My garden is a little bare (Long Island NY) what can I plant now for the fall?

[coll]

First garden in a long time, I've had a few problems more related to tick bites and the resultant medications. Now I have some open areas in my garden that I'd like to fill in. What do people plant this time of year (seeds or plantlings)?

[Cybrczch]

First off, I am going to assume you are in growing zone 7, with a first frost date somewhere around October 15 - 25th.
Frost tender warm season vegetables - bush beans, cucumbers, zucchini and other summer squash can still be planted. They can be direct seeded, and if you plant early maturing varieties, you can get a fairly good harvest before frost hits.
Frost tolerant cooler season vegetables - cabbage. broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi. These are usually planted in the garden as transplants so they can be started somewhere that it isn't as hot and dry as it might be in the garden. Start now and transplant in 4 weeks into the garden, keep well watered and mulched. They can tolerate the first frosts (and kale improves with frost). Also include swiss chard and beets, which may do as well if started outdoors as long as you keep them moist.
Cool loving greens (spinach, lettuce) you can wait a while longer before planting. Radishes can always be tossed into a spare area for a nice little crop at anytime.

[coll]

Thanks so much, these are all vegetables that I love, but never grew before because I was so into just summer vegetables. I'm going to stop at Agway and see what seeds they carry, another whole season for me with the fall now. I do have radishes and beets in there, but they are overcrowded and I guess I planted them at the wrong time? Next year I will be so much smarter (including the ticks, my neighbor just gave me two giant dog tick collars to wear around my gardening boots, why didn't I think of that!)

[Bacardi1]

Oh, & if your local Agway & other sources have no or just a dismal leftover collection of seeds, don't forget that there are thousands of good online sources for seeds, & many online companies have many of their 2012 seeds for sale this time of year, because soon they'll be collecting & selling seeds for the 2013 season.

[tcamp]

No, those radishes and beets are ok! Just thin them and use the greens, let the remaining plants mature. I thinned my beets the other day and ended up with a nice mixture of beet babies and tasty greens.

[coll]

Thanks everyone, I have a lot to learn. But enjoying it immensely! Burpee keeps emailing me, maybe I should actually open their messages?

[Bacardi1]

Do open the e-mails, because Burpee (especially this time of year) frequently offers "free shipping" with no minimum order required. This is especially useful if you just want to buy a few packets of seed without having to pay a exhorbitant shipping price. Other online seed companies I've bought from that have turned out to be excellent to deal with (great selection, great germination, great customer service) include:

Park Seed Company
http://parkseed.com/default.aspx

Pinetree Garden Seeds
https://www.superseeds.com/

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
http://rareseeds.com/

Territorial Seed Company
http://www.territorialseed.com/

[coll]

Thanks, you're right. The Burpee emails always say free shipping in the title but I wasn't thinking of getting more seeds. I may have even turned them into junk mail due to the daily messages! I will correct that right away, if I do that online I won't put it off for weeks, like going to Agway. Thanks for putting a fire under my butt!

[Bacardi1]

Just make sure you read the e-mail thoroughly, as some "free shipping" offers (& this pertains to ALL companies) have a minimum order involved. Make sure it's for "no minimum order required", unless you plant to buy the minimum.

Also, if you like to garden, it really does pay to get on the mailing list of internet companies (like the ones I mentioned) &/or order their free catalogs (which you can do online at their websites). Lots of interesting stuff, & MUCH more interesting varieties than you'll find at Agway or any other store.

[coll]

OK just placed my order with Burpee, they have free shipping til Sunday. Cauliflower, broccoli, kale, spinach, buttercrunch lettuce and baby bok choy. I got the lettuce on a tape, I have trouble with direct sowing tiny seeds, the row looks like Grand Central Station at rush hour when the seedlings come up. This time I'll be smart and only plant half of the seeds, and save the others for next year.

[Smachnoho]

I keep planting Mizuna seeds (a mustard green) about every 2 weeks and this year I tried Curly Cress for the first time & really like it. Rappini seeds do well too. I plant arugula seeds l& lettuce seeds later in August.

[coll]

Great! I will start a list for next year, and get more exotic.

[pinehurst]

I am sorry about the tick bites.

I plant radishes year-round. If you get full sun they can get "sharp," but it doesn't bother me. It's an (almost) instant gratification from seed.

[coll]

Thanks, I really have to thin them out, I went out back there for the first time in weeks and my radishes are sort of funky. I love radishes though, and learned that when i get a package of 100 seeds, to save some for later!

[pinehurst]

You can also do mesclun. Like radishes, I re-seed more than once on that. If you like it, cilantro is pretty happy to grow in hot weather.

[coll]

Can you buy mesclun seeds already pre-mixed? Cilantro is a no go; I grow Vietnamese cilantro up on the porch though, among other exotic herbs. Easy to run out and grab while I'm cooking!

[coll]

I'm thinking broccoli or cauliflower, are these normally started from seed?