Published: Friday, September 09, 2011, 3:18 AM
By Bill Finch
Q: You’ve said now is the time to start sowing seeds for a fall, winter and spring vegetable garden along the Gulf Coast, and that some plants should be sown in pots before planting in the garden. If these vegetables are hardy, and they’re going to go in the garden anyway, why can’t I just plant seeds directly in the garden?
A: Some seeds, you can do just that. Fava beans, turnips, peas, carrots, parsnips, for example — should be planted directly in the garden when the temperatures start cooling in late September and early October.
But there are some slow-to-develop cool season vegetables — collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, to name a few — that are much more productive if you start them in pots while the weather is still warm.
The cool seasons is an abundant season for gardening along the Gulf Coast — and arguably the easiest season for gardening, with minimal needs for watering and few pests or diseases. But as the days shorten leading up to December 25, light becomes an increasingly precious commodity. And as you should know, it’s light that makes plants grow and produce leaves, flowers and fruits. Plants that haven’t built up enough strength earlier in the year may just stop growing.
To be successful during the cool seasons, you often need to “borrow” a few weeks of long late summer days (along with the bugs and heat) so that your plant is ready to produce before the short days of winter slow down growth. And the best way to dodge the bugs and the heat is to plant seeds inside in pots in August and September. That way the plants will be nice and big and ready to start producing when the weather cools down.
