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.

The Early Frosty Pea is an old heirloom that, just like its name suggests, thrives in the colder climates. This variety does great in early spring or short season plantings. The vines are cold hardy and can grow to 30." This pea plant yields 3 1/2” pods filled with 6-7 delicious medium sized peas that are excellent for fresh eating or freezing for later use.

The Knight Pea is the highest yielding, early maturing pea that we have! This pea variety's vines are short and therefore require no staking. Its huge pods can grow to be 4 inches with up to 10 peas in each pod! Knight is a favorite for its tender and sweet flavor, making it the perfect side dish.

The Cimarron is a very beautifully colored romaine lettuce! This tasty lettuce has bright green-red leaves that fade to deep red tips. This romaine type lettuce has good disease and bolt resistance. Cimarron is a favorite among gardeners for its beautiful hue and crispy texture in salad mixes!

The Oakleaf Lettuce gets its name for having very tender leaves that resemble the white oak leaf. This variety is an old time favorite that tastes great in mixed salads. The Oakleaf is perfect for planting late in the season. This lettuce will stay tasty and non-bitter well into the heat of summer!

The Lincoln Pea is an extra tender variety with a sweet flavor and high yields. This pea variety was introduced just after World War II during the peace time. Lincoln quickly became a popular home garden variety due to its versatility, as it can be eaten fresh, froze or canned. Its pods can reach 4-5" in length and are full of 6-9 sweet, tender peas. Lincoln does well in heat and should have a small pea fence or some sort of support or its vines.

The Prizehead Lettuce produces luscious slow bolting heads of loose, large green leaves with curled maroon tips. This variety is a popular lettuce for both home gardens and markets. Prizehead is truly a prize for its flavor being great in salads and sandwiches.

The Red Sails Lettuce is a full rosette type that produces radiant bronze-red, ruffled and deeply lobed leaves that have a mild bitter-free flavor that pairs very well in salads. This slow-bolting lettuce is ready to cut early and holds its quality very well. Red Sails has six times the vitamin A and three times the vitamin C as other supermarket lettuces. This variety thrives in cool weather, but can also grow well in the spring, summer or fall.

The Garden Mesclun Blend is a mixture of light green to emerald, and bronze to deep red lettuces as well as endive and radicchio for a crunchy, zesty flavor that is a perfect addition to any salad!

Tango Lettuce is a fun curled baby leaf lettuce variety! This lettuce has a crisp clean texture and holds up well with numerous salad dressings. This attractive uniform plant forms tight erect rosettes that are 12" across and 6-8" tall. Tango is an oak leaf variety.

The White Boston is a butterhead lettuce that is an improved Big Boston. This variety gives excellent yields of firm, round, 12" heads of crisp lettuce. The White Boston is a very delicious lettuce that is a bright light green with a buttery-yellow heart . This lettuce does well in warm conditions and is recommended for southern gardens.

Plymouth spinach is a new variety that is great for processing or fresh market growing. It has smooth, medium-dark green leaves that are uniform in shape and size. Plymouth is a moderate to fast-growing variety and has great yield potential.

The Crisp Mint Lettuce is a big romaine variety with mint green-colored leaves that will be sure to stand out in any home garden! This bold lettuce is only mint in color, not taste. However, its sweet and crunchy leaves will be a favorite addition to any salad or sandwich. Crisp Mint's heads will reach 10 inches tall making it perfect for a container garden!