultivars for storage. Mini cabbages such as Gonzales, harvested when only 6 inches in diameter, are perfect for small gardens. Sow seeds indoors, ¼-inch deep and 2 inches apart, around mid-December. Place in a sunny spot or under lights with temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees F, and keep the soil uniformly moist. When daytime temperatures reach 50 degrees and seedlings have three leaves, plant them outdoors. Plant seedlings in the garden slightly deeper than they grew in flats. Space 6-12 inches apart in rows 1- 2 feet apart. Wide spacings produce bigger heads, but young, small cabbages are tastier.

For more in-depth info on how best to choose and plant, go to mac-pinal-mastergardener.org.

So, good luck and good eating. I know I will.

Pinal County Master Gardener Al Brandenburg is a resident of Maricopa.


This column appears in the September issue of InMaricopa.