Backyard Bounty
Plant these 6 veggie all-stars in your fall garden
A few important rules of thumb are as follows:
1.Plant veggies in a location that receives full sun. In the same vein, don’t plant veggies under trees where tree roots are sure to out-compete them.
2. Plant in good soil. An old adage to remember is that there is nothing you can do after the plants are planted that will have as much positive effect as improving the soil before the veggies are planted. So, 6–8 weeks before planting, loosen the soil in your garden bed and work in 4–6 inches of compost. Avoid planting in very heavy clay soils, compacted soils, or caliche. If good soil cannot be found, consider a raised bed.
3. Remember that Tucson has two distinct growing seasons. Cool-season crops (cabbage family, carrots, garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, onion, parsley, peas, radish, rutabaga, spinach, turnips) are planted in fall and harvested in winter and spring. Warm-season crops (beans, corn, cucumber, eggplant, melon, okra, peppers, pumpkins, squash, and tomatoes) are planted in spring and harvested in summer or fall.
Walking through a good supermarket produce section, well-stocked with misted and cosmetically perfect crops from around the globe, it might be hard to imagine that some of this bounty can be grown in your very own Tucson backyard dirt without too much effort. But growing your own vegetables here is extraordinarily rewarding and easier than you might expect. That is, so long as you follow a few simple steps and choose varieties that are proven to perform well in our desert corner of Arizona.
Now comes the fun part, choosing veggie varieties. The only rule here is to choose things you like to eat and that are easy to grow. The following varieties can be planted (by seed or by transplant) in late summer through fall and are easy, satisfying, and tasty to grow in Tucson.
Artichokes
Big, bold silver plants pretty enough to incorporate into an ornamental garden bed. Most often purchased as transplants in the fall. Artichokes, which are actually members of the thistle family, produce swollen buds (the part we eat) each April. If you forget to harvest it, the bud blossoms into an electric blue flower. Remember to leave plenty of room for each plant, as artichokes spread to 4 feet wide. Look for interesting varieties (for transplanting) such as 'Imperial Star,' 'Purple Italian Globe,' and 'Green Globe Improved' at your favorite garden center.
Arugula (aka garden rocket or roquette)
Much adored in France, Italy, and Greece, where it was once considered an aphrodisiac, arugula is now a staple of high-end restaurants. Arugula is a spicy green that is simple to grow in a fall garden. Arugula makes an excellent fresh salad—try making an arugula salad drizzled with a lemon, garlic, and olive oil vinaigrette. It also has edible yellow flowers and is packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants. Sow seeds in September and look for varieties such as 'Apollo' or 'Slyvetta.' Both available from Seed Savers Exchange (seedsavers.org).
Carrots
Sweeter and more flavorful than the fibrous bagged carrots sold in the market, home-grown carrots are easy to grow provided your soil is loose. They also prefer their soil a little on the sandy side. Try the classic French heirloom variety 'Scarlet Nantes' or the unusual butter-yellow-colored 'Yellowstone.' Sow seed in late September through early November. From Nichols Garden Nursery (nicholsgardennursery.com).
Garlic
Because of its strong fragrance, rabbits and most insect pests won't get anywhere near a garlic plant. Garlic is very easy to grow, just stick the cloves in the ground, pointy side up, and wait. For a robust garlic experience, plant a 'Hardneck/Rocambole' variety, which many garlic lovers consider the apex of garlic flavor. Order from The Garlic Store (thegarlicstore.com).
Leaf lettuce
If you love fresh, crisp, and delicate salads, you are really missing out if you don't grow your own lettuces. They are exceptionally easy to grow and can be harvested from December through May. Try a mix, or “Mesclun,” which gives you many varieties of lettuce in a single seed packet. Blends such as the 'Super Gourmet Salad Blend' or the 'Micro Greens Mix' from Territorial Seed (territorialseed.com) are a good place to start.
Onions
When planted by bulbs in the fall, onions are an easy crop. Consider the Tohono O'odham 'L'ltoi variety,' a vigorous multiplier whose small onions have a mild shallotlike flavor. Available from Tucson's own Native Seeds/SEARCH (nativeseeds.org).
Swiss chard
An excellent green for cooking, Swiss chard is one of the easiest winter veggies to grow in your garden. In addition to being flavorful (cooked like collard or mustard greens), Swiss chard is a handsome plant as well. Try pretty varieties with brightly colored ribs such as 'Five Color Silverbeet' or 'Oriole Orange,' both from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com).