Now is the time to start thinking about the fall garden in Arizona. It’s hot, and the poor garden looks sad. Soon however, the temperatures will drop, and once again, all of our favorites can be started. Click on the link for more great info.
Midsummer and yikes is it ever hot! It is time for me to be starting new plants for the fall from seed but conditions are just too hot. What to do? Here are a few tricks.
The seeds of different vegetables have optimum temperatures for germination and right now most of them will not like this heat.
Beets and carrots aren’t too bothered by hot soil. Their germination doesn’t start to drop off until the soil gets to be over 90 degrees.
However, the optimum temperature for lettuce is around 65 degrees and germination drops off rapidly after the soil heats up to the mid seventies. Spinach does best at 70 degrees but by the time the soil is in the mid-80’s, forget about it. Some brassicas don’t mind the heat. Cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and kale will sprout fine in soil as hot as 90 degrees, while broccoli prefers cooler soil, its optimum being around 75. The germination on cauliflower drops off rapidly after soil temperatures hit 85.