Zone 7 - What to Plant in October

Zone 7 - What to Plant in October

Zone 7 growers still have time to plant some cool season vegetables before your first typical frost in mid-November. The earlier you start in October the better. Try direct sowing some kale, spinach, radish and other second season vegetables. Below is a list of items that can be planted in zone 7 in October.

The Little Caesar Lettuce is a very attractive tall romaine type with crisp, bright green outer leaves and golden-blanched inner leaves. This lettuce has a sweet, crunchy flavor that is delicious on any sandwich or salad. This variety is easy to grow and is perfect for smaller gardens. Little Caesar is best picked right before eating.

Green Ice is a crispy loose-leaf lettuce that does well in hot weather! This variety produces an abundance of crunchy loose leaves. Green Ice's leaves are curled with deep green color. This lettuce is ready in just 45 days, it is among the earliest, yet will last well into summer thanks to its superior heat tolerance. Green Ice is one loose-leaf that just won't bolt!

Carmona Red is a favorite among many market growers! This lettuce variety produces big, bright red heads with lime green hearts. The Carmona Red has a nice silky texture and is very disease resistance.

The Golden Helios Radish is named after the Greek god of the sun. This olive-shaped radish is bright yellow with a crispy white flesh and is truly one of the most beautiful radish! Not only is Helios a beauty, it is also tasty with a sweet and mild flavor.

Lakeside smooth leaf spinach with dark green leaves. It has a round to oval leaf shape with an upright plant habit that makes it easy to harvest. It is a very versatile variety it can be used for baby leaf, bunch or clip.

The Viroflay Spinach is a gourmet French heirloom that was developed prior to 1866. The big, smooth leaves of this Spinach variety is a deep green color and grows up to 10 inches long. This very fast growing plant is popular for fall planting.

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!

Bibb is a crisp, clean, and easy to grow butterhead lettuce that has light green leaves with the occasional red spots. The crispy heads often self blanch in the center. This lettuce variety is perfect for farmers markets and for the home gardener. This Bibb does well in the heat, yet still grows quickly in our cool weather. Lt. John B. Bibb served in the War of 1812, represented Logan County in the Kentucky House of Representatives and the state Senate from 1827 to 1834. Lt. Bibb was also an amateur horticulturist and developed the Bibb lettuce we know and love today. However, it wasn't offered commercially until 1935.

Just like its name, the Tom Thumb Pea is a tiny bush pea plant perfect for containers! If you are hurting for space but want to grow some delicious peas, try the Tom Thumb! This pea variety produces pea pods on a tiny pea plant.

Red Malabar spinach (Basella rubra) is a heat-loving, vining green that thrives through the hottest days of summer when traditional greens fade. This vigorous Asian vine features glossy, thick, slightly savoyed dark green leaves set against striking deep red to purple stems, making it as ornamental as it is edible. The mild, chard-like flavor works well when young leaves and tender stems are used fresh in salads, blended into smoothies, or lightly cooked in stir-fries. Exceptionally tolerant of heat and humidity, it produces an abundance of nutritious greens well into fall, along with deep purple berries rich in anthocyanins that can be used as a natural dye. Not a true spinach, this beautiful plant is typically grown as an annual in cooler regions and as a perennial in subtropical climates, but it is not frost hardy.

The Sugar Magnolia Pea is a beautiful deep purple colored sugar snap pea that is the result of over 15 years of development! This spectacular beauty has a very sweet flavor and is best before the pods get too fat. Make sure that this climbing variety has a trellis, as its sturdy vines reach to be 6-7 feet tall. Add the Sugar Magnolia to fresh salads or as a steamed side dish for a pop of color!

The Vivian lettuce is a tightly bunched romaine with broad dark green crisp leaves. Its leaves are 12-16 in. long and 4-6 in. across. Vivian is bolt resistant and suitable for commercial and home growers. Its erect dark green leaves are great for baby leaf production.

The French Breakfast Radish has a delicate flavor and is an excellent variety for home gardens. This radish variety is an attractive uniquely shaped radish with elongated roots and red tops with white tips. The French Breakfast has an excellent flavor and texture, that is perfect for dips or as a garnish.

The Olympia is a top-notch smooth leaf hybrid spinach that has a great flavor. This spinach Hybrid has thick and dark green leaves that grow upright. The Olympia is highly recommended for spring, summer, fall and over wintering crops because it resists bolting under high temperatures and long day conditions. Treated seed.

The Winter Density Lettuce is a favorite cold weather Romaine! This variety produces compact, extra-dark green heads that are 8" tall and very tightly folded. The Winter Density gets its name for doing well in the cold weather!

The Santa Fe Lettuce produces a small blanched head that is surrounded by green outer leaves with a tinged bronze-red tip. This variety is a favorite for being extra crunchy!

Riverside is a smooth spinach with dark green leaves. Grown mostly for its spade-shaped baby leaf harvesting. Riverside produces at normal rates with an upright plant habit. Excellent for growers who want premium quality product. Riverside is also very resistant to downy mildew.

Red Romaine Lettuce has long, crinkled leaves with great crunch! This variety starts green and fades to redish-purple. The Red Romaine's leaves are12" tall and the plant is about 10-12" wide. This lettuce is often used in Caesar salads not only for its crunch, but also for its color. Use Red Romaine lettuce for an incredible edible purple border in your flower beds.