Most vegetables that grow in a spring garden will also grow well in a fall garden. In fact, some will even do better. Cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and broccoli, which suffer in the summer heat, will be more crisp and succulent. Cool nights and warm days add sweetness to corn. Parsnips and collards are improved by a touch of frost. Try your summer disappointments again in a fall garden, and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Timely planting is the key to a successful fall garden. Figure the number of days to maturity of your particular crop, add two weeks and count backwards from November 15, the average time for a killing frost for our area.
Don’t forget to give your garden soil a boost before you plant. A light layer of compost, aged manure, or a small application of a complete fertilizer will be worth the effort and cost. The soil is still warm, therefore the root growth will be encouraged, and cooler air means plants lose less moisture from their leaves.
If you haven’t already cleared all old plants from the summer garden, do so now. These leftovers provide winter refuge for pests and diseases. Do not put any diseased plants in your compost bin.
Cool season transplants can be set out now for harvest in late fall and winter. Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and kale should be available at local seed stores and nurseries. Seeds for cool weather leafy vegetables can be sown now. Lettuce, radishes, spinach and turnip greens are popular choices.
The biggest key to fall vegetable gardens is knowing when to plant. The date of the average frost locally is about Nov. 15, and warm weather vegetables need to start maturing at least two-three weeks before frost to justify the effort.
Shade is needed for newly sprouted seeds and transplants with adequate watering. Nutrient levels are usually low after your spring garden, so fertilizer and/or manure may be needed.
Below are some suggested planting dates for fall vegetables:
|
Asparagus |
N.R. |
|
Beans, Bush |
8/1 – 9/1 |
|
Beans, Pole |
8/1 – 9/1 |
|
Beans, Lima |
7/15 – 8/15 |
|
Beets |
9/1 – 10/15 |
|
Broccoli (plants) |
8/1 – 9/15 |
|
Brussels Sprouts |
8/1 – 10/1 |
|
Cabbage (plants) |
8/15 – 9/15 |
|
Cabbage, Chinese |
8/15 – 9/15 |
|
Carrots |
8/15 – 10/15 |
|
Cauliflower (plants) |
8/15 – 9/15 |
|
Chard, Swiss |
8/1 – 10/15 |
|
Collard/Kale |
8/15 – 10/1 |
|
Corn, Sweet |
8/1 – 8/15 |
|
Cucumber |
8/1 – 9/1 |
|
Eggplant (plants) |
7/15 – 8/1 |
|
Garlic |
9/1 – 10/15 |
|
Kohlrabi |
8/15 – 9/15 |
|
Lettuce (leaf) |
9/15 – 10/15 |
|
Muskmelon (Cantaloupe) |
7/15 – 8/1 |
|
Mustard |
9/15 – 10/15 |
|
Onion (plants) |
N.R. |
|
Parsley |
8/15 – 10/1 |
|
Peas, English |
8/15 – 9/15 |
|
Peas, Southern |
7/1 – 8/1 |
|
Pepper (plants) |
7/1 – 8/1 |
|
Potatoes (Irish) |
8/15 – 9/15 |
|
Potatoes (Sweet) (slips) |
N.R. |
|
Pumpkin |
7/1 – 8/1 |
|
Radish |
9/15 – 10/15 |
|
Spinach |
9/1 – 10/15 |
|
Squash, Summer |
7/15 – 8/15 |
|
Squash, Winter |
7/1 – 7/15 |
|
Tomato (plants) |
7/15 – 8/1 |
|
Turnips |
10/1 – 11/1 |
|
Watermelon |
7/1 – 8/1 |
|
Watermelon (Seedless) |
7/1 – 8/1 |