August is the right time to plant your winter vegetable garden.
Days are long and warm, so seeds will sprout and grow rapidly. Just water them faithfully. Plants will grow rapidly at first, and then growth slows down as the days shorten and cooler overnights set in, by September. Slowing growth continues to about the middle of October, when plants become dormant.
These vegetables will hold up in your garden as if they were in a cool cellar. Any not eaten when weather warms up in spring will flower just in time to feed early native bees.
Use the West Coast Seed planting chart and information in their seed catalogue for detailed information.
Sow these seeds now - arugula, Asian and mustard greens, broad beans, raab broccoli, carrots, corn salad, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach and turnips.
Buy these seedlings (too late for seeds because seeds need an extra five to 14 days to sprout) - broccoli, brussels sprouts, chard, collard greens, leeks and kale.
Think you have no room for seeds or seedlings? They will fit between the adult vegetables that will be harvested in August.
Editor’s note: This is a weekly online column provided by the South Delta Garden Club.
