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Post by Mumsey on Sept 5, 2020 3:30:41 GMT -5
I've never been one to do Fall crops. I have several right now. Can't say I am impressed. Beets are still tiny. Lettuce is still tiny. Peas are only 6" tall. Cabbage is slow. The only thing doing well is second planting of bush beans, though I wouldn't consider those Fall crop since they weren't planted that late. Late planted kohlrabi is doing well. I kept the lettuce shaded on hot days and regularly watered. I'm thinking late planted is the way to go, but just when would things be considered Fall crop?
Planted China Rose radishes about a month ago, they are getting very tall and look to be forming roots.
Maybe my impressions will change.
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Post by James on Sept 5, 2020 9:45:20 GMT -5
Radishes are weird. If you plant them early and the weather is cool they will come up and usually make a bulb, but if the weather turns off hot and dry, they are likely to bloom and never make a root. They want to make seed.
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Post by davidjp on Sept 6, 2020 16:41:03 GMT -5
I haven't got that many going but always try to get leeks in and growing pretty well by now, should be alright through the winter. I'd like to get some broad/ fava beans in and see if they survive the winter The same plants starting out sometime in March A new to me crop is Radicchio which is supposed to mature in late fall winter. Seems to be going well so far
I think those above are the classic palla rosa types but there's quite a few different types. I managed to pick up some free plants that the Seattle chicory festival was giving away this year so those are a bit more varied I think this is a castelfranco which should have some pale pink spots on it when it matures
This is what castelfranco is supposed to be like when its mature
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Post by desertwoman on Sept 6, 2020 17:38:36 GMT -5
I've never grown radicchio but what a beautiful plant it is. Did you direct sow or start indoors? And when did the seed or starts ago in davidjp,? Can they be a spring/summer crop? I don't do Fall crops. I just let the summer crops gradually die out. By this time of year I am ready for the slow down and come November, once the beds are fed, put to sleep and covered with their blankets I am so ready for the break.
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Post by davidjp on Sept 6, 2020 18:02:06 GMT -5
desertwoman , I started them in trays, the palla rosa ones probably I started about 8 weeks ago, I think I transplanted them out probably late July. They seem to grow pretty quickly. I also managed to get some transplants from this chicory food festival that had cancelled and so offered a bunch of varieties for free as they couldn't grow them all now the festival was off. Those have been in about 6 weeks I'd guess. Again they seem to grow fast. I've still got some varieties in trays that I haven't put out yet. I think predominantly they are a plant late summer harvest in winter type of crop but really there's huge diversity and I'm sure lots of breeding going on. My seeds of Italy catalog has 47 different varieties. www.growitalian.com/chicory-radicchio/?sort=featured&page=3 This link seems to suggest some are fast developers, in fact "Guilo" is one variety I planted. www.finegardening.com/article/how-to-grow-radicchio
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Post by Wheelgarden on Sept 6, 2020 18:17:43 GMT -5
I've got kale, parsley, arugula, cilantro, and tatsoi in, planted in late August, to produce this fall and then continue over winter. The lettuces are strictly a fall crop. As to fall crops, I consider the productive lifetime of the plant to say what's a fall crop, like lettuce, and what's a fall-winter crop like the others that carry over. If that makes sense.
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Post by Mumsey on Sept 7, 2020 4:05:28 GMT -5
davidjp, I have leeks that self produce. They drop seed, the existing ones also make new plants by bulb multiplication and stay green all winter under the snow. I have no idea what variety they are, got them from Dad years ago. In Fall I dig some and move them to their next season location. Sometimes I leave them as is.
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Post by davidjp on Sept 7, 2020 9:38:36 GMT -5
Mumsey , Thats interesting. I have clumps of what I think are elephant garlic that actually look a lot like leeks and I think elephant garlic supposedly are. They divide but they definitely produce bulbs. I sort of like them but are mostly ornamental for me at least. I've heard there are a few types of perennial onion type plants so I wonder if your perennial leeks are somewhat similar. I didn't grow enough leeks this year, I think they are always worth growing. I could use a lot more than I grow usually, they are quite expensive, almost a $1 a leek in the stores. I think they are having a moment , here at least, I read an article in the winter in the local paper all about leeks and I see the odd field of leeks around here.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Sept 7, 2020 9:46:29 GMT -5
davidjp, your radicchio is beautiful. I could see using them as ornamental plants even if they're not eaten. In fact, they're almost too lovely to eat!
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Post by Mumsey on Sept 8, 2020 2:57:10 GMT -5
davidjp, I will see if I can harvest some of the seed if you would like some.
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Post by davidjp on Sept 8, 2020 13:55:42 GMT -5
Mumsey, That would be great. Let me know if you do manage to get some. I actually searched and it seems there are a few perennial leeks which i had no idea about so thanks.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Sept 8, 2020 16:21:50 GMT -5
I'd love to learn more about those, Mumsey, as I love leeks for the soups in winter. I have some that I started in spring, and even some of those are small - I just don't have great luck with most varieties I've grown, though I keep trying! I am considering putting out some of the larger brassicas in my empty bucket sized SIPs, and covering them initially with some tulle (and some wiyh Agribon, to compare them), to keep cabbage butterflies and other pests off. I have them started inside already the purple napa and kale from Pinetree, plus some senposai, komatsuna, and a few kohlrabi and bok choy - maybe I'll put more than one of those in each, as they aren't huge.
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Post by James on Sept 9, 2020 10:14:11 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing your pictures.
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Post by Mumsey on Sept 11, 2020 10:40:03 GMT -5
pepperhead212, davidjp, I cut a head off the leeks, loaded with seeds. Each little pod has 3 seeds. If you want some let me know. Happy to share. They are in the garage drying for a few days. I like to leave some go to seed for the tiny little bees they attract.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Sept 11, 2020 12:27:44 GMT -5
Love some, Mumsey! Thanks for the offer! Do you still have my address?
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