10 Tips and Tricks for Planting a Fall Garden — In just a few weeks, summer will be winding down, but it doesn’t mean gardening season has to. Fall is the perfect time to plant cooler weather crops again before winter sets in, or to over-winter certain crops for an early spring harvest.
I always plan on 3 full gardening phases. Early spring, summer and fall. It allows me to get the most out of my space. Maybe you missed the spring/summer garden, but really want to jump in before next year?
No matter what your situation, now is the time to start preparing for a fall garden.
10 Tips and Tricks for Planting a Fall Garden
Start lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and cauliflower indoors now. It’s still too hot to get the seeds to germinate {or the plants to thrive for that matter}, so start them indoors in a climate controlled environment.
I use my grow lights, but this time of year, you’ll probably have some luck with a bright window too {so long as they seedlings don’t get too hot.} Once they are established, you can plant them outdoors.
Just make sure to water them a little more religiously and plant them a little deeper than you would in the spring to keep their roots from getting too hot.
If you have the space, there is still time to plant cucumbers, summer squash, snap beans, etc. for a late fall harvest. You can directly sow these ones, as they will germinate even in higher temperatures.
As the weather starts to cool down–
Say September-ish or 10-12 weeks before your average 1st frost, you can direct sow Arugula, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, turnips, spinach, parsnips, mustard, Asian greens and radishes.
The turnips and parsnips may end up having to over-winter, but if you mulch them well with a thick top layer of straw, you should be able to dig them up as soon as the soil is workable in the late winter/early spring.
I plant spinach successively until the weather all but stops its growth. Around these parts, that means spinach clear through November.
In late summer/early fall, plant another round of carrots. You can mulch them well and over-winter them for an early March harvest.
As you harvest or remove spring/summer plants, keep crop rotation principles in mind for planting your fall garden. For example, fall beans and peas would go nicely in a place might need a little nitrogen boost in the soil–as they both fix nitrogen to the soil.
Herbs!
Consider starting a counter-top herb garden indoors right now. You’ll likely have good light with the long daylight hours and the seedlings will be thriving by the time the days shorten.
Lots of veggies get better after the first frost: carrots, spinach, kale, leeks, etc. can survive several frosts before they will peter out–if they ever do.
Extend the length of your fall gardening season by building a hoop house or covering your plants to protect them from any early frosts.
Look for seeds that yield quick to mature plants. Packets that say 30-60 days are ideal for a fall garden.
Will YOU be planting a fall garden? What will you plant?
~Mavis
MerryMouse says
WOW! So much garden-y goodness here today. I already planted one bed with another crop of green beans. And another with my favorite asian sugar peas that stay flat and don’t get pulpy. I still have time to put in beets and carrots, too. Last year I shredded my super abundant crop of carrots and put them in the dehydrator. Wow. Those were pretty good. Just soak a while to rehydrate. I tried parsnips twice and had nothing but trouble. I get them at the farmer’s market instead. Too hot outside around here (Willamette Valley) for lettuces and such, but I might put some in pots on the covered deck. Thanks for all your inspiration, Mavis. And we have Zaycon beef coming next week. Great stuff!
Dale says
Hi Mavis!
Planted my Fall garden a few days ago. This year I planted Beats, Pak Choi, Bok Choi. Romaine and red Romaine lettuce. Broccoli and cauliflower and more beans of several verities. Still have potatoes and Corn almost ready to harvest. My tomatoes and cucumbers are doing great. This year I planted Armenian yard long cucumbers and they are starting to produce. Been so busy harvesting Black berries, Blue berries, Yellow plums and strawberries. What a wonderful year we are having for the vegetable garden. Thanks again for all your advice. The sluggo you suggested really decimated the slug population. Where I used to find hundreds last year, this year I find 2 or 3. Yepeee!
Dale in Olympia
Mandi says
I’ve got my fall garden going, too. Where I had my onions and garlic, I’ve now sown carrots, leeks, and parsnips. I’ve got kale starts just popping up to go where I just pulled potatoes. I might go ahead and plant a couple more summer squash on your recommendation! Mine didn’t do very well where I put them for summer and we haven’t gotten very many. I planted Costata Romanesco, which is very tasty, but not quite as productive!
Mavis says
You can never have too much summer squash is what I always say!
Alexandra says
Hi Mavis,
I’m so excited to try these tips in my fall garden. I have chard, kale, cabbage and brussels sprouts growing indoors under my grow lights and ready to transplant outside soon. When I first planted my summer garden I didn’t realize that I could get a few additional crops in the garden this fall, so I’ve been learning a lot from your blog. My squash plants were attacked by squash fine borers so I recently yanked them out, but I’m going to see if I can get another squash plant going that will produce before the first fall frost in October.
Mavis says
So glad these tips will help you. And good luck with your squash plants.
Lisa says
I have my first vegetable garden and I was wondering about late season maintenance. Should I continue regular watering for over-wintering crops like carrots and garlic? I live in the dry high desert of Southern Utah and Mother Nature doesn’t always provide much moisture.