Planning for the Fall Garden

Posted by Cathy England
August 7th, 2009
Filed in Seasonal Garden Maintenance
Tags: fall, frost, greens, vegetables, winter

Planting, growing and harvesting does not have to end with the summer! There are a number of crops that can be planted in August. Because of short growing seasons, or tolerance for frost and cold temperatures, these crops will thrive and reward you late into the fall, even into the early winter after the first light snowfalls. In order for this to be successful, it is time now to begin planning for the fall garden.

Fall gardening is very similar in many ways to gardening early in the spring. There are some preparation steps, and thought needs to be put into what will grow successfully, and what to grow where.

Prepare the Soil For a Second Harvest

Put some thought into what plants you have growing that are close to or are finished growing.  Perhaps you have a bed where broccoli and cauliflower were planted, and have already been harvested.  Maybe bush beans are done for the season, or carrots have been pulled and eaten.

In those empty spots, take a look at the soil.  It is important to remember that whatever was just growing there has probably depleted the soil of many of the nutrients necessary for successful growing.  It is time to replace them.

First, check soil pH, and maybe even have a sample examined at your local extension office. Next, dig in some finished compost, and add any amendments that may be necessary to help your plants grow as efficiently as possible.

Also consider what was growing in the bed that you are about to plant in.  Any beds that have been home to leguminous plants such as peas or beans are a great place to plant vegetables that need a lot of nitrogen.  Legumes fix large amounts of nitrogen in the soil, and it should be readily available in the soil.

Find Crops That Will Tolerate Cold and Frost

There are a number of crops that do well, or maybe even thrive in cold weather or with a little bit of frost.  Some crops even do well remaining in the soil after the freezing temperatures arrive.

Generally, crops that you were able to plant early in mid to late spring, will do well with planting in late July and early August.  These include:

• peas
• beets
• turnips
• collard and mustard Greens
• swiss chard
• carrots

All of these crops, when planted now, should have enough time to become established enough to handle the cool weather.

Understand What Needs to be Done to Protect Fall Crops

Peas should be able to mature and bear before they are killed off by the first frost.  In many cases, peas will continue to do well even after the first snowfall.  If you are concerned with the crop, cover when frost warnings begin in order to protect their continued harvest.

Root crops will do fine in the cold weather, and are known to sweeten as they are stored in the soil during cold weather.  Ensure that root crops are heavily mulched, so that the ground does not freeze solid around your crop.  This will make their harvesting easier, ensuring that you are able to get them out of the ground.

Hardy greens such as Kale, Chard, and other greens will tolerate cold weather, but require either small hoop houses, cold frames, or row cover to protect them from some of the elements.  Do not forget that beet and turnip greens can be harvested as a cut and come again crop as they mature.

Move Plants Indoors

Some plants that are already growing in containers, such as herbs or lettuce, can be moved indoors and treated almost like houseplants.  Both will continue to grow indoors given a sunny location.  Grow lights and heat mats can help this process if you do not have a convenient sunny location present.

Buy a sprouter, and start bean sprouts for addition to salads and as a substitute for lettuce on sandwiches.

Also remember to bring in or protect vulnerable plants such as fruit trees and berry bushes that are not yet well established.

Have fun with your second harvest!