Fall Garden Planting Schedule
It’s high time to get your fall garden in the ground, but what should you plant when? Check out the handy fall planting schedule below to find out.
Planting a fall garden is a worthy endeavor that can yield tasty dividends well into the winter in many climates. Depending on where you live, it’s probably already too late to plant some crops – but don’t worry – there’s still plenty you can do!
It may be too late for crops such as broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, but many crops, such as fall greens, lettuce, onions, and garlic do best planted when the weather is a bit cooler.
If you’re wondering what you can still plant in your area, and when to plant certain crops, check out the guide below for some helpful tips – and mark these dates in your garden planner!
There is no time to waste getting your fall garden crops into the ground, but exactly when should you plant them? Exact dates vary with location…. See Know When to Plant What: Find Your Average First Fall Frost Date to find an article that includes a link to tables showing average frost dates for cities in your state…. (Keep in mind that cold temperatures may come and go for several weeks in late fall. In most areas, you can easily stretch your fall season by covering plants with old blankets on subfreezing nights.)…
12 to 14 weeks before your first killing frost
- Direct-sow last plantings of fast-maturing, warm-season vegetables such as snap beans, cucumbers, and summer squash. Also sow parsnips and rutabagas, and begin planting cilantro, lettuce, and radishes.
- Start cabbage family seedlings indoors, and set out the seedlings as promptly as possible.
- In climates with long autumns, plant celery, bulb fennel, and parsley in the fall.
10 to 12 weeks before your first killing frost
- Set out broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower seedlings, along with celery, bulb fennel and parsley.
- Direct-sow beets, carrots, collards, leeks and scallions, along with more lettuce and radishes. In some areas, even fast-maturing peas and potatoes will do well in the fall garden.
8 to 10 weeks before your first killing frost
- Direct-sow arugula, Chinese cabbage, turnips, spinach, mustard, pac choi, tatsoi, and other Asian greens.
- Sow more lettuce and radishes, including daikons.
6 to 8 weeks before first killing frost
- Make a final sowing of spinach along with mâche, which matches spinach for super winter-hardiness. (In most regions, you can expect to enjoy these crops in your Christmas salads!)
- Make a final sowing of lettuce beneath a protective tunnel or frame.
On or around your first killing frost date
- Every fall garden should include garlic and shallots. If you love onions, be sure to try multiplying onions and perennial “nest” onions.
See full article at Mother Earth News…