In temperate parts of the country (USDA zones 4 to 8), planting can even continue into November and December, especially crops like spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, and kale! In colder climates, some of these same vegetables are frost-tolerant. Many crops taste better after a frost or two.
The latest time to plant for most vegetables would be the second week in June with a short harvest time. If planting crops that mature within 50 days, you could plant those as late as the last week in June, but keep in mind the weather will be turning cooler, especially at night. Cool crops are best for late plantings.
Our fall planting season started in September, but October is still a great time to your fall garden started. With a little protection from our occasional frosts, you'll be able to reap a harvest through the winter.
Plant your fall vegetables so that the crops you choose have time to reach maturity before the first frost in your area. Find your first frost date, then count backward based on days to maturity for each type of veggie you want to grow. That's your ideal planting date.
September and October are prime months to plant perennial plants that are not frost tender. It's not too late to plant fall vegetables and herbs. Vegetable starts for cool season vegetables continue to be in great supply.
By midsummer you should be knee-deep in tomatoes, beans, zucchini, and peppers, so it can be hard to remind yourself to shop for seeds for your next season of vegetable gardening. However, July and August are the best time to get a start on fall and winter food gardening.
Did you know even as late as November there are all sorts of fall vegetables that you can be planting right now? While most people are putting away their gardening tools, there really is no end to the gardening season especially in Southern California.
You can plant or harvest something from your garden almost all year. The two major planting periods, however, are spring (March to May) and fall (mid-July to September). The spring plantings are harvested in June and July, while the fall plantings are harvested from October to December.
Fall is a good time for developing tomatoes because the cooler temperatures allow for better fruit set and insect problems diminish. Mid-July to the end of August is the ideal time to plant. When choosing your fall tomatoes, make sure you know if you're selecting a Determinate or Indeterminate type.
You can expect success planting potatoes in the fall as long as your soil gets cold and stays cold in winter, with temperatures 8 inches (20 cm) below the surface staying below 48°F (9°C). Buried potato tubers start growing as soil temperatures rise above 50°F (10°C). Your garden gets a vote, too.
Some fast growing fall crops like lettuce and radishes can be planted into late September, but many desirable fall crops like broccoli and carrots need several months of prime-growing conditions to mature before frost and low light levels set in.
Depending on your local climate, June or July is the latest possible date you can plant cucumbers in order for them to be able to yield any fruit. When planted in warmer weather, the plants will establish much more quickly than when planted in the spring.
Later sowings are also possible – up until late May with varieties like 'Veranda Red' – to yield a good crop in October. Larger fruited varieties are best sown in mid to late April to ensure a good crop of ripe fruit by mid-September.
December is a good time to plant as it means you can get ahead before spring. Sowing vegetables and flowers early can result in earlier harvests – winter-sown broad beans are ready to harvest from May, while hardy annual flowers sown in December can flower several weeks sooner than those sown in spring.
Fall is the best time to start a new garden.
Consider adding some lyme or fertilizer based on a soil test of your new spot to make sure spring starts off on the right foot.
Spading or tilling the soil in the fall allows for the winter conditions of freezing and thawing to naturally break the soil into its particles. This results in crumbly state desirable for spring planting. Soil is often damp or wet in the spring which makes deep spading more difficult.
Watering Thoroughly, but Not Too Much
Once the seeds have been properly sown and lightly incorporated into the existing soil, water the area thoroughly and leave until next spring. By this time of year, our cool to cold temperatures and short days will help keep the areas moist far longer than in summer.
Planting in September
Plant now beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celery, fava beans, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, both head and leaf lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnips.
October is a great time to plant those fall flowers. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Garlic (Zones 5-10): Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.