One of the wonderful things about gardening is that each year brings multiple opportunities to start fresh. If your spring or summer garden didn’t quite meet your expectations, now’s the perfect time to hit the reset button and plant a fall garden. 

Cooler temperatures create ideal conditions for growing cool-season crops, offering a chance for a third garden season this year. With the right season extension techniques, some of these crops can even transition into a winter garden, giving you a fourth season of gardening. With four chances in a year, you’re bound to have a stellar garden at least once!

Beyond harvesting your own food, fall is a pleasant time to be outside working in the garden. The sun isn’t as harsh, pests are less of a problem and the weeds are not nearly as aggressive. Many cool-season crops struggle in the summer heat, so now is the time to plant and enjoy them. 

COOL-WEATHER FAVORITES

Spinach, lettuce, peas, kale, chard, radishes (especially daikon), Asian greens like pak choi and bok choi, green onions, mustards and root vegetables like beets, turnips, rutabaga and kohlrabi all thrive in the cooler conditions from late September through November. The kale seeds I planted in July that didn’t germinate due to the warm soil should do much better when planted in September, allowing for a bountiful harvest in October. Interestingly, some salad greens like corn lettuce (mâche) and claytonia won’t grow in summer but thrive in winter. Corn lettuce has a silky texture and mild flavor while claytonia is crunchy and brings a freshness to winter salad blends.

Most fall crops germinate well in soil temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees. If your soil is still too warm, you can cool it down by laying out cardboard or mulch a week before planting and ensuring the soil stays moist. 

While our climate has favorable air temperatures for a fall garden, the challenge lies in the shrinking daylight hours. As we move past the peak sunlight of June, we lose about two and a half minutes of daylight each day. Seed packets list days to maturity based on spring and summer conditions when sunshine is abundant. With only 12 hours of daylight at the autumnal equinox on September 22, it takes crops about 20% longer to mature compared to when they had 14 hours of daylight in May, June and July. 

Lettuce labeled as 40 days to maturity will need around 50 days if planted in September, and an additional 20 days if planted in late October.

PLAN NOW FOR SPRING

Given the optimal soil temperatures and decreasing daylight, September is a critical time for planting seeds if you want to harvest them in the fall. 

In our area, most fall cover crops need to be planted by September 20, and in greenhouse production, September 15 is the deadline. Planting seeds between now and September 25 offers the best chance for success. I’ve seeded fall crops as late as October 10, but they didn’t mature before winter. 

However, late-planted seedlings often revive in spring, ready for harvest in early March and April. Some growers even use this as a strategy, planting in October for an early spring harvest. Local garbanzo bean growers, for example, have found success planting in the fall, allowing the seeds to germinate as soil temperatures become ideal in spring. This gives the garbanzos a head start against weeds and pests. 

For most home gardeners, planting in early September and filling in gaps around the third week of September should result in a productive fall harvest.

All of the fall crops mentioned can withstand light frosts and continue to thrive. I’ve had spinach survive temperatures as low as 23 degrees. However, sub-freezing temperatures below 28 degrees won’t encourage new growth, so planting now allows plants to develop strong roots and a full canopy before the temperatures drop in late October. Adding some protection, such as old windows, trash cans, deep dresser drawers or unused blankets, can help safeguard your plants during cold snaps.

Lastly, don’t forget to plan for spring color in your yard. Now is the perfect time to plant spring bulbs like daffodils, crocuses and tulips. 

FALL PLANTING DATES

The ideal planting dates for September are the 1st to the 9th and again from the 23rd to October 6th.