Fall planting

Backdoor herb and salad garden in spring

Fall is officially here and I am thinking we are through that last hot week. Fall planting started a month ago, but I ended up having to replant most of my veggies.  I know some beets and peas sprouted, but they were gone when I came home from Ohio.  I do not know if birds or snails got them.  So new peas, chard and beets sowed directly into the ground out back.  In pots I sowed more lettuce, spinach and carrots.  I also started a new pot of potatoes.  The photo above shows what the newly replanted pots will look like come spring. 

It is just about time for new annuals as well.  Lowes had their fall bedding plants in today.  Pansies, poppies, snapdragons, sweet peas, and so many more can all be planted out from six packs now, or sweet pea, poppy, nigella, larkspur and other seed sown in the ground anytime from now through the end of October.  I struggle with fall bedding plants.  They must be planted out after the hot weather, but here in the valley they must get a good start before fog.  With none planted, the garden will be bare through winter and spring, but the summer annuals, especially my zinnias and salvia, are making a great show now and will continue into Thanksgiving.  What to do?  Seeding is effective because the plants sprout amongst the existing plants.  Otherwise, I like pots.  I have decided that since summer annuals can be planted in early March and bloom through November or even December they have more value than the winter annuals which sit and pout through the cold and then die the minute the temps hit 80.  A few pots of pansies or other annuals brighten up the winter months and make all the difference without redoing the beds when fall is in full swing.