FallVeggies

Fall can be one of the busiest times of the year in a California garden. As the days get cooler and shorter, the list of things to do gets longer and longer, especially in the southern part of the state. While we always think of clearing out the faded summer blooms and replenishing spent soil, we often forget that fall is a great time to plant vegetables. Many of the vegetables that do well in the spring, also do well in the fall, often with fewer pests problems.

Lettuce is an ideal crop for fall gardens. It is easy and quick growing. Most varieties of lettuce will do well if planted after the heat of summer is past or shaded from the hot summer sun. The further north you are in the state, the sooner you can plant it. Cook's Garden (P.O. Box 5010 Hodges, S.C. 29653-5010) offers its own `Cutting Mix.' It is mix of leaf lettuces with beautiful form and color, all adapted to cut-and-come-again culture. To have a continuous supply, sow a little seed at weekly intervals. Harvest three to four weeks later by simply snipping leafs with scissors when you need them, and placing them directly into your salad bowl. Dress with a light vinaigrette.

Remarkable in both color and texture, `Mervielle des Quatre Saisons' (meaning Four Seasons) is a Bibb lettuce that does well in the southern garden in the fall. The tasty, crisp ribs of the sparkling burgundy outer leaves contrast wonderfully with the tender pink and cream interior. This is the original gourmet lettuce from France.

The big, leafy brassicas; broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale and cauliflower, do well at this time of year. Seldom sown directly in the ground, seedlings should be buried deep so they stand up tall and sturdy.

Garden fresh broccoli is more tender and delicately flavored than the store bought. Buy six packs of plants at your nursery or garden center now and plant in a fairly sunny spot in the garden. Harvest the center bud as soon as possible. Cook it gently, leaves and all. The original plants will sprout branches along the main stem to be harvested later. These side buds will not grow as large as the center bud, but will be very tasty nonetheless.

If you decide not to grow any vegetables this fall, do try to grow a cover crop like fall rye, oats, field peas or vetch. Not only do they prevent soil from washing away, they help keep weeds under control and provide nutrients and organic matter to your soil so you will be ready to start again come spring.

Pumpkins were used by American Indians long before the Pilgrims enjoyed them at the first Thanksgiving table. Pumpkins were used by early settlers much as we use them today – for food and decoration. Washington Irving wrote about the pumpkin in ``Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

The term ``pumpkin" has been the subject of many scholarly discussions. Pumpkins, like squash and gourds, are members of the vine crops called ``cucurbits." The name is derived from their botanical genus classification of Cucurbita (often abbreviated C.).

What is the difference between a pumpkin and a squash? It is all in what you call it. Varieties of the four species of Cucurbita are popularly called ``pumpkins" and ``squash" more by tradition than by system. Two varieties of the same species, C. maxima, hold the records for the world's largest squash AND pumpkin. The variety called squash is gray to green and larger one called a pumpkin is pinkish to orange. In fact, orange color sometimes determines what is a pumpkin. Unless you are dealing with specific rules or regulations at a show, you can pretty much interchange the words squash and pumpkin, though you can expect a fight with purists, no matter what you do.

It is exciting and satisfying to grow seeds saved from this year's pumpkins for planting in the coming Spring. Make sure that the seeds are dried in the air and not the oven. Also, be aware that there is a possibility that a seed will produce a hybrid — a cross between a pumpkin and another kind of squash. These are called Squmpkins and their color, size, and shape are unpredictable. Still, they are exotic, weird, and one of a kind.