Espoma Organic
  • Products
    • Close
    • Product Line Overview
    • Plant food finder
    • Garden Fertilizers
    • Potting Soils
    • Liquid Fertilizers
    • Lawn Fertilizers
    • Single Ingredients
    • Conventional Plant Foods
    • Animal Care Products
  • Where to Buy
  • Our Story
    • Close
    • Our Story
    • Locations
    • Historical Timeline
    • Our Commitment
    • Directions
    • Solar
    • Join our Team
    • Espoma Brand Partners
  • Learn
    • Close
    • Espoma Blog
    • FAQ’s
    • Pocket Guide
    • Espoma Guides
    • Garden Clubs
    • Safe Paws Lawn
    • PRODUCT FACT SHEETS
    • Fertilizer Fundamentals
      • Close
      • Understanding Plant Nutrition
      • Reading Labels
      • Choosing the Right Type of Fertilizer
      • Terms & Definitions
    • Gardening Projects
    • Resource Links
  • Contact Us
  • Menu Menu

Tag Archive for: carrots

Growing Joy with Maria Blog: Fall Gardening Tips

September 18, 2023/in Blog, Bloom and Grow Radio, Fruits & Vegetables - None, Growing Joy with Maria, Growing Joy with Maria

For many gardeners, the arrival of fall means the end of the growing season. Once the weather turns cool, it’s easy to assume that it’s time to clear out the vegetable garden and put the tools away until spring. However, fall is actually an ideal time for gardening! You can extend your productive garden season into the cooler months with simple preparations and proper plant choices.

This blog is inspired by Episode 161 of Growing Joy with Maria Podcast, where host Maria Failla talks about how to keep your edible garden going strong into fall with our go-to organic gardening expert, Joe Lamp’l. His latest book, The Vegetable Gardening Book, is a complete guide to growing an organic edible garden from seed to harvest.

When to Plant Your Fall Garden

Surprisingly, plants that like the cold actually need to be planted while it’s still warm outside! This is the perfect opportunity to prepare your garden beds using Espoma Organic Garden Soil, ensuring that your plants have the best possible start.

If you plant them in August or July, they can get comfy in the warm soil. As they grow bigger, the weather gets cooler—which is precisely the environment they thrive in. It’s important to plant them early enough in the fall so they have ample time to mature before the days become shorter. If you wait too long, they might stop growing and remain at a certain stage.

Here’s the cool part: When these plants get a touch of frost, they turn sweeter. The chemical reactions triggered by frost cause sugars within the plants to become more prominent, resulting in a sweeter taste. It’s like they have a flavor makeover! 

Here are some specific timeframes for planting popular fall veggies:

  • Lettuce, spinach, arugula – Plant every 2 to 3 weeks from late summer through early fall.
  • Radishes, kale, beets – Sow from mid-summer to early fall.
  • Peas – Plant as soon as summer crops finish since peas don’t handle frost well.
  • Garlic – Plant garlic cloves in late fall about 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes.

Best Crops for Fall Gardening

While frost renders warm-weather favorites like tomatoes and peppers useless, many vegetables actually thrive in cooler temperatures. Focus your fall planting on these cold-hardy, tasty options:

Lettuce

Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in fall, thanks to its love of light, or being “photoblastic.” Simply sprinkle the tiny seeds onto the soil’s surface  (Espoma Organic’s Potting Mix is a great choice here), keep them moist, and young seedlings will emerge within a couple of days. The chilly autumn nights prevent lettuce from bolting or forming flower stalks prematurely.

Kale

This superfood green becomes even more nutritious after being exposed to frost, which causes it to convert starch into sugar. That makes fall-grown kale incredibly sweet and flavorful compared to the bitter reputation it garners. It’s also one of the most cold-tolerant vegetables, lasting through winter in many regions.

Spinach

Like kale, spinach responds to cold conditions by producing more sugars. While spinach seeds can be tricky to germinate, the plants readily tolerate freezing weather. Choose “overwintering” spinach varieties to grow them in the winter months.

Beets

Beets are root vegetables that do well in the fall and are Joe’s favorite fall plants. They have an earthy flavor that some people may find off-putting, but there are now varieties available that offer all the qualities of beets you know and love, minus the strong earthiness.

Radishes

Radishes grow crisp and rapid in the fall, ready to harvest in as little as 30 days. Succession plant them every week or two for a steady supply throughout the season.

Peas

Peas make for an excellent fall crop. They become very sweet, but keep a close eye: they aren’t as frost-tolerant as other vegetables. 

Garlic

Garlic is typically planted in November before the ground freezes. Not only is it everyone’s favorite flavor in sauces, soups, stir-fries, roasted dishes, and garlic scape pesto—but it also serves as a great pest-deterrent! Garlic is resilient and can be grown ornamentally.

Carrots

Carrots require good soil and care during germination. They should be kept moist and cool until they sprout. There is a risk of underground splitting if they encounter obstacles, but using fertilizers like Espoma Organic Biotone Starter Plus can prevent this.

Other plants to consider:

  • Brussel sprouts
  • Arugula
  • Kohlrabi
  • Cabbage

Why “Think Like a Plant”

Even experienced gardeners like Joe Lamp’l run into problems with pests, diseases, or environmental factors impacting their plants. When something goes wrong in your garden, he recommends first taking a step back (rather than blaming it on, say, cool weather).

He suggests putting yourself in the plant’s position, which is a concept Joe likes to call “planthrophormizing.” Observe its symptoms closely, then deduce what factors might be causing them. Is the plant wilting from under or overwatering? Do chewed leaves indicate pests? Are yellowed lower leaves a sign of nutrient deficiency? In such cases, Espoma’s line of organic fertilizers can be a solution, helping replenish essential nutrients and restore plant health.

Fall Gardening Mindset

In addition to crop selection and timing, Joe spoke about shifting your mindset when it comes to fall gardening. So take a minute to relax: This is a chance to slow down and decrease the intensity after the long summer months. 

Many fall vegetables like lettuce and radishes mature much quicker, in 30 to 60 days, so the stakes are lower than starting a long-season crop like tomatoes or peppers. For gardeners who dealt with challenges and setbacks in the summer, fall is an opportunity to learn from mistakes and try again with a new perspective.

Start small, keep it simple, and don’t overcomplicate things.

 

With the right mindset and plant choices, you can enjoy fresh homegrown produce from your garden into late fall or early winter. Follow these tips to make the most of the fall gardening season. No need to put those tools away just yet!

 


Featured Products:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Buy

 

https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Espoma-Fall-Gardening-Tips-Fall-Crops.png 1080 1080 Matt Dauphinais https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.png Matt Dauphinais2023-09-18 11:38:202023-09-18 11:38:20Growing Joy with Maria Blog: Fall Gardening Tips

5 Veggies to Plant in August

August 12, 2020/in Fall Gardening, Fruits & Vegetables, Gardening, Vegetable Gardening

Have you thought ahead to your fall harvest yet? August is prime time to plant delicious and nutritious vegetables that will come to life in the cooler months. And there’s nothing better than being able to spice up your home-cooked dishes using your very own garden — no need to run to the supermarket! Read on to find out which veggies you should be planting right now.

 

Lettuce

Did you know lettuce cannot be frozen, dried, pickled, or canned? That’s why you have to eat it fresh! Luckily, planting it right now means you’ll be able to enjoy it in just a few months. A fall harvest is ideal as lettuce’s sturdiness prevents any frost from destroying it. These leafy greens are a good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, and copper — making it the perfect base for a healthy salad. Keep an eye out for the dark green leaves when harvesting as they’re even healthier than the light green ones. 

Spinach

Spinach is well known for its low-calorie count and high levels of vitamin A, C, and iron — making it the perfect addition to that healthy salad. This veggie also gives you the highest turnover out of all the others. If collected in small quantities, you can keep harvesting them late until May! The best time to start planting them is now, at the tail end of summer.

Parsley

Ready for another healthy addition to that salad we’re working on? Parsley is a rich source of Vitamin K, C, and A, and minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium. It’s no wonder this veggie has been used in dishes since ancient Rome! It’s also believed to have anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, and antifungal properties. Plant your parsley now to make sure you can reap all these benefits in the fall.

Carrots

If you’re planning on sowing some veggies that aren’t leafy greens, carrots should definitely be your first choice! As this vegetable grows into the fall season, the cool weather turns the starch to sugar, making them extra delicious. This sweet flavor makes them the perfect side or snack — sauteed, roasted, or even raw! Keep in mind that this plant does need a little extra care compared to some of the others on this list, so be sure to use vegetable food like Garden-tone to provide them with the energy they need to grow.

Beets

Last but not least, beets should definitely be on your August to-plant list. Did you know beets are edible from the tip of their green leaves to the bottom of their brown roots? They also help capture some hard-to-catch toxins and flush them out. These same antioxidants provide anti-inflammatory agents that provide a wide array of health benefits. Still not convinced? Since beet juice helps cleanse your liver, it’s thought that it can even help cure hangovers! If you want to make use of the entire plant and enjoy all these delicious benefits, make sure to sow the seeds now — about 8 weeks before the first frost.

*****

Just because summer is winding down, doesn’t mean it’s time to pack up your gardening supplies. August is the perfect time to plant some of your favorite vegetables! Cooking primarily with these veggies straight from your garden will give you some of the freshest and tastiest dishes. So get your family together, head outside, and get planting!

 

Featured Products:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Buy

 

 

https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sophie-mikat-gCU9ucYYcSQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg 1707 2560 Danielle Kirschner https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.png Danielle Kirschner2020-08-12 15:50:192023-08-15 11:22:155 Veggies to Plant in August

The Secret to Growing Bigger Plants, Faster

March 31, 2015/in Vegetable Gardening

Drum roll please! The start of planting season is here!

After long weeks spent pouring over seed catalogs and admiring Pinterest gardens, it’s time to finally create the garden of your dreams.

If you started seeds a few weeks ago, it’s time to gradually move them outside. And if you didn’t, a trip to your local garden center awaits you.

So now that you’re ready, let’s plant your soon-to-be flourishing garden.

How to know if your garden is ready for planting:

To see if the ground is thawed and warm enough for planting, dig 3-4” deep. Grab a handful of soil and roll into a ball. If the soil won’t take shape, it’s too hard and dry for new plants.

If you can make a ball, drop it to the ground. If it breaks, your soil is ready. If the ball stays together, your soil is too wet, so try again in a few days.

Now comes the fun part, deciding what to plant!

Roses, snapdragons and pansies are some of our favorite flowers to plant in early spring. Plus, they add a pop of color when you need it most.

As far as veggies go; plant peas, spinach, kale, lettuce, broccoli, carrots and onions in early spring. Imagine how much you’ll save on groceries in the upcoming months!

Before you buy your new plants, check the plant tags to make sure you have enough space and sun.

Now time to plant:

If planting a flower bed, mix 4 lbs. (12 cups) of Bio-tone Starter Plus, an organic plant food, per 100 square feet into the top 4-6” of soil.

Adding all-natural, organic plant food enhanced with bacteria is the secret to bigger, better plants of all kinds.

Bio-tone Starter Plus is like a protein shake for your plants. This organic plant food is jam-packed with microbes and mycorrhizae to provide an instant health boost.

Seriously, the proof is in the plants.

Bio tone Starter Plus gives plants everything they need to grow bigger blooms faster. So, you’ll lose fewer plants along the way. You can also add Bio tone when planting bulbs, container gardens, shrubs and even trees. Using this organic plant food on veggies and fruits is a-ok since it’s all natural.

Now, get digging! You can plant in individual holes or a garden bed. Either way, dig holes as deep as the containers the plants came in, and check the plant tag to see how far apart to plant.

Remove plants from containers; loosen roots and pop ‘em in the hole!

Then, replace the soil around the plants and water.

Finally, add the finishing touch of 2-3” mulch — if you haven’t already.

What are you planting this spring? Comment below or better yet, share a picture on our Facebook page!

https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/3847323170_08bf293f0e_b.jpg 683 1024 espoma https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.png espoma2015-03-31 10:21:212019-05-07 10:09:24The Secret to Growing Bigger Plants, Faster
Where to Buy

Get News & Updates

Recent Posts

  • VIDEO: Planting ‘Evelyn’ Roses 🌹 with Garden Answer
  • VIDEO: Planting Potatoes & Ranunculus 🥔🌱🌸 with Garden Answer
  • VIDEO: Spring Garden Awakening with Summer Rayne Oakes 🌿
  • VIDEO: Planting Raised Beds 🌿 with Wyse Guide
  • VIDEO: How to 🌱 Grow a Whole Salad 🥗 in One Pot! 🪴 | Growing Joy with Maria

Tags

All-Purpose Potting Mix bio-tone Bio-tone Starter Bio-tone Starter Plus cactus and succulents Cactus Mix caring for houseplants Container Gardening DIY project Espoma espoma grown espoma organic Espoma Organics Espoma Video fall gardening flower garden flowers garden Garden Answer Gardening gardening tips gardens grow holly-tone houseplants Indoor! indoor gardening indoor plants Kaleb Wyse organic organic fertilizer Organic Gardening organic plant food Organic Potting Mix Outdoor Gardening Planting plants Potting Mix potting soil Spring Gardening succulents summer rayne oakes vegetable garden Vegetable Gardening Wyse Guide

Espoma. A Family Tradition Since 1929.

Espoma Organic logo
  • Espoma Dealer
  • Espoma Pro
  • Garden Club
  • Privacy Policy

Scroll to top