I already wrote about this topic on another thread here. My experience is that seeds have to be planted before July 15 to get big enough to overwinter successfully. Started plants might be different.

Here is a link that might be useful: other thread

first of all, its all going to depend on the crop. so, you know, follow specific advice for specific plants.

but as for general advice, i find that the earlier i put out fall crops, the more likely i have heat problems with them. say, you take a weekend at the coast during a heatwave. that can toast up all sorts of smaller starts and seedlings.

so planting them later will give them fewer chances to get caught in a heatwave, but less chance to grow in time.

Using Portland Nursery's veg. planting guide as a reference, I recently planted basil, arugula, peas (a little late but I'm hoping they will do okay), swiss chard. Also plan on another sowing of lettuce, kale and spinach before the end of August.

Here's a link to the calendar

http://portlandnursery.com/plants/docs/veggies/veggie_calendar.pdf

pdxfarmer, I'd never seen that list! It's great! We're just getting into vegetable growing, after years of perennials and herbs, so we need all the help we can get. Thank you.

For the fall/winter garden, I put seeds of root veggies in the sections of the garden I've just harvested. Lots of roots like the cold, and they keep in there once they're done, too.

Here in Redmond (zone 7b)I've seen a gardener who grows cabbage and broccoli as perennials, getting 3 years out of each plant. He overwinters the stalk + root with a little mulch. Garlic and shallots do well when planted in October and harvested the next summer. Fava beans live through cold weather. Leeks get fatter and fatter though the winter. Brussels sprouts grow on into the winter. Carrots, rutabegas, turnips, can be left in the ground and pulled throughout winter. Horseradish is fully perennial. I've turned up potatoes accidentally in the spring before they germinate and they are delicious.

dear Tastytravels,

I got hold of a good book. "Winter Gardening in the Maritime Northwest: Cool season crops for the year-round gardener" by Binda Colebrook, Sasquatch Books, Seattl, 1989, ISBN 0-912365-21-8.

Happy New Year,

Jim

Jim, I'll see if my library has that book. Sounds interesting. How did everyone else make out overwintering veggies? I had big plans but didn't have enough energy to follow through.