During summers, your garden is brimming with warm-season vegetables, and you’d love to keep that going when the weather cools. Well, you can. Fall vegetable gardens can yield tremendous crops if you know what you’re doing. Let’s take a look at how to plant a fall vegetable garden.
How a fall garden is different
A fall garden consists of vegetables that thrive in cool conditions and even endure frost. It’s specifically designed for items like kale, root vegetables, lettuce, and other green veggies that do well in temperatures consistently below 75 degrees.
Another thing to remember about growing in the fall is that days are shorter, so your garden gets less sunlight. This can lengthen growing times. Understanding this is key to knowing when to plant, which we’ll explore below.
There are also many benefits to gardening late in the year. You might find fall gardening to be a more pleasant experience than tending a plot in high heat and humidity of summer. Consider these benefits:
- Cooler weather and no scorching sun
- Fewer pests and diseases because they cannot thrive when temperatures are cold
- Fewer weeds
- Lower water requirements because there is less evaporation and transpiration
When to plant
Timing is (almost) everything when planning a fall garden. You want to take advantage of the cooler temperatures for growing but avoid the bitter frosts that can decimate crops before they’re harvested. They key is to understand how long it takes your vegetables to grow so you can have them out of the ground before disaster strikes
Growing time
Some plants are fast-growing, while others take time to grow and mature. It’s important to understand each crop’s growing cycle so you can plan your harvest before the first hard frost.
- Most seed packets will list the growing time.
- Your local cooperative extension service can give you the projected first frost date in your area.
- Count backward from the project first frost to determine when you should plant your crop. If radishes take 25 days to mature, and the first frost is projected to be on Oct. 10, then the best time to plant them may be on or before Sept. 14.
- Add another 15 days of growing time to account for the declining daylight. This moves your planting back to the end of August.
Fast-growing crops include:
- Radishes
- Turnips
- Beets
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
- Kale
- Collards
- Mustard green
Remember that the frost dates are just an estimation.
How to plant
There are a number of factors to consider when planting a fall garden. The location, soil preparation, sunlight and types of plants all come into play. See this Lawn Love article for a detailed guide on how to prepare an edible garden.
Choose a location
The fall garden can be started indoors using containers and plant bags or outside on raised beds and rows if you have already harvested the summer crops. You’ll also want to choose a location that optimizes sunlight.
Clear the space
Clean up the summer crops that are no longer producing or remove the ones infested with pests or diseases. Weed the space as well.
Prepare the soil
Replenish the soil for the fall crop to replace the nutrients used up by the summer crops. Garden centers will have ample supplies of compost to add to your soil. Spread a half inch of compost and work it into the existing soil with a rake.
If you are growing root vegetables such as radishes, carrots, etc., ensure you add a good source of phosphorus and nitrogen like fish emulsion to stimulate the growth of your vegetables.
Control the sunlight
If you’re planting in the summer for a fall garden, be aware that some cool-weather crops may struggle in the high temperatures initially. Consider using a shade cloth or mulch to control the heat these plants receive.
For cabbage, lettuce and other heat-sensitive plants that might not germinate in hot soil, you can sow the seeds indoors first, then transplant them in your outdoor garden when the weather cools.
Tend your plants
Gardening is easier in the fall because there are fewer pests and weeds to contend with, but that doesn’t mean you can plant and forget. You need to ensure that the crops get enough water and nutrients, and you should also monitor for any diseases..
What to plant
Fall-garden vegetables call into three basic categories:
Tender-frost vegetables (above 32 degrees): These are susceptible to frost. When planting them, ensure you add one week to your harvest date to avoid frost damage.
- Cucumbers
- Beans
- Squash
- Tomatoes
- Okra
- Peppers
- Eggplant
Light frost-tolerant vegetables (28-32 degrees): These vegetables improve after the first frost, known as a winter kiss. To enjoy the sweetness from these crops, make sure you harvest them sometime after the early freeze.
- Chinese cabbage
- Celery
- Cauliflower
- Radishes
- Broccoli
- Swiss chard
- Fennel
- Lettuce
- Beets
Heavy frost-tolerant vegetables (28 degrees and below): These can survive a hard freeze. For them, the fall garden acts as a refrigerator. These include:
- Kohlrabi
- Cabbage
- Arugula
- Carrots
- Brussels sprouts
- Parsley
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Kale
- Mustard
FAQ
1. Why plant a fall vegetable garden?
A fall vegetable garden will extend the growing and harvesting season.
2. Besides vegetables, what other plants can be included in a fall garden?
Some other perennial crops to plant together with your fall vegetables are asters, goldenrod, toad lilies, chrysanthemums and cyclamen, as they bloom during autumn and winter.
Takeaways
With a fall garden, you can enjoy fresh produce all year round. But choose carefully. Make sure you select crops that are right for your climate and soil conditions. Need help with your fall garden and fall vegetables? Contact a Lawn Love gardening professional for help.
Main photo credit: MjZ Photography | Flickr
