Fall planting

For our fall season, and all seasons, at Deeply Rooted Ranch, one of the things we consider when choosing what we plant is "crop rotation," which means we plant crops in a particular sequence that keeps plant health, pests, and soil nutrients in mind. For instance, we grew arugula over the spring and summer in Plot C, rows 20 and 22. Arugula is considered a light feeder, meaning it requires fewer nutrients from the soil to grow its deliciously bitter leaves, and its pests tend to be leaf beetles, slugs, and aphids. I could get away with planting arugula in these rows for several seasons, and the soil wouldn't lose many nutrients, but during that time, I would provide forage for the pests that love to eat it, giving them a reason, and time, to proliferate.

Instead of planting more arugula in these rows, our butternut squash transplants moved in and are doing great. Squash are considered heavy feeders, so they don't mind taking in the nutrients that the dainty eater, arugula, may have left behind in the soil. These butternuts are also not vulnerable to the pests that may have stayed in these rows, hoping for a second course of arugula. However, all squash are vulnerable to the squash vine borer, a nasty little bug that will eat your squash plant from the inside out. If I continue to plant squash in these rows for a few more seasons, these bugs will eventually move in and make it almost impossible to grow anything in the squash family in these rows. But that works for us because, after this fall planting, the soil in these rows must be planted with something that will replenish what our voracious butternuts took up through their roots to put on fruit. Legumes anyone?

Seasonal fall planting this year includes cucumbers, chard, turnips, beets, lettuce, and more. Have you heard of Kangkong? More to come on this sweet and nutty delight.

Interested in ordering Farm Boxes this fall, full of garden goodness? Email us at info@deeplyrootedranch.com.