Here it is, the middle of summer, and you're thinking that your gardening season is almost over. Think again. You can put plants in up until August and enjoy delicious vegetables after the first frost. Even longer, if you never have frost. Here are some ideas for your late-season gardening.
Spinach, a collards, and broccoli can grow late into the season. They can even stand a nip or two of frost. Spinach can even over-winter. Harvest the others before a hard frost, though.
Lettuce can take the cold. Enjoy fresh salads by harvesting a leaf or two as needed. That way, your lettuce can keep on producing. Otherwise, just lop off the head before the first frost.
Turnips are commonly eaten in Newfoundland because the can take the terrible winters there. If they're hardy enough for Newfoundland, surviving your garden's cold spells should be a cakewalk for them. Rutabagas actually become sweeter after a few light frosts. Plant them in early August and enjoy them before the first hard frost. Plant Jerusalem artichokes in the spring, then dig up the tubers after the first frost. You can loosen the soil and mulch the area to have easy access to more tubers all winter long.
Buy some fresh garlic at the store, then plant the cloves in rich soil when the weather starts to cool. They'll continue to grow over the winter and will be ready for you to harvest in early spring.
The following vegetables have different planting times, but they all can grow well into the fall.
