The start of fall does not mean the end of gardening season unless you want it to. Fall is a great time to grow many of the crops you enjoyed in the spring. To do this successfully, you need to plan ahead.
The Garden Bed
If space allows, consider using a separate garden bed for your fall garden and try planting a cover crop over your spring/summer garden plot. Cover crops, also known as green manures, are a perfect way to renew the soil's nutrients so next year's plants are healthy and happy. Examples of cover crops include buckwheat, ryegrass, oats, clover (both red and white), wheat and others. For early fall planting, oats, rye and wheat are good choices. They will suppress weeds and improve soil fertility naturally. Most cover crops can be tilled into the soil so you can plant your garden in the spring.
Whether you have a separate place or not, your fall garden should be prepared much like your spring garden was. Work in some organic compost or other soil amendments before you begin planting to give your vegetable the best possible start. Soil that is regularly fed and maintained will need few, if any, amendments.
Plant Selection
Once your garden bed is ready, with all weeds and sod removed, you can select your plants or seeds. To do this, you'll need to know your area's average frost date. You can learn this by visiting your county Extension Office or by checking out NOAA's freeze/frost data page. Simply click on your state from the list and you'll get a chart listing the weather stations in your state. Next to your closest city, you'll see dates for expected spring and fall freezes. Data is provided for three temperatures: 36, 32 and 28 degrees. This data will help you choose your fall crops wisely.
Quick Maturing, Tender Vegetables
Select from quick maturing vegetables that will be ready to harvest before your first expected frost. Possible options include beans, summer squash, eggplant, okra, peppers, corn and sweet potatoes. If you have 90 days or more before your first expected frost, you may be able to plant things like cucumbers and even tomatoes.
You can also get a wider variety of vegetables if you are able to plant seedlings instead of seeds. See if your local garden center has healthy plants left and you'll see your planting options expand. Make sure your seeds and plants are certified organic before purchasing.
Frost Tolerant Vegetables
Semi-hardy and hardy frost tolerant plants should also be included in your fall garden. These vegetables can tolerate a light frost and even a hard frost in the case of some vegetables. Often the flavor of them improves when touched by a light frost. Semi-hardy vegetables that can still thrive after a light frost include potatoes, parsnips, lettuce, celery cauliflower, chard, carrots, beets and Chinese cabbage.
Hardy vegetables that are fine even after a hard frost include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radish, turnips, onions, peas, kale and spinach.
Less hardy vegetables can be protected from frost by covering them at night with a light blanket or sheet. You can also purchase row covers. Cold frames and hoop houses can also extend your garden season even longer, allowing you to harvest fresh vegetables and herbs even in the winter months with proper planning.
Mindful Planting
Place your vegetables so that the ones susceptible to frost are in one area and the frost tolerant ones are in another area. This will make cleaning up your garden easier when the plants killed by frost are ready to remove. Removal of dead plants is important because accumulated plant material can often harbor pests that like to overwinter in your garden. Remember, proper garden hygiene will keep your whole garden healthy and more resistant to pests so your organic garden can thrive.
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