Perfect Fall Planting Weather

Antirrhinum seed pods

Aristolochia salvadorensis

Auricularia auricula - Wood Ear

Tacca chantrieri - the Black Bat Flower

Bogeyman Pepper

Pumpkin coffee

Halloween hairdos

Pumpkin snail

     “Fall Is For Planting” was a novel marketing suggestion years ago by nurseries that wanted to encourage gardeners to continue buying vegetables and flowers and shrubs and trees and houseplants through the coolness of the Fall and Winter and Early Spring seasons.
     For Southern California gardeners, this has always been a no-brainer, at least on the coast and lowlands.  Arousing ourselves after the exhaustive summer growing season, the still-warmish days and barely-coolish evenings make for even more successful growing conditions. 
​     My Mom used to sow lettuce seeds every week throughout the year, and the Fall-through-Spring harvests were always the most tasty and vibrant. 
     As we progress into the even cooler soil and air conditions of Winter, plants will grow more slowly, so it’s important that our sowings and transplantings now through Thanksgiving are plentiful and established well enough to provide sufficient harvests through Spring when we’ll concentrate on warm-season lovers.
     Here’s what I’ll be sowing, in case you’d like to join me in enjoying these particular varieties. Some are old standbys, and some are new for me this time around.  I’ve specified my source for some; varieties without a source are generally available.
 
Artichoke
Globe, Monticello
 
Beet
Early Wonder Tall Top
Little Queen
Ruby Queen
 
Broccoli
Romanesco, Gourmet
 
Carrot
Baby, Gourmet
Danvers Half Long
Little Finger
Scarlet Nantes
Tendersweet
 
Cilantro
 
Kohlrabi
Purple Vienna
White Vienna
 
Leaf Brassicas:  Bok Choy, Kale, Tatsoi
Baby Pak Choi, Peaceful
Bok Choy Purple Lady, Baker
Chinese Broccoli Kailaan, Botanical
Chinese Kale
Gai Lohn, Gourmet
Green Glaze Collards
Komatsuna Spinach Mustard, Baker
Lacinato Kale
Tatsoi, Peaceful
 
Leek
Geant D’Hiver, Gourmet
Large American Flag, Gourmet
Long Mezier, Gourmet
 
Lettuce
Bibb
Black Seeded Simpson
Brown Dutch, Monticello
Buttercrunch
Ciucca, Franchi
Cosmic Crimson Mix, Baker
Freckles, Peaceful
May Queen, Baker
Passion Brune, Franchi
Quattro Stagioni, Franchi
Red Riding Butterhead, Sweet
Red Salad Bowl
Rossa Di Trento, Franchi
Sanguine Ameliore, Baker
Spotted Aleppo, Monticello
Tennis Ball, Baker
Tom Thumb, Baker
Valentine, Botanical
 
Parsley
Italian Flat Leaf
 
Peas, Edible Flat Pod
Oregon Sugar Pod II
 
Peas, Edible Full Pod
Amish Snap, Seed
Cascadia
Dwarf Sugar Grey, Gourmet
Mangetout Carouby, Gourmet
Royal II Sugar Snap, Johnny’s
Sugar Ann
Super Sugar Snap
 
Peas, Shelling
Alaska, Ferry
Frosty, Lake
Green Arrow, Botanical
Kelvedon Wonder, Baker
King Tut Purple, Baker
Laxton’s Progress #9, Baker
Lincoln, Baker
Little Marvel, Baker
Pisello Messa Rama Rondo, Franchi
Pisello Nano Piccolo Provenzale, Franchi
Pisello Rampicante Telefono, Franchi
Serpette, Gourmet
Wando
 
Spinach
Bloomsdale Longstanding
 
Swiss Chard
Fordhook Giant
Heirloom Rainbow
Neon Lights Blend, Burpee
 
SOURCES
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company, https://www.rareseeds.com/

Botanical Interests, https://www.botanicalinterests.com/

Burpee, https://www.burpee.com/

Ferry-Morse, https://ferrymorse.com/

Franchi Seeds From Italy,  https://www.growitalian.com/

Johnny’s Selected Seeds, https://www.johnnyseeds.com/

Lake Valley Seed, https://lakevalleyseed.com/

Le Jardin du Gourmet / Artistic Gardens, https://www.artisticgardens.com/

Monticello Garden Seeds, https://www.monticelloshop.org/garden/

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, https://www.groworganic.com/

Seed Savers Exchange, https://www.seedsavers.org/

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For more garden tasks, see November