Plant A Fall Garden: What To Sow, When, And Where

As the summer produce withers on the vine, it is time to sow seeds for a fall and early-winter harvest. If you did not get a spring vegetable bed in, that is fine. Many crops actually prefer the cool, and unlike spring or early summer, fall gardens run with fewer diseases and fewer insect pressures. According to University of Minnesota Extension, the calendar-back method (count days to maturity backwards from your first-frost date, then add 14 days of shorter fall daylight) is the standard rule. This guide keeps that rule and walks you through every crop the Almanac’s editors have grown out on our own test plots, plus the flowers that carry the garden into November.

Fall Gardening Tips

• Late summer, August and September, is the best time to start a fall vegetable garden in most regions.
• Once your summer vegetables have been harvested, pull up the plants and compost.
• Check the Farmers’ Almanac’s average first frost dates for your state.
• Sow early-maturing varieties when possible, so plants become well established before a frost is likely to occur.
• If time is tight, plant transplants (young seedlings) available at most garden centers.
• Track daylight, not just temperature. Fall garden days lose about 3 minutes each afternoon, so figure two extra weeks on the seed packet’s days-to-maturity number.

Not enough time before first frost to plant seeds in your area? Plant transplants (young seedlings) instead, available at most garden centers.

Beets

Plant beet seeds about 8 to 12 weeks before the average first fall frost date for your area. Beets thrive in soil with a pH 7.0 to 7.5. They prefer sun but tolerate some shade. Sow seeds half an inch deep, about 2 inches apart. Keep the soil moist. Mulch and water as needed. Mulch keeps the soil cool, which yields sweeter roots. Beets do best in cool weather, and not only can they tolerate a frost, a frost actually improves flavor. Almanac tip: leave the greens on for a full month before harvesting the root, then eat both. The tops are one of the highest-magnesium leafy greens in the fall bed.

Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage)

Bok choy, sometimes seen as “siu bak choy,” translates from Chinese to “small white vegetable” (not to be confused with dai bak choy, or big white vegetable, a.k.a., Napa cabbage). This cruciferous vegetable in the Brassicaceae family is easy to grow and matures quickly in cooler weather, roughly 50 days depending on variety. Sow seeds 8 to 10 weeks before first fall frost is expected. Space about 6 to 7 inches apart in your garden bed. Bok choy produces a head similar to romaine lettuce. It is tender yet crisp and mild in flavor. Harvest leaves as they become ready. Plants should have thick white stalks and dark green leaves along the top edges. Bok choy keeps only about 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but for longer storage, you can prop the heads up in sand in a cool root cellar for up to 2 months.

Broccoli

Broccoli seeds should be planted 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost. Seeds take 1 to 2.5 weeks to sprout. Transplants can go in several weeks later than seeds, and should be spaced about 15 inches apart in a fall garden. Mulch around the plants once they have grown a few inches above the soil. The mulch keeps the roots cool. Broccoli matures well in cooler weather and tolerates a mild fall frost. It thrives when daytime temperatures sit around 70 F and nighttime temperatures reach no lower than 60 F. Almanac tip: cut the main crown at a sharp angle so rainwater does not pool inside the stalk. Side shoots keep coming for weeks after the first head is cut.

Cabbage

Cabbage is a cool-weather, hardy vegetable, ideal for your fall garden. Seeds can be planted 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost. Sow cabbage seeds in soil with a pH 7.0 to 7.5, in full sun. Plant half an inch deep, spacing 1.5 feet apart, and you will not need to thin later. Mulch plants to keep soil cool. Water plants frequently. Harvest when heads are hard and round, before a hard freeze. Once harvested, cabbage can be stored for 2 to 3 months at 32 to 40 F. Almanac note: fall cabbage is the classic sauerkraut and kimchi crop. Ferment the extra heads into a crock and you have a working root cellar even without a root cellar.

Carrots

Carrots should be planted in loose, rock-free, well-draining soil with a pH 6 to 7. A raised bed filled with well-worked soil and compost is ideal. Sow seeds about half an inch apart in three-quarter inch deep furrows. Keep soil moist and mist with water until seedlings appear. Moisture keeps the carrots from turning bitter. Once plants reach 2 inches tall, thin out, leaving at least 3 inches between plants. After thinning, mulch around the seedlings to retain moisture in the soil. Harvest as soon as carrots are large enough to eat. When you are ready to harvest, water the ground to soften it and release the carrots easily into your hands. Instead of harvesting all at once, leave some in the garden bed under a thick layer of straw or other mulch. They can stay in the ground until December. Flavor improves with a hard frost. Cover them with hay to keep them warm. See more carrot harvesting tips here.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and kale grow best in the fall and can be planted before mid-September for a fall and winter harvest. Plant 8 weeks before the first frost. Sow seeds 1 inch deep and 3 inches apart. Keep the soil moist. Make sure the temperature is not likely to go above 80 F after you have planted spinach, or it will not germinate, although certain lettuce varieties can handle heat. Kale is sweeter grown in the fall, especially if you leave it in the ground through a light frost. Almanac note: a cold frame or floating row cover doubles the harvest window. Kale planted the last week of August in Zones 5 and 6 will feed the kitchen into January under a light row cover.

Leeks

Leeks are quite hardy and can survive even during a winter freeze. Plant around mid to late August or into September. Hill soil up around the stalks as they grow, so the white portion runs long and tender. In Zones 5 to 8, they can overwinter under a heavy mulch and yield again in early spring before bolting.

Radish

Radishes are the perfect fall crop, as they thrive in cool fall weather. They are easy to grow and ripen quickly. They will grow in most soil types but do best in a loose, sandy loam with a pH 5 to 7. They prefer partial shade. Radishes can typically be planted through September or one month before first frost. Plant radish seeds half an inch deep, spacing seeds about one inch apart. They require moisture to germinate, so continue to water frequently, especially when hot summer weather remains. Radishes stand a light frost. Most radish varieties are ready to harvest in less than a month. Almanac tip: succession-sow radishes every 10 days from mid-August to mid-October. You will have a fresh handful for salads every week clear through Thanksgiving.

Sugar Snap Peas / Snow Peas

Sugar snap and snow peas also tolerate frost, though you will want to plant them before the soil drops below 45 F. Inoculating pea seed with the correct rhizobial inoculant (widely available from any garden supplier) can boost yields 15 to 30 percent in cool soil.

Parsnips

Parsnips can stay in the ground all winter, and they taste better after several frosts. Just cover with hay or mulch before the snow starts. Old-timers in northern New England will not dig a parsnip until after New Year’s Day, when the cold has fully converted the starch to sugar.

Turnip

Another great fall root vegetable is the turnip, since it matures quickly (about 2 months) and is hardy enough to survive even in Siberia. The greens are edible and cook up in 5 minutes. Save the largest roots for storage and pickle the smaller ones for the winter table.

Regional Fall Planting Windows

The Almanac’s editors work off USDA plant hardiness zones plus the Almanac frost tables. Rough guidelines to work back from your first-frost date:

Region	Zone range	Start seed indoors	Direct sow outdoors
Deep South (FL, TX gulf coast)	9 to 11	Late August	September through October
Mid South (GA, AL, TN, NC)	7 to 8	Mid August	Late August through September
Mid Atlantic and Midwest (PA, OH, IL)	5 to 6	Early August	Mid August through early September
Northeast and Upper Midwest (NY, ME, MN, WI)	3 to 5	Late July	Early to mid August
Pacific Northwest (WA, OR)	7 to 9	Mid August	Late August through October

Flowers

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are hardy, easy-to-grow perennials. They withstand light frosts and continue blooming with bright, cheery flowers. For optimal growth, plant them where their roots have room to spread out (18 to 30 inches) and where they receive plenty of sunlight. Many mums survive the winter, though it is worth mulching them once the temperature drops.

Pansies

Pansies are annuals that bloom in the fall and even winter in warmer climates, though they will not survive a hard frost. Almanac tip: pinch spent blooms weekly to keep the plant flowering through November.

If you want to attract butterflies and other insects, plant goldenrod, which (contrary to popular belief) does not cause hay fever! Its tall, spiky clusters of yellow flowers also contrast well with the colorful, daisy-like blooms of asters, which bloom through October.

Spring Bulbs

If you want daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, or lilies blooming in early spring, plan ahead and plant the bulbs in late September and October. This lets them establish roots over the winter. Plant when the ground has cooled, before it freezes. That usually happens when evening temperatures are in the 40s and 50s, around the time of the first frost. Avoid planting when the soil is too wet and warm, since it can cause mildew. If you want to lock in specific varieties, buy your bulbs early and store them in a cool, dark area until it is time to plant them.

Because of variation in climates, be sure to consider the number of days required for a plant to mature and the time you have until first frost before you start planting your fall garden. Check our Gardening Calendar so you know which days are best for certain tasks.

The Almanac Angle: Moon Phases And Root Crops

Almanac tradition holds that root crops (beets, carrots, radishes, parsnips, turnips) do best when sown during the waning moon. Above-ground crops (lettuce, kale, bok choy, broccoli) are sown during the waxing moon. The Farmers’ Almanac Gardening Calendar stamps every day in August and September with a recommendation, tied to the same 200-year-old formula the Almanac still prints for weather.

Frequently Asked Questions

With contributions from freelance writers Kristen Hewitt and Deborah Tukua.