Are you ready to plant a fall garden? If you’re the type of person who wants to garden only in the fall or spring when stinging heat and stinging bugs aren’t such a problem–then this Labor Day might be a great time to get your hands in the dirt. You’ll have the greatest odds of success if you start thinking about your garden in the peak of summer, during July or August. But there are some workarounds to help you get started later if you’re like me and only start to really think about a fall garden once temperatures drop.
When Should I Plant a Fall Garden?
Timeframes for planting a fall garden vary by region because they are highly dependent on weather patterns: namely, heat and frost. The types of plants that do well in the fall are the ones that can grow in cooler temperatures (especially in the evening). If you put them in too early, they might wilt or bolt on really hot days. But there’s some pressure on the back end of fall as well. You usually need to harvest your plants in time to produce fruit before hard frosts start.
This might sound like a lot to juggle, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. Take your average first frost date and then count backward by 6-10 weeks (depending on the plant). That provides the range for when you should plant your seeds. I asked ChatGPT to summarize those calculations in a table to make it easier (see below). I also added a different time window for transplants-which I think is a better option for most folks planting fall gardens. And if you missed this window, you can still plant now and overwinter vegetables and flowers for an earlier spring harvest (more on how to overwinter here).
| Zone | Avg. First Frost | Seed-Planting Window | Transplant-Planting Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Sep 8–15 | Jun–Jul | early-mid July |
| 4 | Sep 21–Oct 7 | Jul | July-early August |
| 5 | Oct 13–21 | Jul–Aug | August |
| 6 | Oct 17–31 | Jul–Aug | August – Early Sep |
| 7 | Oct 29–Nov 15 | Aug | August- Early Sep |
| 8 | Nov 7–28 | Aug–Sep | September |
| 9 | Nov 25–Dec 13 | Sep | September-early Oct |
| 10 | Dec 13–Jan 21 | Sep–Oct | October |
Should I plant seeds or transplants?
The main challenge of planting a fall garden is timing the seed planting. Crops that do well in cooler fall temperatures typically require cooler temperatures to germinate as well. Unless you have an indoor seed starting station, you likely won’t be able to get your crops to germinate during that seed planting window.
For those who don’t have a good indoor seed-starting station, I recommend picking up your fall plants from a local nursery. They usually have a good selection of plants that do well in your growing zone and allow you a little leeway on planting times. For example, this weekend (Labor Day weekend), I picked up a 6-pack of kale for $4.00. I’m going to have Kale in two weeks (versus 30-50 days if I grew it by seed). I will be able to harvest it over and over throughout the fall (and possibly into the winter if I’m lucky). Broccoli is going to take a little longer, but I’ve got a head start. So even if I have a frost, I can probably still cover it and keep it safe until it’s ready to harvest.
What vegetables should I plant?
There are a few criteria that make a plant optimal for a fall garden:
- A relatively short seed-to-harvest time
- Thrives in cooler temperatures
- Frost tolerance
The window for a fall garden is usually shorter, cooler, and progressively darker than the summer garden. A good fall garden is one filled with plants that don’t require as much heat or light. A great fall plant improves its flavor with a little frost. Leafy greens and brassicas are my go-to plants for fall gardens. And of course, plants that hang out under the soil like carrots, garlic, onions, and turnips are great options too.
What happens if it frosts before my produce is ready to harvest?
Great news, most of the plants that thrive in a fall garden can take a little frost. Some even get better with cooler temperatures. That being said, if temperatures below 32 °F come in, I cover my plants. I have a nice row cover system now that I put together very cheaply with these products from Amazon (this is an affiliate link. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you). They’ve all lasted multiple seasons and are still rolling. But I used to just put sheets and blankets over my plants. Cold temperatures seem to come in at night and leave by mid-morning. If you cover your plants, be sure and uncover them in the morning so they don’t get too hot.
I would love to hear what folks are planting and see pictures of your fall garden. Tag me at @mistynewcomb on Instagram with a photo once you get yours planted!
