As summer is slowly coming to an end, we here at Nurture Growth Biofertilizer are itching to sow our fall vegetables. There are a handful of vegetables that grow in Ontario which are best suited for an August planting. Some vegetables take shorter periods of time to grow or are hardier than others, allowing them to withstand frosty temperatures, and in certain cases even benefit from them.
Before planting, determine your plant hardiness zone. Zones are categorized by different temperatures and knowing which zone you live in will affect which vegetables are suitable for planting, as well as when you should plant them. For example, if you’re based in Mississauga like us, you are in Hardiness Zone 6A.
Here are 5 of our favourite vegetables to get planting this month!
1. Broccoli
What a long way broccoli has come - from being a childhood nightmare to an adult favourite - they’ve really grown on us, and for all the right reasons! They can be harvested twice in one season and are perfect to plant in late August as their hardiness allows them to prosper in colder weather. Use Nurture Growth Bio-fertilizer to help them grow one large, clean head rather than several small ones. They should be planted approximately 85 days before their first frost and when seeding,
should be spaced 12 - 24 inches apart (30 - 60 cm) and ¼ to ½ inches deep (0.5 - 1.5 cm). Although the soil should have ample sun exposure and soil moisture, keep the crowns dry.
2. Cauliflower
Cauliflower should be planted about 6-8 weeks before the first fall frost, making late August or September the ideal time to start seeding. They need to be positioned in the garden to receive about 6 hours of sunlight per day. Although they may seem tedious to grow, they’re totally worth it. Adding a single cup of cauliflower to your meal can serve you up to 77% of your suggested Vitamin C intake. Don’t overlook the power of these cruciferous underdogs!
3. Kale
Kale is one of the hardiest veggies you can grow in the fall and winter. It doesn’t simply survive in colder temperatures, it thrives. When planted in the fall, frost and lower temperatures actually change its flavour, transforming the bitter taste we all know to a sweet burst of flavours. Sow kale seeds in the ground 8 weeks before the first frost and you’ll have a power food full of nutritional benefits to add to your smoothies, salads and snacks.
4. Chinese Greens/Bok Choy
As part of the Brassicaceae family or cool season cabbage family, bok choy is an easy fall vegetable to grow. They need around 4-6 weeks of growth before harvest and if you’re planting late summer, make sure to give these guys lots of shade. To avoid premature bolting, keep them consistently moist and side dress with mulch. If you live in a region with warmer temperatures, allowing partial sun exposure is okay. Soon enough you’ll have beautiful and big leafy greens ready to be boiled or sautéed with some fresh garlic… yum!
5. Carrots
Incorporate some root vegetables like carrots into your fall garden for variety in your harvest. Speaking of variety, different carrot species have a wide range of colour - including the classic orange carrot, purple, yellow, red and white. Carrots can be planted up until the end of August. Cooler temperatures brought on by winter actually converts the starches in these plants to sugars as an antifreeze, making them sweeter than ever for your winter harvest. They’re an underutilized ingredient in homemade tomato sauce, adding notes of freshness and a subtle sweetness.
These are our top 5 vegetables to plant in August. Let us know what you are planting in your garden this fall! Try Nurture Growth Biofertilizer in your garden this year for a chemical free and safer way to get the harvest that your neighbours will be jealous of. Below are a few vegetables that didn’t make the list but are great alternatives for planting this month as well.
1. Beets
2. Brussel Sprouts
3. Cabbage
4. Lettuce
5. Potatoes
6. Squash
7. Tomatoes
8. Turnips
9. Spinach
10. Onions
Thank you for reading and be sure to check us out at www.nurturegrowthbio.com!
Blogger Biography
Krystle is a Ryerson University student majoring in Marketing and minoring in French. As a business student, she has always had a huge entrepreneurial curiosity with the hopes of one day running her own business. With a passion for environmental activism, she is always looking for ways to educate herself and others in the fight against climate change. She is upbeat, energetic and loves rollerblading, hot yoga and spending time with her little dog Zeus.
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