Time to start planning for those fall crops.  In  Minneapolis our last frost date is September 15.  If you plant directly in the garden make sure you keep the seedlings well watered. You may need to provide some shade during the hottest parts of the day, or provide a layer of mulch to help keep the soil a little cooler.  If you live in a cooler climate, (like I do) say zone 6 to zone 4, try using vegetables that have quick maturity rates. A vegetable such as spinach, which is usually ready to pick in 35 to 40 days, would work nicely.  I plan to plant more spinach (second time the charm?), arugula, lettuce, and bok choi, turnips, beets, and cilantro.  Here is a list from the U of M of how frost hardy some vegetables are and maturity dates.


Here is a short list of vegetables you can plant now for a great fall or winter crop:

• Lettuces
• cilantro (4 weeks before first frost)
• Chard
• Kale
• Spinach
• Collards
• Mustard Greens
• Turnips
• Arugula
• Bok Choi
• Carrots
• Peas
• Kohlrabi
• Radishes
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Chives
  
  

  Zones 3-4 Planting Schedule

  A Garden Planting Chart
  	Planting dates		Planting distances (in inches)
  Vegetable	Start seed indoors	Plant seed or plant outdoors	Between rows, hand cultivated	Between plants	Depth of seeding (inches)	Amount to order per 20 feet of row "Packet" refers to average commercially- packaged seed packet.
  Asparagus		April 15 - May 1 (crowns)	36	12 - 18	6 - 8 (crowns)	15 crowns
  Beans, snap (bush)		May 15 - July 1	18 - 24	3 - 4	1½ - 2	3 - 4 oz
  Beans, snap(pole)		May 15 - July 1	36	4 - 6	1½ - 2	2 - 3 oz
  Beans, dry shell		May 15	18 - 24	3 - 4	1½	3 - 4 oz
  Beans, lima		May 15 - June 10	18 - 24	4 - 6	1½	3 - 4 oz
  Beets		April 15 - July 1	12 - 18	2 - 4	½ - 1	1 packet
  Broccoli	March 1 - 15	April 15 or June 1	24 - 30	24	¼ (indoors)	1 packet or 9 plants
  Brussels sprouts	March 1 - 15	April 15 or June 1	24 - 30	24	¼ (indoors)	1 packet or 9 plants
  Cabbage, early	March 1 - 15	April 1 - May 1	24 - 30	18	¼ (indoors)	1 packet or 12 plants
  Cabbage, late	April 15 - May 1	June 1	24 - 30	24	¼ (seedbed)	1 packet or 9 plants
  Cabbage, Chinese		July 1	24 - 30	18	½	1 packet
  Carrots		April 15 - June 15	18 - 24	2 - 3	¼	1 packet
  Cauliflower	March 1 - 15	April 15 or June 1	24 - 30	18 - 24	¼ (indoors)	1 packet or 12 plants
  Celery	Feb. 15 - March 1	May 15	18 - 24	8	1/8 (indoors)	1 packet or 24 plants
  Chard, Swiss		May 1	18 - 24	6 - 8	1	1 packet
  Collards		April 15	24 - 36	6	¼	1 packet
  Cucumbers		May 1 - June 15	48 - 60	12 between single plants; 36 between hills of three	1	1 packet
  Eggplant	March 15 - April 1	June 1	24 - 30	24	¼ (indoors)	1 packet or 9 plants
  Endive		April 15	18 - 24	8 - 12	½	1 packet
  Garlic		Oct. 1 - Nov. 1	18 - 24	4 - 6	3 - 4	1 lb of cloves
  Horseradish		April 15 - May 1	24 - 30	12 - 18	6 (roots)	18 roots
  Kale		April 15 - July 15	18 - 24	12 - 18	½	1 packet
  Kohlrabi		April 15 - June 1 or Aug. 1 - 15	18 - 24	6	½	1 packet
  Lettuce, leaf		April 15 - June 1 or Aug. 1 - 15	12 - 18	4 - 6	¼	1 packet
  Lettuce, head	March 1 - 15	April 15 - May 1	18 - 24	12	¼ (indoors)	1 packet or 18 plants
  Muskmelon		May 15 - June 1	60 - 72	18	1	1 packet
  Okra	March 15 - April 1	June 1	24 - 36	12 - 15	½ (indoors)	1 packet
  Onion seeds		April 15	12 - 24	2	½	1 packet
  Onion, transplants	Feb. 1 - 15	April 15	12 - 24	2 - 3	½ (indoors)	1 packet
  Onion, sets		April 15	12 - 24	2 - 3	1 - 2	½ lb
  Parsley		April 15 - May 1	12 - 24	4 - 6	¼	1 packet
  Parsnips		May 1 - 15	18 - 24	3 - 4	½	1 packet
  Peas		April 10 - May 15	18 - 24	2	1½	1 packet
  Pepper	March 15 - April 1	June 1	24 - 36	18 - 24	½ (indoors)	1 packet or 12 plants
  Potatoes, Irish		April 15 - June 1	24 - 30	12 - 18	4 (each piece)	3 lb seed potatoes
  Potatoes, sweet	April 15 (roots)	June 1	36 - 48	18 - 24		9 - 12 plants
  Pumpkin		May 10 - June 1	72 - 96	24 - 36 between single plants; 60 - 72 between hills of three	1 - 2	1 packet
  Radish		April 10 - June 1 or Aug. 1 - 15	6 - 12	1 - 2	½	1 packet
  Rhubarb		April 15 - May 1	36 - 48	36 - 48		5 or 6 plants
  Rutabaga		May 15 - June 15	18 - 24	8 - 12	½	1 packet
  Spinach		April 15 or Aug. 1 - 15	12 - 18	3 - 4	½	1 packet
  Squash, summer		May 10 - June 1	24 - 36	24 - 36	1	1 packet
  Squash, winter		May 10 - June 1	72 - 96	24 - 36 between single plants; 60 - 72 between hills of three	1	1 packet
  Sweet corn		May 10 - July 1	30	12	1 - 2	1 packet
  Tomato	April 1 - 15	May 15 - June 1	24 - 36	36 - 48	¼ (indoors)	1 packet or 6 - 8 plants
  Turnip		April 15 or Aug. 1	15 - 18	3 - 4	½	1 packet
  Watermelon		May 15 - June 1	60 - 72	24 - 36 between single plants; 60 - 72 between hills of three	½	1 packet

  You can find more info here: WI Planting Guide
  Zone 4 fall planting schedule by She Knows  
  

  
  

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