Seeds to Sow in October
In October we are gleaning the last of our late summer crop of squashes and saving seeds of all kinds like lettuce, tomatoes, flowers, and herbs, and getting the early harvests of fall and winter crops like endives, chard, and kale. If you are just getting started planting for fall and winter, here are the seeds and seedlings you can plant in October in Napa County (Zone 9b).
Some great ideas that many of us miss at this time are to (1) replenish your soil with cover crops, (2) plant garlic sets, and (3) spread native wildflower seed.
By planting a cover crop in fall and letting it overwinter, you can improve soil organic matter and soil fertility, suppress cool-season weeds, prevent soil erosion, and create a better seedbed for spring planting. For wildflowers to pop up with vigor in spring, allow them to cold stratify in the soil over winter. Garlic is the ultimate "set it and forget it" plant for fall and winter. Both hardneck and softneck varieties can go into the ground between Halloween and Thanksgiving to give you plenty to eat and share by next summer.
Veggies 🥦🥦🥦
Arugula, Beet, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chard, Chicory, Celery, Collard, Green Onion, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Maché, Mustard, Pea, Radish, Lettuce, Spinach, Turnip
Herbs 🌿🌿🌿
Chervil, Chive, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme, Watercress
Flowers 🪻🪻🪻
Black-Eyed Susan, Bulbs (Tulips), Dianthus (Carnations, Pinks), Delphinium, Echinacea, Lavender, Nasturtium, Pansy, Snapdragon, Viola
Native Wildflowers 🌼🌼🌼
California Poppy, Chinese Houses, Five Spot, Gumplant, Lacy Phacelia, Lupine, Milkweed, Mountain Garland Clarkia, Pipevine, Salvia, Tidy Tips
Cover Crop 🌾🌾🌾
Austrian Winter Pea, Barley, Chinese Red Cowpea, Common Buckwheat, Common Vetch, Crimson Clover, Hard Red Wheat, Phacelia, Purple Vetch, Red Clover, Rose Clover, Winter Oat, Winter Rye, Yellow Mustard
Donate Some of Your Saved Seed to the Seed Libraries!
If you are saving seeds this fall, donate some to the seed libraries! Label your organically grown seed with this information: seed type, location grown, seed saver’s name, original seed source, and month and year harvested. We love you for it!
Seeds We Need Now
Our inventories are at their lowest in fall. These are the seeds we need now: Peas, California Native plants (shrubs, herbs, flowers), Milkweed, Lettuce, Celery, Leeks, Carrots, Cabbage, Beets, Endive, Parsnip, Radish, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Beets, Broccoli, Chard, Turnip. Onion, Cucumbers, Peppers, Tomatoes (esp. cherry), all Flowers, all Herbs (except Basil).
