Which vegetables are suitable for planting around the Start of Autumn? Things to know in advance

Autumn is the best time for growing vegetables. The climate in August is characterized by continued high temperatures, strong sunlight, continuous drought in late summer and early autumn, and occasional heavy rain. Vegetable production in August requires planting the full area on schedule while strictly preventing heavy rain from destroying seedlings. So which vegetables can be planted around the Start of Autumn? And what issues need attention?

1. Green beans

In many people's minds, green beans are always sown in spring, but autumn sowing also works. Because green beans are not frost-tolerant and fear high temperatures, late summer and early autumn is the best planting time. At home, they are suitable for growing on a semi-enclosed balcony; choose a short, sturdy variety, and no staking is needed for them to flower and bear fruit. Choose a larger pot, sow the seeds directly into the soil, 3~4 seeds per pot, cover with soil, and seedlings emerge after a week. If the home environment is dry, you can cover with plastic film. When the seedlings grow their first leaf, they can be transplanted. With good care for 1~2 months, the seedlings grow up, flower and bear fruit, and when the pods grow to about 10 cm they can be picked.

2. Spinach

The most popular in autumn is still autumn spinach. It can be sown in mid-to-late August, with one month for flower bud differentiation and one month for leaf growth and maturity, so in just over 2 months you can have spinach you grew yourself! Spinach is generally broadcast-sown. Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, take them out and air-dry, then place them in a moist environment at 20~25°C to sprout; they germinate 6~7 days after sowing. When the small spinach grows one leaf, apply fertilizer and water. Pay attention to proper weeding, and once mature, harvest and eat.

3. Cilantro

If you eat hot pot in winter, one of the most fitting vegetables is cilantro. Because of its unique aroma, it has become a very common side dish when eating hot pot. The best time to plant cilantro is after mid-August. Broadcast the cilantro seeds in a flower pot or foam box filled with loose soil, ensure sufficient moisture, and seedlings will emerge in 1~2 weeks. Cilantro has a relatively long growth period, generally about 50 days, or 40~60 days in low temperatures. When cilantro is mature, you can select sturdy seedlings and pull them out to eat, or harvest them all at once.

Choose good seeds (at home, generally choose short, sturdy, early-maturing varieties), generally sow 1~2 days after the Start of Autumn, choose a large and deep flower pot, and ordinary garden soil can be used. After sowing, to avoid strong light, you can wrap it with paper or a black plastic bag, maintain a certain level of moisture, and uncover it after 2~3 days.

4. Small radish

Small radish has a short growth period and belongs to the fast-growing vegetable type. The main variety is Liuying radish; sown in late August, it can be harvested in mid-September. Before sowing small radish, first prepare the land and apply fertilizer: apply 5000 kg of high-quality coarse fertilizer per mu, spread it evenly and then deep-plow 15 cm, then form ridges or make high beds. The sowing method can be drilling or broadcasting, and after sowing cover with about 1 cm of soil. Under good soil moisture conditions, seedlings generally emerge in 4~5 days.

5. Rape greens

Rape greens are a fast-growing leafy vegetable, with two major varieties, green-white stalk and white stalk. Their growth period is short, about 40 days from seed to harvest, and they can be produced in idle land or in gaps in tall-crop fields.

Generally sown in July~August and harvested in August~September, they can supplement the market during the off-season for vegetables.

6. Napa cabbage

Choose good seeds (at home, generally choose short, sturdy, early-maturing varieties), generally sow 1~2 days after the Start of Autumn, choose a large and deep flower pot, and ordinary garden soil can be used.

Autumn vegetables are in a period of high temperature and summer drought. Whether already sown in the field or about to be sown, the central task of field management is drought resistance and seedling protection.

Direct sowing cultivation. For cowpeas, green beans, cucumbers, and napa cabbage, direct sowing is preferable, and water thoroughly at one time at the base.

Cover with shade. For autumn vegetables in the field, if conditions permit, it is best to use shade nets or other coverings to shade and cool them. Newly sown or newly emerged autumn vegetables should be shaded with shade nets or other coverings. Before emergence for direct-sown cowpeas, green beans, cucumbers, napa cabbage, etc., wheat husks, rice husks, or sawdust can be used to cover the seeds directly. Before emergence for varieties such as cabbage, carrots, lettuce, and baby bok choy, shade nets, straw, or corn stalks can be used directly on the bed surface to shade and retain moisture. After emergence, remove them in time or set up frames for shading, uncovering at night and covering during the day.

Irrigation to protect seedlings. For autumn vegetables in the field, while doing other field management well, strengthen fertilizer and water management, apply more dilute human and livestock manure water or foliar fertilizer, and apply less high-concentration fertilizer and manure. When the drought is severe, timely pump and carry water for irrigation to protect seedlings, and promptly do shallow and medium plowing, weeding, and loosening of the soil to preserve moisture. For cabbage, carrots, lettuce, baby bok choy, etc., that have not emerged or have just emerged, on the basis of good shading, water timely to keep the soil alternately dry and wet, promoting seedling growth.

During the Start of Autumn period, the weather is hot and there is often heavy rain, so everyone should also pay attention to safety when farming.