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Are you looking at your tired vegetable garden and wondering: Is that all for the season? Well, it doesn't have to be. Next year, think of starting a garden in late summer that you can harvest all the way through fall. We all get so excited about getting those first early crops into the garden in spring. We simply can't wait to enjoy that first radish, kohlrabi or fresh lettuce and spinach for salads. These same crops can be planted in mid- or late summer and enjoyed all the way through fall, and sometimes even into early winter. Some of these plants actually grow better going into the fall than in spring because the temperatures are getting cooler and they are less susceptible to bolting. Also, these plants will actually have a better fla- vor as the temperatures cool, or even after they go through a light frost. Lettuce tends to be less bitter, and broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radishes, spinach and other leafy greens, and beets become much sweeter. There are even some summer crops that you can try to sneak in for a second harvest, like beans and even fast-growing herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley, but these need to be planted more toward that mid-summer time to give them enough time to grow and produce. Another good thing about gardening in the fall is that there is less disease and fewer insects to contend with, like Japanese beetles which should be long gone by then. Also, the weeds tend to grow a little slower as well. I figure I'm out in the garden doing gen- eral cleanup anyway in the summer, so I might as well plant some more to enjoy throughout the fall. I do my planting around the third week of July for crops that need more time like beans, and I shoot for mid- to late August for shorter growing crops like radishes, lettuce, etc. I know some of you are probably tired of garden- ing by now, but trust me, if you do this you'll find out its well worth the effort. You'll be enjoying fresh, delicious veggies from the garden while others are going without. Here are a couple of tips for success: ■ As you're planting during the heat of the summer, keep an eye on moisture levels early on. As the summer transitions into fall, the watering becomes less of an issue. ■ Because you're reusing the area, you'll probably want to add some compost to help feed your new plants. ■ Also, if you use row covers or mulch around your plants, you can harvest even longer into the fall or even winter. If you enjoy these cold weather crops, you're missing out if you're only growing them in spring. Wouldn't it be nice to enjoy a fresh salad from the garden in October? So next year give it a try and double your harvest. Happy gardening! (Michael Timm is a horticulturalist for Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia.) SEPTEMBER 2019 HOME 5 Bliffert Lumber & Hardware 548 W. Sunset Drive, Waukesha, WI 262-542-6666 | www.bliffertlumber.com i"OEFSTFOwBOEBMMPUIFSNBSLTXIFSFEFOPUFEBSFUSBEFNBSLTPG"OEFSTFO$PSQPSBUJPO ª"OEFSTFO$PSQPSBUJPO"MMSJHIUTSFTFSWFE Unlimited possibilities. Custom colors. Unique Shapes. Dynamic sizes. E-series windows and doors give you virtually unlimited ways to express your own style. Unleash your imagination and set your home apart. Only from Andersen. MICHAEL TIMM Planning the autumn vegetable garden for next year Enjoy better taste, fewer weeds, double the bounty How would you like fresh lettuce out of your garden late in the season that tastes sweeter and has fewer weeds? Sound appealing? Those some of the advantages of planning a second planting for fall of plants with short seasons that do well in cooler temperatures. The advice by many experts regarding fall prun- ing is "DON'T DO IT" as it can cause more harm than good. The disadvantages of fall pruning include: ■ Stimulating new growth when a plant should be trying to go dormant. ■ New growth weakens the plant which is not what a plant needs when it is heading into winter. ■ Fall pruning creates a wound that can result in a more severe winterkill. Good time to prune ■ Middle of winter or early spring if you absolutely can't stop your- self. ■ When it is sunny and dry as pruning while it is wet/damp outside will cause diseases to spread. Damp weather promotes mold and bacteria. ■ In the spring once a plant has finished flower- ing. Pruning too much ■ Most plants don't require pruning. Fruit trees and overgrown shrubs are really the only things that require pruning because it helps them to produce more fruits and flowers. Pruning focus ■ Dead or dying branches ■ Low-hanging branches ■ Prune back to the main stem ■ Leaving a stub sticking out opens your tree or shrub up to bacteria or gives insects a home. Fall often is a bad time for pruning

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