"Spring in the Desert" - we call fall our spring because this is when we do most of 'heavy' garden work, trees, shrubs and cool weather edibles all go in now.
Pictured is my garlic a couple of years ago - November 15th - this is how you want your garlic patch looking if you plant right at or near October 1st. This will give the future heads a good long cold to help create the heads of cloves we all love. Garlic needs about 7 months give or take to fully form those heads and it needs all the winter cold/chill nature will give it. You will note it looks like a lot of garlic - and it is. I plant 2-3 inches apart so I can harvest "green garlic" like a scallion as needed through the winter.
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Free Seed Share and Gardening Q&A
Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 10 AM – 11:30 AM
Mesa Urban Garden
212 E. 1st Avenue
Mesa, Arizona 85201
"Springing Into Fall Sowing"
You are welcome to pick up seed, and bring heirloom, non-gmo seeds to share. Seed you have grown is great because it means it is adapted to our climate in the Valley.
Many long time Valley Gardeners know fall, in many ways, is our "Spring" because so much planting and sowing goes on now, taking advantage of cooling soil, but warm air temperatures.
Fall and Winter seeds germinate in the cooling/cool soil - these temperatures are their "activation point".
Catherine, The Herb Lady will answer your questions and give tips on fall/winter gardening.
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Another Allium family member is onions, specifically those which produce bulbs. Read up below and learn about the culture needs. You CAN grow any onion for only the green tops but if you want storing bulbs, specific varieties have different culture requirements.
(FYI Corn is another plant species with varieties best suited to long or short day length - meaning a variety growing best in the cool spring OR the hot summer.)
Here in the Valley we typically sow onion seed in October and plant sets November to January.
Not all onion seeds or sets are sold with day-length information and Johnny's is not the only seller. This is to help you understand a little bit about why the ones you planted did not perform or if you sowed or planted at the right time.
The latitude of Phoenix, AZ, USA is 33.448376 which means Short Day Onions will grow best in the Phoenix Metro area.
Johnny's Seeds has a really helpful guide, map and chart to understand choosing the best performing onions. You can download the PDF chart to have handy.
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/onion-bulbing-daylength-latitude-map.html?
GARDENING!
October PLANTING:
Spring!!! in the Desert - Heavy planting possibilities:
Anise
Bay, Greek (Sweet)
Beans, Fava
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cabbage, Ornamental
Caraway
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chervil
Chrysanthemum, Shungiku
Cilantro
Dill
Endive (and Chicory)
Fennel, Leaf
Fruit Trees
Garlic
Greens
Kale, Ornamental
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lavender
Lemon Grass
Lemon Verbena
Lettuce (arugula, leaf lettuce etc.)
Marjoram
Mints
Mustard
Myrtle
Onions, Green
Onions
Oregano, Greek
Oregano, Mexican
Parsley
Parsnip
Peas, English and Sugar/Snap
Potato seeds (not seed potatoes - use seeds) ("seed potatoes" or cut pieces of potato should be planted Nov 1-Jan 1)
Radishes
Rosemary
Sage
Savory
Spinach
Tarragon, Mexican
Tarragon, French
Thyme
Turnips
EDIBLE FLOWERS TO PLANT:
Calendula
Carnation (Dianthus)
Cornflower (Bachelor Buttons)
English Daisy
Evening Primrose (Oenothera Berlandieri)
Hollyhock
Jasmine Sambac (Arabian)
Johnny-Jump Up
Marigolds, including Tangerine Scented (Tagetes Lemonii), Citrus Scented (Tagetes Nelsonii)
Nasturtiums
Pansies
Primrose
Scented Geraniums
Shungiku Chrysanthemum
Snapdragons
Stocks (Matthiola)
Sweet William (Dianthus)
Sweet Alyssum
Violet
GARDEN TIPS for October
"Spring in the Desert" - we call fall our spring because this is when we do most of 'heavy' garden work, trees, shrubs and cool weather edibles all go in now.
The beginning of primary perennial planting season is now through February.
Cool weather annuals and biennials can be sown every 2-4 weeks (beginning in August) through end of February for a continuous crop through next spring.
Garlic: Plant garlic cloves no later than October 31st to ensure full maturity of garlic heads in the spring. Plant extra if you want ‘green garlic’ (used like scallions) through the cool months. The ‘green garlic’ can be harvested when the clove below the soil swells slightly.
This is the beginning of bare-root planting season. Asparagus, raspberry, blackberry, grape, and strawberries may start showing up in your favorite garden nursery.
If you have ever-bearing berry vines, cut them down to the ground after the fruit is finished. (This is easier than trying to keep track of which are the oldest canes — commercial growers use this practice.)
Aphids are a major problem with cabbage family - forestall infestations. Add a fingertip of Dawn to 1 quart of water. Shake, pour 1/4 cup down center of each plant once a week
Make and use a safe soap spray on aphids on other plants (the aphids like our cool nights too!). 1 teaspoon each of dawn and vegetable oil to 1 quart of water. Spray every 5 days for a minimum of 3 repeats to keep them under control. Neem spray is a good alternative.
Around my Garden. I am going to use my cinder block bed (CBB) for root vegetables this year and my 'middle' bed for herbs. The CBB did so well for watermelon this spring and summer I am going to consider it again for later winter seeding, while harvesting the roots. Careful consideration to mixing root plants among other plants is something I will have to pay attention to.
Last year's "lettuce/greens" patch did so well I will continue with that concept. I seeded densely so I could do a cut and come again as needed and it worked really well. Pictured last year near the end of October, cutting ready!
I got the first sowing of sugar peas in and will sow more in about 2 weeks. I cannot get enough sugar peas!!!
Have a great "spring" getting your garden growing!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
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