September is a brutal month here—hot and often very dry. It gets even dryer in October, and then it crescendos in November, the driest month of the year.
For gardeners, that presents a challenge as we’re trying to seed and plant for fall at the driest time of year.
I told this to a stranger at Ace Hardware the other day. We were in line. A box of discount seeds on the counter read: 5 Packs of Lettuce A Dollar.
"That’s a deal,” I said. He looked at me like I had a rabbit on my shoulder and said, “But it’s the end of summer.”
He wore a blue cap with a bold capital “M” on his bald head. I took him as a new Southerner who’d just moved from Michigan. I told him that Labor Day is NOT the end of summer here no matter what it was in Michigan or on the Ace sale rack.
“You're in South Carolina now. It’s hot here. This is the best time to plant lettuce, beets, carrots, and stuff.” He shook his head and said, “Geez. I don’t know about lettuce but I do know it’s hot here.”
He didn’t buy any seeds.
I got "Geez’d" again later in the week by my young friend Jesse. He's in his 20s. He’s determined to grow some food in his yard. Last week, I walked him through sowing cool-season crops via seed. He watered the new seeds but didn’t get that they needed regular sprinkles.
Here's our conversation, with me in blue:
It’s time start fall crops from seed. But in these dry months, getting seedlings established can be as challenging as caring for a new puppy. (We have one of those, too—see the picture at the end of the blog.)
You could wait for cooler days.
But many of these veggies LOVE warm soil and coolish nights like we have now. Nurse them through the hot, dry afternoons, and they'll develop beautiful, thick root systems. They'll produce handsome, delicious leaves ready to pick in October, and they’ll transition easily to frost in November and later freezes so you get to eat from your garden all winter.
It's worth the extra care. If you want to see the results, come to our farm open. We’ll have lessons for new gardeners, children, and befuddled retirees in UM caps. Our chef will use the greens we’re starting now for a great lunch. ( Come to Farm Open - Saturday, October 12)
Let's talk about how to keep these seedlings thriving through the hot days after Labor Day.
How We Water
Proper watering is crucial for your fall seedlings. The best time to seed in is when we’re set to have a few rainy days, usually stimulated by a hurricane on the coast.
Even so, you absolutely must supplement water for the next few weeks. I set up a simple of the shelf sprinkler. It must have a timer though. I buy those off the shelf or via amazon. Get the cheap, simple one. Set the timer/sprinklers once or twice a day, usually between noon and 4 p.m., for about 20 minutes each session.
Remember, consistent moisture is vital for young seedlings, but you don’t want to drown them so check them and turn the water off if we get a storm.
Plywood or Cardboard Hack
Another way to retain moisture is to sow your seeds, water them, and then cover them with a board or piece of plywood. In this case, skip the sprinklers. The cover holds in moisture.
This only works for seeds that germinate in the dark: Carrots, Beets, and Spinach. Don't use this method for lettuce or arugula - which need light to germinate.
The caveat is that you must be very gentle when you remove the cover.
Grow Your Own
Eighty percent of my diet comes from the ground, not the grocery. It's not hard, y'all.
You don't have to build a raised bed or buy a tiller. Just do what my young buddy, texter Jesse, did. He found a sunny spot in the front yard where he's growing his food.
Seed In Now: Loose leaf lettuce, kale, spinach, carrots, arugula, mustard turnips and parsley. Here’s a link to an old blog about fall-seeded veggies. LINK.
Southern Garden Secrets Book Unveiled
Growing in the South may seem challenging, but it's achievable. Every little tip from an experienced horticulturist is worth a ton.
I realized I needed to include an entire chapter on our climate since that Michigan fellow thought Labor Day was the end of summer. Geez!
I’m working on a new book titled something like "Southern Garden & Landscape Secrets" In this book, my fellow professional gardeners and I share lessons we've learned over three decades.
It’s not only for new Southerners. But young homeowners like Jesse and some old entrenched natives will be into it, too—if nothing else, because I’ll include lots of little stories about some of the beautiful, nutty people I’ve learned from and worked with.
On Sundays, I’ll share progress, behind-the-scenes polls, and experts. If you want to know more about the book and have some input as it progresses, please subscribe to the Sunday post via the link below.
Well Geez!!! What time is the Farm Open? I need to visit and bring my granddaughter who is a new gardener and taking Hirt classes (she finally knows what she wants to be when she grows up - she’s 30!!) Love the new puppy.
Coco is gonna have the best life!