Maple Tree · Gardenality Genius · Zone 10A · 30° to 35° F
Hi Michael-Interested in finding if their are any diseases that may be keeping growers and others from growing curly kale this year I searched around a little. So far I haven't found any blight or other diseases affecting the production of kale this year. The article Brent gave you the link to will give you a lot of great tips on growing your fall garden. Like the article says, planting a fall garden will extend your gardening season allowing you to continue to harvest fresh produce into winter. Depending on your location will determine how early you should start planning, sowing, or planting your fall garden. In the southern warmer locations your growing season will be longer than those that live in a more northern location. The list Brent gave you are vegetables that will do well planted now in September. If you are located in a warm location such as hardiness zone 8 - 10 vegetables such as beets, carrots, green onions, cabbage, broccoli, and the cauliflower can be planted as late as December as these vegetables can handle light frost. In fact most all the plants on Brents list if grown in warmer climates with mild winters can grow well into winter with a little protection if needed by covering them with a blanket, card board boxes, tarps, etc.. Here in Southern Calif. I see a lot of neighbors growing these vegetables well into our winter months.
When it comes to planning your fall garden it is important to know when the average date of the first killing frost is. Your local nursery, garden center, or cooperative extension service is a good source for this information. To determine when to start planting your vegetables you need to find out the number of days to maturity for the vegetable. The plants maturity information can usually be found on the seed packaging and on some plant labeling. Count back the number of days it takes the vegetable to mature from the first average frost date. Adding a week or so to this number of days will help in adding a little extra time to harvest your vegetables once they are mature. There are several good articles in Gardenality on getting started growing vegetables, planning, growing, fertilizing, and treating disease and insects in your garden. Youl can just go to the 'Articles' tab above and type in a key word such as vegetables and see many articles you may be interested in. A few years ago Brent constructed a Keyhole vegatable garden I thought was really neat. It definitely makes tending the garden and accessibility to the plants easy. If you go to Brent Wilson's member profile then click on Brent Wilson's pictures you will find a picture of the Keyhole Garden on page 32 of his pictures. Just thought you may be interested in seeing it as one idea for a vegetable garden.
I remember your question regarding pruning of your cucumbers. It sounds like you got some nice cucumbers this year. Did you try pruning them back some or raise them on some kind of trellis or cage. If pruning them back some to control their spread I was wondering how they did after pruning.