July Seeding - Fall Vegetables 2019

The third or fall season of vegetable planting is here and it's mid-summer!

We generally consider early spring (March if using cold frames) to the middle of May the first planting season with cool crops. The second season with warm season crops is mid-May to early summer. The third or fall season includes both warm and cool season and starts in July or later, depending on crop maturity before the fall frost.

We typically use mid-October as the first frost or freeze date, so focus on crops that will mature in about sixty days to be on the safe side. The seed packet will list days to harvest. 

Check the chart below for plants that can be seeded now through August and into early September. The list includes several other cool season vegetables and their best window for seeding and planting, some are perennials vegetables.

Tuck in seeds wherever there is room in the landscape or vegetable area. Try the shady side of taller crops like tomatoes or corn. This location keeps the plants cooler late in the day.

Cool season vegetables and herbs that can be seeded right now in early to mid July include beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cilantro, Swiss chard, collards, bunching onions, parsley, peas.

Warm season vegetables and herbs that can be seeded right now include basil, bush beans, slicing cucumber, okra, New Zealand spinach, summer squash.

DIRECT SEED COOL SEASON VEGETABLES OUTSIDE before first fall frost   Use of cold frames or tunnels allow season extending

 

CROP – COOL SEASON	Days to Emerge	Days to Maturity	FALL SEED BASED ON MID-OCTOBER FREEZE
Arugula (herb) Eruca sativa	7-14 days	30-45 days	Mid-Aug
Arugula – wild or heirloom Diplotaxis tenuifolia	7-14 days	30-45 days	Mid-Aug
Asparagus Asparagus officinalis	14-21 days soak seeds prior	Perennial	Spring Plant
Artichoke – Imperial Star Cynara scolymus	10-15 days	85-100 days	Spring Plant
Beets Beta vulgaris	5-21 days	60-65 or sooner for leaves	Mid-July
Broccoli Brassica oleracea	7-14 days	45-75 variety differences	Mid-July
Broccoli Raab Brassica rapa	4-14 days	35-45 days	End-July
Brussels Sprouts Brassica oleracea Gemmifera group	5-10 days	80-110 days	Early-Mid July
Cabbage Brassica oleracea var capitita	7-12 days	60-80 days	Mid-July
Cabbage (Napa or Chinese) Brassica rapa var pekinensis	10-15 days	50-55 days	Mid-July
Cardoon Cynara cardunculus	10-15 days	100 days	Spring Plant
Carrots Daucus carota var sativus	10-25 days	65-75 days	Direct seed every 3 weeks until August 15
Cauliflower Brassica oleracea var botrytis	8-10 days	50-80 days variety differences	Mid-July
Celeriac Apium graveonlens	14-25 days	95 days	Spring Plant
Celery Apium graveonlens	14-25 days	80 days	Spring Plant
Cilantro (herb) Coriandrum sativum	10-20 days	50-55 days	Mid-July, likes cool weather
Chard-Swiss Beta vulgaris	5-10 days	25 days – baby leaves 50 days –  bunch	Spring-Summer-Early Fall
Chicory Cichorium intybus	14-21 days	65-70 days	Late July, prefers cool weather, moist soil
Chives Onion (herb) Allium schoenoprasum	10-15 days	Perennial	Spring-Summer, Early Fall
Chives Garlic (herb) Allium tuberosum	10-15 days	Perennial	Spring-Summer, Early Fall
Claytonia Claytonia perfoliata	7-14 days	40 days	Late August. Known as winter purslane, likes cool weather and soil
Collards Brassica oleracea	10-15 days	50-60 days	Mid-July
Cress Lepidium sativum	5-15 days	20-30 days	Early fall
Endive Cichorium endivia	7-10 days	60-70 days 35 days – baby leaves	Late summer, needs cool soil and temperatures
Escarole Cichorium endivia	7-10 days	45-60 days	Late summer, needs cool soil and temperatures
Fennel (herb) Foeniculum vulgare	14-21 days	90 days for bulbs, less for foliage	Mid-July
Garlic Allium sativum	10 days for warm fall	9 months for fall planted	From Mid-Sept to Mid-Oct
Greens – Baby varies	5-10 days	25-30	Seed through early fall
Horseradish Armoracia rusticana		Perennial	Harvest roots in late fall
Kale Brassica oleracea	5-10 days	50-55 days	Early August
Kale Greens Brassica oleracea	5-10 days	25-30 days or 7-14 days for micro -greens	Every two weeks until first fall frost
Kohlrabi Brassica oleracea (gongylodes group)	10-14 days	55 days	Mid-August
Leek Allium ampeloprasum (porrum group)	7-14 days	40 days for baby leeks, 84-100 for full size	Mid-August for baby leeks, okay to harvest after a couple of frosts
Lettuce Loose- Leaf Latuca sativa	5-10 days	21-68 days many varieties	Every three weeks until early fall, seed in afternoon shade of other plants
Lettuce Cos or Romaine Latuca sativa	5-10 days	50-70 days	Every three weeks until early fall, seed in afternoon shade of other plants
Lettuce Crisphead or Iceberg (tight leaves) Latuca sativa	5-10 days	75 days	Every three weeks until early fall, seed in afternoon shade of other plants
Lettuce Butterhead or Bibb (loose leaves) Latuca sativa	5-10 days	65 days	Every three weeks until early fall, seed in afternoon shade of other plants
Mâche Valerianella locusta	10-20 days	45-60 days	Late-August, afternoon shade
Mizuna Brassica rapa var. Japonica	4-7 days	35-45 days 21 days baby leaves	Late-August, afternoon shade
Mustard Greens Brassica juncea	7-10 days	50 days 21 for baby leaves	Late summer
Onion Seeds Allium cepa	7-15 days	70-150 days per onion day length	Spring Plant
Onion Bulbs or Sets Allium cepa	7-15 days	100 days or 3-4 weeks for green onions	August to Fall
Onion Bunching (Scallion) Allium fistulosum	10-15 days	60-65 days	Mid-July
Onion Egyptian Allium cepa var. proliferum	10-14 days	Perennial	Spring Plant
Orach Atriplex hortensis	7-14 days	35 days	Late August. Like a warm-season spinach, tolerates heat, nice annual ornamental too
Microgreens INDOORS	4-7 days	10-21 days, harvest days vary per seed types	Many seeds to choose from, seed in shallow trays all year, esp. in winter
Pak choi or Bok choy Brassica rapa (Chinensis group)	5-10 days	30-50 days	Late July to mid-September
Parsley (herb) Petroselinum crispum	14-28 days	60-75 days	Mid-July, Soak seeds prior to seeding, prefers afternoon shade
Parsnips Pastinaca sativa	10-25 days	85-120 days	Harvest in fall after frosts for sweet flavor
Peas – shell, snap, snow Pisum sativum	5-10 days	50-65 days	Mid-July, soak seeds prior to sowing
Potato Tubers Solanum tuberosum	10-15 days	90-120	Spring Plant
Radicchio Cichorium intybus	7-10 days	60-90 days	Late summer, needs cool soil and temperatures
Radish Raphanus sativus	5-10 days	20-30 days	Late summer until first fall frost
Radish - Daikon Raphanus sativus	5-10 days	60 days	Harvest any size in late fall before ground freezes
Rhubarb Crowns Rheum rhabarbarum		Perennial	Spring Plant. Grow one full year before harvest
Rhubarb Seeds Rheum rhabarbarum	7-14 days	Perennial	Spring Plant Soak seeds before planting. Grow one full year before harvest
Rutabaga Brassica napus	4-7 days	90-100 days	Spring Plant
Shallots Allium cepa var. aggregatum	10-15 days	100 days	Zone 5 or warmer fall or spring plant, Zone 4 or colder spring plant
Spinach - Common Spinacia oleracea	6-10 days	30-45 days	Use bolt resistant varieties during heat of summer, cold hardy types can overwinter
Tatsoi Brassica rapa var. narinosa	5-10 days	21 days baby leaves, 45 full leaves	Sow up to three weeks before first fall frost
Turnip Brassica rapa	5-10 days	40-75 days	Sow late summer before first fall frost

 

Many thanks to the following companies for reference - Botanical Interests Inc., Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Renee’s Garden, John Scheepers Seeds, Park Seed, Pinetree Garden Seeds, Colorado State University, Cornell University