Warm Up to Fall

You might think I’m losing it when I refer to the fall in Boise as our warm season. But it’s the truth! Once we’ve made it over the hot weather hump here in Boise, warm days are still around, but the scorching triple digits are behind us. As I mentioned in my last blog, the fall warm season spans from September through October, where our high temps range between 65-85 degrees. That means August is a perfect time to start seeds or plant seedlings for our favorite warm weather crops. Check out the list below for some inspiring seeds you can start right now for a beautiful fall bounty.

While this warm season isn’t quite long enough to plant any tomatoes, squash or cukes from seeds, it is a great time to succession plant quick-growers like peas and radishes, as well as get a jump on your cool weather garden (kale and spinach can go year round)! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for crunchy, crispy leaves. My favorites include leafy spinach, buttery lettuce, spicy mustard greens, hearty kale and fragrant cilantro. I’ll also be planting pac choi, vining peas, beets and onions. Personally, I love to focus on greens when it comes to fall gardening. The shorter days and cooler nights make them sweet and crisp, and they’re quick growing. Check out the kale I planted from starts in the spring (below left). They’re practically the size of trees now (below right)!

I’m a big fan of Snake River Seeds and the North End Organic Nursery for my seeds and starts. While you’re at NEON, pick up a bag of compost to give that soil a good kick when the seeds go in. If you’re planting from starts, be sure to add a bit of kelp meal or fish meal to the planting hole (1 tsp for small plants, 1 tbsp for large plants), as well as a handful of compost so those starts can get rooted quickly.

For those of you who are starting a brand new bed for the warm season, consider one of these planting plants.

These are based on 4x4 raised beds. If you’d like to come up with a custom planting plan for fall, I’ve got a few slots left at the end of August, so book now!