Have you planted your fall garden yet?

 It makes me sad when I look at my garden, and I have empty spaces where the early veggies have already gone by.  The good news is, this is the perfect time to plant your fall garden!  Leafy greens, such as cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, cauliflower and brussel sprouts do well  in the cooler, fall weather. Try beets, early carrots, peas, turnips, and radishes, too, as they also do well in cooler weather. They all grow well when planted in August and harvested later in the fall. Also, the cool weather enhances the flavors of these plants.  You can even try peas, and green beans that are early maturers to harvest in early October before the first frost.

When planting for fall, it’s best to pick a spot that will receive as much sun as possible, since fall brings not only cooler temperatures but shorter days. You should also be prepared to protect the plants at the onset of the first frost. This means keeping an ear tuned to weather reports and being ready to spread mulch or some sort of cover to protect the plants.

I love canning, and it is so very satisfying to go out in the garden in September and harvest vegetables to put up for the winter.   I'll be sharing some canning tips and recipes in a few weeks, and would love to get some ideas from other readers too!