Sow seeds starting September

Or to grow more in your Fall garden, you can begin seeds earlier indoors to get a head start.
If the weather is too warm, cool season seeds will not germinate. Ideal temperatures range between 65-75 degrees during the day for germination. And many Fall garden varieties will want cool nights too for vigorous growth.
Fortunately, the single-cinderblock deep bed that was built is perfectly suited to veggies that grow through autumn and winter. While it wasn't deep enough for a summer garden, it is ideal for lettuces, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, cauliflower and radishes. Maybe small carrots will grow well enough, but carrots do not like Albuquerque 'soil' which is highly alkaline and difficult to shift.

To the left, you can see the difference in those plants that will sprout earlier, when it is too warm for others. The wood frame from recycled remnants and plastic bed cover shown is for those super cold nights. By the time January rolls around, and after mulch has been added around the bigger plants, it may not even be rolled down on a regular basis. Too much insulation under a clear plastic cover can actually cook your plants on a sunny day, so be careful! Moisture is well-retained when the plastic is closed so leave the garden covered while away on winter vacation.

If this is your first year, keep it simple. Pick your three favorite greens and focus on those. A fresh, beautiful salad to serve for the holidays is reason enough to grow your own!