Zone 5 - What to Plant in September

Zone 5 - What to Plant in September

Zone 5 growers still have a few options to plant in their garden in September. Zone 5 first frost usually occurs in mid-late October. It's the perfect time to plant garlic so you get a fast start next spring. Also there are several cover crops that can be planted now to help bring nutrients back to the garden this fall and early spring. Below is a list of items that can be planted in zone 5 in September.

Tendergreen Spinach (Komatsuna) mustard is a prized leafy green known for its mild flavor and tender texture, making it a favorite in both culinary and gardening circles. This variety of mustard greens has its roots in traditional Southern U.S. agriculture, where it has been cultivated for its versatility and ease of growth. Characterized by its large, bright green leaves with a smooth, slightly wrinkled texture, Tendergreen mustard is valued for its mild, peppery flavor that becomes more pronounced when cooked. The plants grow rapidly, reaching maturity in about 40 to 50 days, and are known for their robust, upright growth habit, typically standing 12 to 18 inches tall. They produce small, yellow flowers in early spring if allowed to bolt, though they are primarily grown for their leaves. Tendergreen mustard thrives in cool weather and can be grown in a variety of soil types as long as they are well-drained. The plant’s resilience and quick harvest make it ideal for successive plantings, providing a continuous supply of fresh greens. With its rich flavor, adaptable growing conditions, and rapid growth, Tendergreen mustard is a valuable addition to any vegetable garden.

Roxanne is a hybrid radish with uniform bright red color and a beautiful creamy white interior. Roxanne is a great tasting radish with no pithiness or bleeding even at a larger size. This radish stays firm and solid even when oversized, and holds well in the garden.

The Early Scarlet Globe is an early forcing radish that is perfect for home and market growers! This variety is a great bunching radish that produces 1" globes with bright red skin and a white flesh. The Early Scarlet Globe is great for both spring and fall planting!

The Oregon Sugar Pod II Pea is a high yielding snow pea that has a high percentage of two pods per cluster! This variety grows to a height of 28" and bears 4 1/2" long pods that are disease resistant to pea virus, common wilt and powdery mildew. The Oregon Sugar Pod II produces delicious flat and tender pea pods that are superb for freezing!

Tatsoi is a flavorful and versatile Asian green that thrives in cooler weather, making it a popular choice for spring and fall plantings. Known for its glossy, dark green, spoon-shaped leaves, Tatsoi has a mild, mustard-like flavor with a slight sweetness, making it a great addition to salads, stir-fries, or as a garnish. Tatsoi seeds produce compact, rosette-shaped plants that grow quickly and are easy to harvest, often within 30 to 40 days. This hardy green is also appreciated for its high nutritional value, offering a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and iron. Its adaptability and fast-growing nature make Tatsoi a favorite among both commercial growers and home gardeners looking to add a nutrient-dense and visually appealing crop to their gardens.

The Gourmet Mesclun Blend is a colorful mixture of our favorite gourmet leaves! This blend offers a pleasing mix of colors and types of lettuce that are delicious together in a salad. The Gourmet Mesclun Blend is also great for baby leaf production.

The Curled Cress is a highly nutritious aquatic green. This cress has been cultivated for hundreds of years. This peppery and pungent cress has the same tangy flavor as watercress, as they are of the same botanical family. Curled cress is great for seed sprouting or microgreen growing!

Nothing says "spring" like the crisp taste of a homegrown Easter Egg Radish! This variety is a bright color blend of red, white, rose pink, purple, and bi-color (red top, white bottom) that is perfect for salads and relish trays. At the harvest time, you can have your own "Easter Egg hunt" for the most colorful radish! After the harvest, you can eat them fresh in salads or slice and add them to sandwiches for a bit of crunch and color.

The Vit Mache, or also known as Lamb's Lettuce, is a green that is excellent for gourmet salads or as a garnish. Vit Mache produces good yields of 3" salad leaves. This green has a mild taste and is usually mixed together with Endive, Mustard, and Arugula. Vit Mache will produce a fall/winter harvest. Sow every 2 weeks.

The White Icicle Radish is an heirloom white variety that has a warm, mild flavor. The shoulders where the radish protrudes above the ground should be green, although there is a variant with purple shoulders. This radish variety is excellent for the home garden or fresh market.

The Pink Beauty Radish is named after its beautiful, uniformed light pink exterior that is crisp and jam packed full of flavor. This round beauty has a bright white flesh that is crunchy and with the perfect radish taste. This quick-growing variety is a great addition to any garden! The Pink Beauty will add a nice pop of color to any garden or dish.

The Sparkler Radish is a bright scarlet colored radish with a sweet, juicy flesh and snappy flavor. This variety's scarlet skin fades to white on lower 1/3 of its round, to round oval bulb. This radish's medium tops are perfect for both home and market gardens. Sparkler can grow up to 1.5" diameter.