It’s hard to believe it, but it’s already time to start your crops for the fall garden season!

In most areas of the country, July and August are planting time for fall season crops such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, and other cool-weather loving veggies.

With the warm soil of late summer, it may be easier to get your seedlings going than in the spring, but there are some unique challenges for the fall gardener as well.

Check out the article below for some tips for getting your fall garden off to a good start:

Fall season vegetable planting is a great way to get more use out of a small plot of land and revitalize a flagging summer garden. Plants that grow in cold weather do well in the spring, but they can do even better in the fall. Carrots, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and broccoli are actually sweeter and milder when they mature in cooler temperatures….

When to Plant Crops in Fall

Fall planting cool season crops only takes a little planning beforehand. To get plants that produce in cool weather, you’ll have to start them in late summer. Look up the average frost date for your area and count backward in time the days until maturity for your plant. (This will be printed on your seed packet. For the best yield, pick seed varieties with a quick time to maturity.)

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Plants That Grow in Cold Weather

Plants that grow in cold weather can be split into two groups: hardy and semi-hardy.

Semi-hardy plants can survive a light frost, meaning temperatures around 30-32 F. (-1 to 0 C.), but will die if the weather drops much colder.

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Hardy plants can survive multiple frosts and weather down into the 20s.

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Some mulched root vegetables can be harvested into winter even if their green tops have died, as long as the ground is not frozen.

For some examples of good cool-weather veggies, see the full article at GardeningKnowHow.com.