Wow, it is hard to believe that summer is already half over. As I worked in my garden this week, my thoughts drifted to cool-weather crops. With less than ninety days until the first frost, now is the time to prepare cool-weather crop seeds. If you grew broccoli, beets, spinach, or lettuce this year, they should be harvested by now. You can use your newly found space to grow your fall crops.

I break cool crops down into two different categories, semi-hardy and hardy.

Semi-hardy plants tend to be a leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and beets. This group of cool weather crops can withstand temperatures down into the thirties and a single light frost.

Hardy plants include vegetables like broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage. Hardy plants can withstand temperatures that dive down into the twenties and multiple light frosts.

If you were planning to sew fall seeds, it is not too late; however, I recommend you get them planted before next week’s edition of the Webb Weekly reaches your mailbox. If you are unsure, start by reading the seed package. Look for seeds with a fast maturity date since you will likely harvest them in about ninety days.

You can also look for vegetable plants instead of starting from seed, which will save you growing time. Once planted, keep them in a shady part of your garden or under a patio roof. If the seedlings get too much sun and too much heat, they may not produce a plant. I use an old patio umbrella to keep them shaded from the hot afternoon sun.

Your seedlings will also need to be watered frequently to help keep the roots cool.

Something else I do is apply two to four inches of compost on top of the soil to help with moisture retention. If you have never grown cool weather crops, I highly recommend giving it a shot this fall. You may notice that your fall crop has more flavor than your spring crop.

Happy Gardening!