Plant garlic and leaf vegetables

There are a number of root and leaf vegetables which can be planted in September for harvest in the fall, winter or next spring. My favorites for September planting are leaf lettuce, kale, spinach and Swiss chard. Most root crops are sown in the fall for overwintering. Radishes are ready in about 3 to 4 weeks. Started plants as well as seeds are available now.

Garlic planting is backwards of most herbs and vegetables. Garlic is planted in the fall and harvested during the spring and summer. It is one of the easiest herbs you can grow. It can be planted where your summer vegetables have been harvested or in almost any spot in the landscape. Typical planting time is mid September to early November.

You can plant almost any garlic you find in the store or for a wider selection of varieties go to your garden store or order on line. Territorial Seed Company (territorialseeds.com) has about 2 dozen varieties. When you get your garlic bulbs, separate them into individual cloves. Plant cloves about 6 to 8 inches apart at a depth of an inch or two.