Fall Planting in Phoenix
Warm days and cool nights is ideal for growing vegetable garden and just what the Fall season brings. However, not too warm…. Sometime around mid to late September the seasons change and mornings become crisp and the sun is lower on the horizon. It still may be triple digits but don’t delay too long to get things in the ground because Winter is coming. And that means darkness. Fewer hours of sunlight means that vegetables will creep along in their growth. But getting things planted around October 1 means they have more time to get growing and more importantly get harvested.
A simple way to remember what can be planted in the Phoenix area for Fall is to remember to BRAG about your Peas and Herbs. This pneumonic device unlocks an abundance of options for the Fall garden. And with the cooler temperatures it is so much easier to garden and you will be bragging about your garden for all to hear. I suggest you think about what you like to eat and make a list. With so many options you may want to add another garden bed!
B: Brassicas. This plant family includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, Romanesco, and kohlrabi. Best planted from a seed start brassicas love full sun and heavy on the nitrogen fertilizer.
R: Roots. Carrots, turnips, beets, rutabaga, radish, and even partnips will trive in the cooler soil of Fall – Winter.
A: Alliums. This plant family includes bulb onions (best planted from seedlings vs. sets), I’itoi Onions, green onions, leeks, and garlic.
G: Greens. No cyclospora in your garden. Lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, mustards, collards, bok choy, broccoli rabe, chard, and the double duty beet and turnips will be nourishing you all season.
About your Peas. Edible peas including snap, shelling, and snow love the cooler tempuratures.
and Herbs: Annual herbs like cilantro, parsley, dill, and chives can be planted from seed whereas I recommend more instant gratification of a seedling of the perennial herbs of oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, and lemon balm.
Flowering crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants can definitely be planted for Fall and I am big fan of tomatoes in particular. I suggest prioritizing planting these first as the more sunlight and heat will allow them to produce in Fall and continue and spring back to life in February when things warm up. I prefer to get my tomatoes planted around September 1 but with yet another record breaking hot summer waiting until October is ok too.
