Post by Sue Capella
We had a full house at The Seed Bank last week for Amy Rice Jones’s free talk on fall planting. Farm manager for Petaluma’s popular food growing non profit, Amy is well respected in the community for her wealth of knowledge on sustainable farming and raising all things green. And her talk was full of great tips for local gardeners hoping to reap the bounty of a fall and winter vegetable garden.

Amy touched on everything, including what to plant from seed now, what needs to be planted from starts, soil amending, veggie bed location and sun exposure, cover crops, and how to protect soil during the winter.

If you’re going to broadcast seeds directly into the ground, don’t delay, you must plant when there are still midday hot spells, said Amy.

Depending on your location and the vegetable, you can plant seeds now through early October. Get those root crops in as soon as possible though, she stresses, including carrots and beets. And with carrots, keep the soil very moist until they sprout. Some of Amy’s favorite heirloom carrot varieties include “Scarlet Knots” and “Atomic Red.” As for beets, only plant red varieties—no golden varieties in the winter. She likes “Bull’s Blood” and “Early Wonder.”

Other fall veggies that can be planted directly in the ground from seed this month (September) include bok choy, chicory, radicchio, Chinese cabbage, mache, endive and escarole, kohlrabi, radishes, turnips, and leafy greens, including kale, spinach, and lettuces. Some of Amy’s lettuce favorites include “Winter Density” and “Little Gem.” “Bloomsdale” spinach, another favorite, can be planted by seed directly into the ground now through early October and then again February through March for a successive crop.

Bok choy seeds can be sown now through October and again February through March; radishes, through October and again February through April.

Other cool weather crops to plant now include broccoli, mustards, cauliflower, onions, and garlic. Many heirloom garlic varieties can be planted through November.

In October, November, and December, you can’t plant seeds, Amy said. “Plant starts then.”

“With fall and winter vegetables, water midday to help them cool down in hot spells while getting established,” she added.

And give them 6 to 8 hours of sun, preferably including the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Soils become compacted easily during the rainy season, Amy pointed out. She recommends planting cover crops to stop winter soil from getting compacted, keep the soil “alive,” and serve as nutrients that can be worked into the soil.

Cool season cover crops Amy recommends include legumes, bell beans, oats, vetch, and mustards. Naturally emerging weeds such as chickweed and miners’ lettuce are also good as companion plants, helping protect the soil in winter rain.

Mulches, including straw (not hay), also stop the rain from compacting the soil.

Amy uses a pitchfork to work the soil at Petaluma Bounty Farm, where adobe clay is abundant. She digs down at least to the tines, she says. “The deeper you can cultivate your soil, the deeper the roots can go and get more nutrients.”

(You can pick up a Vegetable Planting Summary compiled by the Sonoma County Master Gardeners at The Seed Bank for more particulars on fall and winter crop planting or bring your planting questions to our in store horticulturalist, Gwen Kilchherr, who’s at the store Mondays through Wednesdays. And there are many opportunities to volunteer at the Petaluma Bounty Farm and learn about raising food crops firsthand. Visit www.petalumabounty.org for details.)