by Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Philips | We hate to be alarmist or the bearers of bad news, but the time has come to squeak in one of the last veggie seedings into your garden. You can always employ the warmth of hoop houses, cloches, and cold frames once the cold hits, but you need to get some seeds in the ground before it’s too late! Here’s a list of our top 3 seed varieties you should get in the ground now if you know what’s good for you…

1. Spinach | Remember when you tried to seed spinach in the summer and it “bolted” right away? It produced a flower stalk and it was all over? Well, now is the chance to rectify the situation and have success with seeding spinach. Spinach prefers cooler weather, which is why it’s best to seed in spring or late summer. Spinach will overwinter (and you can harvest all winter into spring) if we have a mild one upon us. If it gets chilly, throw up a protective cloche over it to keep it warm. Choose a cold hardy variety to further ensure success. We love the semi-savoyed leaved “Bloomsdale Savoy”. Remember to make sure the soil has adequate drainage. Bonus: you can pick individual leaves throughout winter into spring for your health blast of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium, all of which serve as powerful antioxidants.

2. Radishes | These mature very quickly. As with spinach, radishes prefer cooler weather, so they’re an ideal veggie to seed right now. You might want to choose a variety that matures quickly, like Easter Egg or French Breakfast. If you missed your window on getting carrots or beets in the ground, you can still enjoy the goodness of roots. Remember to thin your radish patch or row, as they need space to grow. Any seedlings that are crowded need to be properly spaced for maximum growth.

3. Pac Choi | Another veggie that tends to bolt, or go to seed quickly in the heat. The plant freaks out, finishes its life cycle, and there you have it. Remember that veggies that are best planted in the early spring are usually good bets for planting now, too. Think of it as “mirroring the weather”. Pac Choi grows very quickly, and you can harvest individual stems, harvest the whole plant, or treat as a “cut-and-come-again” crop. Snip, and watch it re-grow. We recommend seeding this crop by the weekend!

A few other seed varieties you can get in the ground right now are: arugula, corn salad, mustards, mizuna, and gai lan. And don’t fret – the time has not yet come to plant garlic, and you can still seed your broad beans or fava beans either now or by the end of the month. Happy growing!

THE VICTORY GARDENS ARCHIVE