Planting late

Where are you located and how late are you talking?

Yes, most likely you can still get a good crop but that depends a lot on the weather. Be sure to use the right variety of seeds (or plants) for your area.

The online Farmer's Almanac talks about phases of the moon. Should I wait for the moon phase or plant as soon as possible?

WHERE ARE YOU?

If you are in southern California, peas and broccoli (and possibly spinach) are a winter crop. They should have been planted in October. Harvesting is almost over.

If you are in northern Minnisota, you really have to wait until the frozen soil defrosts.

Don't worry about phases of the moon unless you are an astrologist.

Planting by the phases of the moon, according to a lot of studies, isn't helpful getting a better crop. Plant your "cool crop" garden now.

This is out'en Charlie's archive. I only steal from the best.

Late Planting Guide From Seed From an Old Organic Magazine

Frost date is Oct 15 Last frost May 15

Your dates may differ due to your climate

July 4 100 days till Oct 15

Frost tender

Survive Light Frost

Survive Heavy Frost

-- People need to remember that these are average frost dates, for zone

1. I'm also zone five.

Some years things will be done in around the average date, other years it may go much later. Three years ago we were still harvesting tomatoes aaround thanksgiving time. I had covered a few plants when frost hit the end of october. No frost or freeze until around thnksgiving.

Charlie

An' that's the way it is, movin' on.

In article , Billy wrote:

I thought this looked useful as well.

Plants that produce vines can be grown on trellises, fences, and other supports. By growing up instead of out you concentrate much more production into each square foot of garden. Crops grown off the ground also tend to be healthier because they are less likely to contract fungus infections or soil-borne leaf diseases.

The list below shows some of the most popular vegetables suited to this technique.

Vegetables Suited to Vertical Gardening

• Tomatoes. Choose indeterminate varieties, which continue to grow and produce over a long period -- often until felled by frost. Tomatoes can be grown in wire cages or supported by tying to 7-foot-tall wood stakes driven 2 feet into the ground. Cage-grown tomatoes require minimal attention, but are more prone to fungal diseases. Tomatoes grown on stakes benefit from being pruned to a single stem; this means constantly pinching out new branches that arise in the crotch between the main stem and a leaf. * Pole beans. Although they take longer to mature than bush-type beans, pole beans produce over a much longer period. Train pole beans up tall wooden poles or a tepee of sturdy bamboo. * Cucumbers. Vine-type cucumbers (as opposed to the bush varieties) do well on fences and trellises. Vertically grown cukes also tend to be straighter and more uniform than those grown on the ground. * Snap Peas. These super-sweet edible pod peas are among the most productive vegetables in the spring garden. By selecting tall vining varieties (such as the original Sugar Snap pea), you can easily grow them on 5- to 6-foot-tall mesh trellises. Pick carefully to avoid damaging the brittle vines. * Melons and winter squash. These long-season crops require heavy-duty support if you choose to grow them vertically. Larger varieties may even need slings made of cloth or cut-up panty hose to support the growing fruit. You'll also need to tie the vines to the support using strips of cloth; avoid string or wire, which can cut into the vines.

Succession Planting and Interplanting

These two techniques will increase the yield of your garden, and they may lengthen a particular vegetable's harvest. Succession planting means replacing a finished crop with a new crop, or planting a single crop in small amounts over an extended period. Interplanting means planting a fast-maturing vegetable in the spaces between slower-maturing vegetables, or growing a low variety under a tall variety.

The information below explains each technique in detail.

Succession Planting

Succession planting takes two forms. First, you can replace a spring crop with a summer crop. For example, after the peas are fully harvested, you can pull out the vines and plant cucumbers in their place. The key to success of this system is to have a new batch of seeds or seedlings ready to go when the first crop is done. This system works best when you are starting with vegetables that do well in cool weather, but not so well in summer's heat. In addition to peas, you can use this technique with lettuce, spinach, and radishes.

The second form of succession planting addresses the fact that some vegetables produce only for a limited time. Bush beans, for example, should be planted every two weeks to ensure a continuing supply. If you want to have three crops, plant one-third of the bed every two weeks. Other crops that benefit from this type of succession planting include corn, carrots, radishes, and heading lettuce.

A related technique is to plant several varieties with different maturities. For example, you might plant an early-maturing tomato like 'Early Girl' at the same time as a main season beefsteak variety. Corn is another vegetable that comes in early, mid-season, and late-maturing varieties.

Interplanting

This technique takes advantage of the fact that some vegetables grow quickly, while others take their time. For example, if you plant carrots and radishes together, you can harvest the radishes in about 30 days, when the carrots will still be quite small. Another option is to combine a vertical vegetable (like tomatoes)with a low-growing crop (like melons).

Here are some interplanting combinations that work well.

Grow sprawling melons and squash under stake-grown tomatoes. *

Surround corn with lettuce or peas with radishes. *

Combine quick and slow vegetables like lettuce with tomatoes, beets with pole beans, spinach with winter squash, leeks with sweet potatoes, and radishes with sweet corn.

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What to Plant How Many Plants Yield

Here's what can be planted later in the fall for a second harvest. What to Plant How Many Plants Yield 1 bed potatoes 92 plants 145 pounds

To harvest two crops with the assortment of foods listed above in one season, it is important to transplant well-grown potted plants in the beds.

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Shoot....much as I appreciates gettin' strokes and credit fer summit worthwhile, I gotta 'fess up to gettin' this chart from our own Bill W, Keeper of All Sorts of Arcane and Not-So-Arcane Knowledge, but I do sorta like bein'g referred to as one o' the best. ;-)

I'm behind on my posting and will be back later, I hope, but the weather and the solunar tables look most excellant for goin' out and wettin' a line in the morning, and I be a roundin' up my gear, which, believe it or not, was properly stored last fall! I awoke from my afternoon snoozy, dreamin' of fishin'. Lovey and all are mightily desirous of some fresh crappie and/or walleye and/or catfishies.....gonna have to see of old Charlie still has it.

Boy howdy... gonna brew me a thermos of strong java, a bacon, egg and sprout sammie, grab a pouch of Redman and a cigar and go set a couple trotlines with some rotten shrimp from last year and then try and jig me up some crappies !!!!!

I'll be thinking of ya', old trout, as the sun is warming me back and few sounds of civilization intrude upon me reverie.

I think of best as being plural.

Bill

Before you go, be sure to take a look at

Worse day fishing is better than a good day at work.

- Unanimous

I select my fishin' holes based upon observation: ie: surrounding acres of runoff from whatever sources. Pasture influx to fishin' hole is a good thing, depending uponst animals utiliziing pasture and pond.. Spring fed and only timber runoff, good thing. Crop runoff is a badthing. River fishin', which much data is based upon, is a bad thing. I no longer river fish.

I'm fishing a seventy-acre "pond" that has no crop runoff. Somehow the State financed a watershed and catchment that included no toxic runoff! Somebody fscked up, eh?

Ya' ever investygate farm raised fishies and the effing s**te that they contain? Farmed salmon......yikes!!!! Farmed shrimp? Farmed tilapia???? Yickkkkkkkkkk!

Amen, bruddha!

Charlie

"Carpe Diem" does not mean "fish of the day." ~ Author Unknown