Cooler days and new moon combined make it a great time to plant for fall harvest.  Beets, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, cilantro, kale, chard, asian greens- Pac Choi, Tat Soi, mizuna, leeks, green onions, spinach, lettuce, and other greens can all go in.  Some of the quick growing greens can wait until September. Pull some of the summer’s earliest planted crops that are fading or areas that you harvested your spring crops from that are still open can be prepped up with some soil amendments and some compost and you’re ready to plant.

 You are probably in full harvest also.  Remember some plants will give you much higher yields if you keep them well harvested.  Cucumbers, summer squash, beans and basil will keep on producing if you keep them harvested.  If fruit is left on too long or flowers are allowed to develop on the basil, the plants move toward seed production and reproduction not production.  Flowers will also have extended bloom if you keep them deadheaded. 

 Have I talked about my favorite little weed lately- purslane?   I was researching it a little more and am still convinced in the summer months we would all be a lot healthier if we ate this weed instead of spending hours weeding it.  The nutritional and health benefits of pursalane are:

• Highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids of all leafy vegetables, contains alpha-linolenic acid
• High in Vitamin C and Vitamin E
• Has betalin alkaloids that have been shown to be potent anti-oxidants.

 It is a low growing succulent that has a sour flavor.  It is high in oxalic acid which can be hard for some people’s bodies.   It is a rampant weed in many gardens but is also a food crops in many parts of the world.  Fresh it has the most nutrients- make a cucumber, tomato, purslane salad with it or sautéed with vegetables it is also great.  Some of the Mexican guys I work with do an egg scramble with onions, purslane peppers and tomatoes, which is really tasty. 

 Occidental Arts and Ecology Center’s Fall plant sale is this weekend- Aug 18-19, it is a great place to look for fall plants. 

Also mark your calendars for the Heirloom Expo September 11,12 and 13^th at the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds.  It is an amazing fair full of gardening workshops, vegetable displays and lots of great gardening vendors.  It is not to be missed!