Zone 8 - What to Plant in November

Zone 8 - What to Plant in November

Zone 8 growers don't have a lot of options in November. The cold weather is here to stay for a few months. Since zone 8 growers don't get extremely cold weather in the winter you can still grow some items in November. Try the below cover crops, turnips and strawberry seeds to keep your garden going.

The Packer Forage Pea, or Canadian field pea, is a cool-season legume that is used for cover crops, wildlife and winter grazing! This annual legume has good nitrogen-fixing capabilities. The Packer Forage Pea is a low-growing, viny legume which has been shown to fix over 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. Uses: Chicken Forage, Deer Attractant, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

The Common Alfalfa is a somewhat winter hardy perennial legume, but it grows more quickly than other regular alfalfa varieties. As an annual green manure, this cool-season "Summer" alfalfa can produce up to 10 tons of organic matter per acre. Its long taproots break up compacted soil and bring up subsurface minerals. High nitrogen fixation and great bee forage. Alfalfa is basically good at everything, as it great for nitrogen fixation and bee forage! Just look at all it's uses below! Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Cool season, broadleaf, Perennial, Legume (N-fixation), Upright plant growth, Crude protein: hay or silage 14-22% Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Chicken Forage, Compaction Control, Deer Attractant, Erosion Control, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

The Mammoth Red Clover is a large, fast growing clover that is an ideal grazing crop and can be sowed in spring, summer or fall! Mammoth Red is a popular biennial clover used for Nitrogen addition and hay crops. This red clover may be the best choice for frost seeding; it is extremely cold hardy and does well in most soils and growing conditions. The Mammoth Red Clover will fix up to 70-110 lbs. nitrogen per acre. This variety's long tap roots loosen soils and mine phosphorus and other nutrients from deep in the soil. Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Chicken Forage, Compaction Control, Deer Attractant, Erosion Control, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Weed Suppression

The Annual Ryegrass is a very fast growing grass that makes for a great cover crop as its fibrous roots prevent soil erosion and build organic matter! Plant this grass early fall to late fall, or early to mid-spring and can germinate in cool weather. The Annual Ryegrass established protective cover quickly and over seeds well at higher rates. This grass can scavenge as much as 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre. When used as a spring cover crop, this Annual Ryegrass should be killed before reaching seed formation stage. Ryegrass (Lolium sp.) Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

The Pearl Millet is a very tall grass that can reach to be 15 feet tall that is used as a multiple cut forage grass and green manure. This grass is high in protein, digestible and free of prussic acid. The Pearl Millet is perfect used for hay, pasture and silage for feeding cattle, horses, goats and other livestock. The Pearl Millet is also a very good green manure that is well adapted to low soil moisture, low fertility and high temperatures. Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

The Winter Rye is a tall grain cover crop that can reach up to be 5 feet tall and prevents erosion and builds organic matter in the soil. This grain can be planted early to late fall and in mild climates, fall through early spring. This grain is the best choice for fast, cool-season germination. The Winter Rye captures soil nutrients in the fall to release in spring when worked into the soil. Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed suppression

The Thoroughbred Barley is a widely adapted variety of barley that is high yielding, with a great straw strength and a high test weight. This grain is a good standing six-rowed barley. This variety is resistant to powdery mildew and barley yellow dwarf virus. Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

The Ladino Clover is the most popular white clover in the USA as it is two to four times as large as the common white clover! This clover has a high nutritive value and is palatability, making it a popular choice in pasture mixtures. It is not deep rooted, and will not tolerate much drought. Ryegrass and orchardgrass work well with ladino clover in mixtures. Broadcast at 25 lbs. per acre. Seed comes inoculated. Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Chicken Forage, Compaction Control, Deer Attractant, Erosion Control, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Weed Suppression

The Common Buckwheat is a grain that can be planted late spring to early summer and improves top soil and an effective choke weed! This variety establishes quickly and matures in 60 days. This buckwheat accumulates phosphorus and and potassium for following crops and is frost sensitive. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench): Cool Season, Grain, Annual, Upright growth habit, Enhances soil P availability,Crude protein: straw 5%, grain 13% Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Green Manure, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppresion

How to Plant:Till ground before planting. Then firm ground to make flat. Use a seed broadcaster to spread seed evenly over the ground. Next flatten ground again to secure seeds into soil.How to Plant:Till ground before planting. Then firm ground to make flat. Use a seed broadcaster to spread seed evenly over the ground. Next flatten ground again to secure seeds into soil.Seeding Rates:Sowing SeasonSeeding DepthSeeding Rate (1,000 Sq. Ft.)Seeding Rate (1 Acre)AmaranthSpring & Summer1/4 - 1/2"1 lb.15-25 lbs.BarleySpring & Summer3/4 - 2"2 lbs.75-125  lbs.BuckwheatSpring & Summer1/2 - 1 1/2"2-3  lbs.50-100 lbs.MilletSummer1/2 - 1"1/4 lb.6-10 lbs.OatsSpring & Summer1/2 - 1 1/2"4 lbs.100-150 lbs.Rye, WinterAnytime3/4 - 2"4 lbs.75-125 lbs.RyegrassAnytime0 - 1/2"1 lb.25-50 lbs.SudangrassSpring & Summer1/4 - 1/2"1-2 lbs.35-65 lbs.WheatSpring1/2 - 1 1/2"4 lbs75-150 lbs.Sowing SeasonSeeding DepthSeeding Rate (1,000 Sq. Ft.)Seeding Rate (1 Acre)AmaranthSpring & Summer1/4 - 1/2"1 lb.15-25 lbs.BarleySpring & Summer3/4 - 2"2 lbs.75-125  lbs.BuckwheatSpring & Summer1/2 - 1 1/2"2-3  lbs.50-100 lbs.MilletSummer1/2 - 1"1/4 lb.6-10 lbs.OatsSpring & Summer1/2 - 1 1/2"4 lbs.100-150 lbs.Rye, WinterAnytime3/4 - 2"4 lbs.75-125 lbs.RyegrassAnytime0 - 1/2"1 lb.25-50 lbs.SudangrassSpring & Summer1/4 - 1/2"1-2 lbs.35-65 lbs.WheatSpring1/2 - 1 1/2"4 lbs75-150 lbs.Cover Crop Calculator:Calculate the amount of cover crop neededCover Crop Calculator:Calculate the amount of cover crop needed1 Acre = 43,560 square feet, or 435'x100'Weight Conversion:1 Pound = 16 Ounces

Yes, these mouth watering fruits are real! White Alpines are white, ornately speckled with red seeds. The unique pineapple flavor and aroma more than make up for the small, bite-size fruits. Easily could be a kid's favorite mini-berry to pick and snack. Once you try one of these mouth watering fruits you will have them in your garden for years to come!

The Buffalo Grass is a warm-season grass that is the predominant component of the shortgrass prairies of the Great Plains. Once established, it is extremely drought tolerant and tough. It can be used as a xeriscape lawn grass for water conservation, and it is a common component in range mixtures. White Tailed Deer, Bison and Prairie Dogs utilize it for forage, and it is a larval host for the Green Skipper. Plants are stoloniferous and can invade flower beds if an edging or barrier is not used.

The Barkant Forage Turnip is an improved, early maturing, diploid turnip variety with a large purple tankard shaped bulb. Turnips have a high leaf to stem ratio and and provide very high concentrations of protein, sugar content and leaf yields. This turnip is ideally suited for grazing and it is common to obtain 4-6 tons of dry matter per acre of this high-energy feed.  Uses: Chicken forage, deer attractant, forage

Strawberry Spinach is a delicious fruit that is almost entirely edible. A beautiful plant with showy leaves and berries. It's triangular toothed leaves and tender shoots are great for salads. Shiny red mulberry-like fruits are edible and can be added to salads. Grown in Europe for centuries.

'Mignonette' is the tastiest red alpine variety in our opinion. It has moderate production of 1" long conical shaped fruit has an aroma and taste unlike anything you've ever experienced. Not as hardy as some of the other selections so mulch well for winter in colder zones.

The Dwarf Essex Rape Brassicas is a cool season leafy, cabbage related plant that spreads well and is perfect for grazing! This variety will persist well after the first frost and is ready to pasture 6-8 weeks after sowing. Canola (Brassica napus): Cool season, broadleaf, upright and spreading growth habit Uses: Chicken Forage, Deer Attractant, Forage

The Big Boy Purplehull is a high yielding, popular Southern cowpea that is great for home gardens. Big Boy Purplehull is a long podded variety with 13-16 peas per pod that are light tan in color and oblong shape. This is a good garden variety and is very prolific. If you are using for Nitrogen fixation we highly recommend using a cowpea inoculant. Try with cowpea inoculant for maximum Nitrogen fixation.

The Seven Top is a tender, round and beautiful white globed turnip variety that produces consistently for a long period! This turnip is the best variety for producing masses of fine-flavored, old-fashioned, turnip greens that makes the ultimate southern staple!