Fall Garden Planting

It is time to put in your fall garden! If you have not planned and prepped for this day already, then you better get going. Even though the weather has been hot and muggy, and I know you do not want to go outside, it is time to plant. The fall garden for many folks, especially homesteaders, is one of the best times of the year. We often fail at growing spring crops, because the weather turns hot and humid faster than we can believe. But the fall garden season lasts a lot longer.

Why does spring fail so much more than fall? Because of a couple reasons. First, we are waiting for the soil temperature to warm up. The best planting is done when the soil temps are between 50 and 70 degrees F. But in the fall, the soil temps are already around 70, so germination of seeds is quicker and more reliable. Second, we cannot determine exactly when the last frost date will be, but it is somewhere between April 15 and May 1, at least for the Central Great Plains. In the fall garden, we need only worry about the first hard freeze, which usually happens in mid-October.

How to Prepare for the Fall Garden

The fall garden is planted where the spring and summer garden are. You should still have melons, corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, and other summer crops still going strong. But there should also be areas that are empty from the season’s potatoes, onions, garlic, and spring vegetables. This is where you either put in fall crops, or plant a cover crop for soil improvement.

To prepare your beds means something different to everyone. In the fall or winter, I prepare my garden beds for spring by laying down a layer of cardboard, then a layer 8 to 10 inches deep of spoiled goat bedding, and I top it all of with 2 to 4 inches of compost or topsoil. This way, I continue to build layers in the beds while making a home for invertebrates like worms, beetles, and wood lice. It all breaks down quickly.

After planting or germination of seeds, I will add a later of diatomaceous earth around the plants to keep chewing insects away, and then I will mulch with sawdust or grass clippings. And of course, watering!

No matter how you prepare, I recommend at least adding new compost to the top of your beds. If you do not have compost, then use worm castings, leaf mold, or fresh topsoil with fertilizer (organic only).

Choosing Which Fall Garden Crops to Plants

This really depends on what part of the country you live in. For us in the Central Great Plains, the choices are less varied than those in South Carolina, Texas, or Arkansas. And more varied than those in South Dakota, Maine, or Idaho. But there is plenty to plant yet. This first thing you need to look at is time from planting to harvest, listed on each packet of seeds.

If you are planting cole crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts, then you should be planting plants with at least 4 true leaves on them. Brussels sprouts can handle frosts and freezes, but they still need a long period before harvest. It best to start cole seedlings in July for early August planting. If you did not do that, try to find a local grower who has them for sale.

Root Crops

There are a variety or root crops which have cold (frost) hardy leaves or tops. These will be undamaged by freezes or frosts, as long as the temperature does not get too low for too long in the night. But there are some crops which cannot handle too low of temperatures. For example, I have heard about fall planting of potatoes, though I have never tried it. Maybe 2024 will be the first time to try it.

Fall garden root crops which are probably more reliable for planting include the following:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Turnips (I love Japanese turnips)
• Rasishes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Shallots
• Green Onions

Now, garlic is a fall planted root crop. But it is best planted in October for a July harvest; in the Central Great Plains anyways. You can plant garlic until Thanksgiving in Zone 5b.

Row Crops

Now, I call these row crops, but I do not plant a lot of them in rows. It is just a traditional way of calling these plants. In the past, most gardeners did plant these in rows. But blocks of crops, especially greens, is more efficient than rows. I have already mentioned the cole crops above, but there are quite a few other fall garden crops to consider. A lot of it comes down to personal preference. For example, I love kale and spinach, but hate lettuce.

In the fall, with cooler temperatures (generally), the root crops will be sweeter tasting, and the row crops will have more time to produce without the fear of bolting. What is bolting? Bolting is the term applied to vegetable crops when they prematurely run to seed, usually making them unusable.

• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Kale
• Mixed Greens
• Kohlrabi
• Peas
• Bush Beans
• Summer Squash

There should be enough warm weather days left to get a full crop of summer squash, whether zucchini or yellow crookneck. Watch out neighbors!

Conclusion

Now that you have your fall garden planned and planted, do not forget to water! The summer heat is still upon us, so keep your gardens growing. But do not forget to enjoy the garden around you. Take some time to stop and smell the roses, they should be blooming still.

Happy planting!