How-to: Back (or Front)yard Farming

Illustration by Jessica Fimbel Willis

Have you found yourself staring at your weedy garden in mid-July, wondering where the time went? Or have you decided to convert a backyard space, build a raised bed or secure access to a community garden space, but didn’t quite make it on time for the Memorial Day planting rush?

Fear not: You still have time to grow a wide array of exciting produce this season! You might not be harvesting tomatoes or butternut squash this year, but that’s no reason to ignore the beautiful      vegetables suited for fall. You still have plenty of time to start a garden.     

Tristram’s three options for late gardeners

Your first and most reliable option is to stick with succession crops—things that can be planted all season long, aren’t too fussy about heat and daylight hours and have a short window between planting and harvest. Direct seeding (as opposed to starting with seedlings) can make the job even simpler. 

On this list are a wide range of salad greens, from baby-leaf lettuce, to arugula, to others of the many varied greens in the mustard family. For lettuce and most mustards (including arugula) you should be harvesting your very own salad mix about 30 days from getting seeds in the ground. Two other succession powerhouses are beets and carrots, both of which take about two months to mature. These are all great options for planting during the summer months and can reliably produce a fall harvest if planted on time. Carrots can be planted through early August, beets through mid-August, while lettuce, arugula and other mustards can be planted in succession all the way into mid-September (and later in a warm fall).  

Your second option is to plant crops that are slightly more time- and weather sensitive. This can be challenging, but well worth trying; with a little bit of planning and good luck you will have a fall harvest to make other gardeners envious. Two of my favorites are spinach and cilantro. Both are very sensitive to heat and best suited for the shoulder seasons—spring and fall. Too much heat and sun will force them to bolt and begin producing flowers. Timing is everything with spinach and cilantro to ensure that they are not planted too early, but they have enough time to grow to maturity before the hard frosts of early winter. You can direct seed both crops in late August or early September to produce a bountiful fall harvest. If you are lucky, your spinach will survive the winter and provide another round of harvests in the early spring.  

Finally, you can plant fall brassicas like collard greens and kale (late July), broccoli (early August) or Chinese cabbage (mid-August). This option is a little trickier, since you will need to track down seedlings (or try your hand at starting your own from seed), but the reward will be worth it when you harvest your own broccoli heads or pristine collards long after other gardeners have packed it in for the season. Just be sure the varieties you use for Chinese cabbage and broccoli are suitable for fall growing, and not varieties intended for early-season growing. Most seed catalogues will have this information clearly listed.  

While this list is not exhaustive, it is a good starting point for gardeners interested in growing for a fall harvest. All of these crops can be grown in spaces large and small, so whether you are growing in containers on a porch, a raised bed or on a small farm, give them a try this summer and by fall you will be glad you did. As with any gardening endeavor, success is never guaranteed and there are many factors out of the gardener’s control, so if your cilantro bolts, or the aphids get to your broccoli before you do, don’t beat yourself up about it. There is always next year!  

Nataka’s Favorite “Anytime” Vegetable to Grow 

One of my favorite things to grow is bok choy. It is one of those greens, much like lilies, that are a true indication that the season is on and popping. This pungent yet delicious vegetable can be sown in the ground in the spring, fall or summer. Bok choy can be cooked or eaten raw. 

In the summer, bok choy is sensitive to the heat and can bolt, producing a flower which then goes to seed. This can also occur if the plant is stressed from freezing temps or from leaving it in a pot too long without watering.

If you are really ambitious and just can’t get enough bok choy, like me, sow new seeds around late August for a September harvest. Be sure to water daily until the seeds have popped. Plants are great communicators and will always let you know when they are stressed from lack of water. 

With your harvest, try this Asian-style salad with onions, mandarin oranges and sesame seeds, dressed with a hint of toasted sesame oil and light soy sauce.

Photo by Michael Piazza, Styled by Sarah Blackburn

Nataka’s Favorite Bok Choy Recipe

Serves 2

1 head bok choy, thinly sliced    
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ onion, thinly sliced    
1 mandarin orange, peeled and supremed (flesh cut away from the membrane)
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Softly massage the bok choy with salt to tenderize the greens. Mix in all remaining ingredients and serve.

Grow and be happy!