It's one of my favorite times of the year - cool season planting time! Despite our hot temperatures, late August/early September is prime time for planting your cool season veggies. Over the next couple weeks, spend some time preparing your beds so you have a successful crop of yummy fall vegetables.
I have cleared 2 of my 3 beds for planting, and am adding some beds to my veggie patch. Take a look:
In the back of the photo, under the sunflower art, will be a new 3x6 raised bed. I plan to plant all flowers in here for a colorful backdrop to the veggies. I amended the bed in the middle of the photo with my compost that cooked over the summer. This 2x5 bed will soon be full of kale, lettuce, swiss chard and broccoli.
This is a new raised 3x3 bed that will be filled with soil and planted as well. It is made of recycled wood and plastic so it won't rot or splinter. I am going to let my kids plant this one with seeds of their choice. The more exposure children have to the seed to plant process, the more likely they are to eat vegetables!
If you are unsure of what to plant this time of year, refer to this fantastic Vegetable Planting Guide for Maricopa County:
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1005.pdf
Another great reference is 10 Steps to a Successful Vegetable Garden:
cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1435.pdf
Get moving and happy planting!
