Zone 8 - What to Plant in October

Zone 8 - What to Plant in October

Zone 8 growers still have a couple months of growing season before their first frost arrives in late November. The earlier you start in October the better. Try direct sowing some kale, spinach, radish and other second season vegetables. Below is a list of items that can be planted in zone 8 in October.

The Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is an early variety that grows to 12" inches high. The pale purple, flattened, globe shaped bulbs are smooth and tender and form above the ground. Purple Vienna's uniquely flavored white flesh tastes the best when its bulbs are 3" in diameter. Sow in the spring to enjoy a successful harvest over a longer period of time.

An early maturing heirloom cabbage. Early Jersey Wakefield is an early variety of cabbage with pointed heads that resist splitting! A great home garden cabbage with great flavor!

Waltham 29 produces incredibly high yields for broccoli! This variety is known for its good color, cold resistance, dwarf compact plant, and big side shoots. Main heads are 4-8" with steady side shoot production after main head is harvested.

De Cicco broccoli, known for its exceptional taste, is a popular heirloom variety of broccoli (Brassica oleracea) that hails from Italy. This Italian heirloom has been cultivated for generations, making it a favorite among gardeners and chefs alike. De Cicco broccoli is classified as a compact, semi-dwarf type of broccoli, and it is highly prized for its versatility in the kitchen and its relatively quick maturity. De Cicco broccoli boasts a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of nuttiness. Its tender, dark green florets are surrounded by a profusion of lush leaves. The compact plant typically reaches a height of 18-24 inches, making it suitable for smaller gardens or container growing. De Cicco is known for its relatively short days to maturity, typically taking around 48-65 days from seed sowing to harvest. This broccoli variety is characterized by its vibrant, dark green color, which is indicative of its high nutrient content. De Cicco broccoli exhibits strong disease resistance, particularly against common broccoli ailments like downy mildew and clubroot, which can be a relief for growers. When properly cared for, De Cicco broccoli can yield a bountiful harvest of small to medium-sized heads, often producing side shoots after the main head is harvested. For optimal growth, it's recommended to sow De Cicco broccoli seeds in well-drained soil with full sun exposure. Plant the seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, spacing them about 18-24 inches apart to provide enough room for the plants to mature and thrive. Additionally, consistent watering and adequate fertilization can help ensure a successful De Cicco broccoli crop.  

Snowball Y Improved cauliflower is a popular open pollinated variety! This cauliflower is known for its vigorous, rapid growth and long harvest. Its head is snow-white and measures 7-8" inches across. Give this cauliflower fertile soil, full sun and steady moisture and you'll be rewarded with large, delicious heads that are high in vitamin C.

Red Acre cabbage is simply the best early maturing red cabbage! Red Acre is a fantastic cabbage that produces reddish-purple heads. Each cabbage head grows to 7 inches in diameter and weighs about 3 pounds. Red Acre is resistant to cabbage yellowing and is great for home gardens that have little space. Red Acre cabbage stores better than just about any other early cabbage variety. Great raw or for coleslaw use.

The Romaine Trio Blend is a mixture of three of our specialty romaine lettuces. This tri-colored blend is very popular for not only its beautiful color variation and vigorous growth, but also for its delicious taste.

The Blue Curled Scotch Kale can be used as a garnish and or in hearty winter dishes. This kale variety is a compact plant with very tender, blue-green, crinkled leaves that are quite delicious, very cold hardy, and rich in vitamin A.

The Dazzling Blue Kale is a beautiful, cold-tolerant lacinato-type that produces large blue-green leaves with deep purple veins. This kale is sure to add a delicious pop of color to any salad! This variety will survive freezing temperatures better than other lacinato types and will even intensify with cool temperatures.

The Snow Crown cauliflower is a delicious, mild and sweet hybrid. This cauliflower's head will get to 7-8 inches across and 1-2 pounds. The Snow Crown is extra early and adaptable and can be harvested in summer or fall. Be careful not to under-fertilize or water, stress can cause a purplish discoloration on the undersides of the head.

The Aspabroc Baby gets its name from having asparagus stems and raab heads! Aspabroc Baby Broccoli a deliciously sweet broccolini with a peppery taste. Considered a baby broccoli that was developed by Sakata in Japan. Once cooked the flavor is dulled a bit. The entire plant is edible either raw, sauted, steamed or fried. A very healthy treat that contains vitamin C, A, calcium and iron. Great for sauteeing, steaming, roasting and boiling.

The Giant Caesar Lettuce is an amazing bright green looseleaf romaine type that has a buttery sweet flavor similar to a butterhead. This variety's large leaves are easy to pick without any tearing or bruising. The Giant Caesar is heat resistant and will hold its color and flavor well.

All The Year Round Lettuce is a medium-sized green headed lettuce that is just like its name, good for all the year round! This slow bolt variety is solid even in hot weather, and good for far northern areas as it is very hardy. Sow All The Year Round in spring or late summer!

Cascadia Pea is a major garden staple for its heavy yields of great tasting and crispy pea pods. Enjoy bucketloads of large, crisp pods with small, sugary peas! The 3' tall vines should be supported on a trellis or fence. Cascadia's multiple disease resistances allow for spring and late season plantings.

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!

The Bouquet Dill is an early maturing dill variety with dark feathered green leaves that produces an intoxicating, tangy aroma. The Bouquet is easy to grow and is popular for its flavor and uniform foliage. It can be used to enhance salads, soups and more. Along with its amazing culinary properties, the Bouquet is also perfect for filling in bouquets and cut flowers.

The Early Purple Sprouting broccoli is an heirloom broccoli bred for overwintering! This variety produces lots of beautiful purple broccoli sprouts in the spring. The Early Purple Sprouting grows slowly through the winter; very frost hardy.

Georgia Southern is a large collard plant with a cabbage-like taste! This variety produces bluish-green leaves that can grow up to 36" tall and do not bunch or head like cabbage leaves. These large open heads are great for cooking or freezing. The Georgia Southern collard is vitamin rich, sweet, not bitter, heat tolerant, and frost hardy.