- You can plant up to 6 weeks before your ground freezes. Once the ground is frozen, root growth will cease almost entirely until spring, and that six week window gives the plant time to get established enough to withstand cold and snow.
Fall is Good for Root Growth
In the fall, the perfect combination of warm soils and milder weather create ideal conditions for newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials. Warm soil temperatures encourage root growth – more so than in the spring when the soil is still warming up.
From early fall through most of November is one of the best times of year to plant spring-blooming bulbs, cool-season annuals and vegetables, as well as many trees, shrubs, and perennials.
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.
Timing for all planting is based on first and last frost dates. For example, if planting in hardiness zone 5, the last frost date is generally between April 1st – April 15th, and the first frost date typically falls between October 16th – October 31st. These dates will in part dictate when the best time to plant is.
Planting too early in cooler temperatures can cause stunted growth, wilting, surface pitting, foliage necrosis and increased susceptibility to disease. Low soil temperatures can stunt plant growth and prevent root development. Most summer vegetables like soil temperatures of between 55 and 65 degrees.
But you have to be careful. Working the soil too early, while it's still soggy from winter rains, can leave big clumps of dirt that are almost impossible to break apart later. Planting too soon can also waste money, because many seeds and plants will perish if the ground is too cold.
Leafy greens and Brassicas: Lettuces, spinach, and Swiss chard can be planted from seed or from transplant this month. Plant members of the Brassica family, including broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower, from transplant. Kale can also be planted from seed in October.
Grow an Edible Garden With Fall Vegetables
For a cool-weather vegetable harvest, plant lettuce, collards, carrots, Brussel sprouts, spinach, broccoli, radish, and more. The general rule of thumb is to plant fall vegetables from seed 90 days before the first frost.
The date that your ground actually freezes varies from year to year, of course, and some areas won't have frozen ground at all. If you're unsure, mid-November is a safe planting deadline for nearly everyone. - Get everything in the ground before the ground freezes.
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.
Foliage growth slows down considerably during the fall and winter months so you can pause fertilizing until next spring, the start of the growing season. Give your houseplants the essentials—light and water—to sustain them through winter, but don't fuss over them or you might kill them with kindness.
"Planting trees and shrubs in November allows the plant to weather cooler temperatures while it is going through dormancy and allows some time for root growth before the ground freezes," Weber says. Pretty camillia is among those with "winter interest" that work well for November planting.
“For trees, shrubs and perennials fall is a great time to plant,” said Weston Miller, Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturist. “If you plant mid-September through mid-November, the soil is warm and gives plants a long time to establish.
Plants like chrysanthemums, nasturtiums and asters are wonderful choices for seasonal planting arrangements. While perennials that will survive the winter are great choices, autumn is also a great time to explore new ideas will short-season annuals too.
October is the season to plant spring-blooming bulbs, wildflowers, and many standard gardening favorites. The flowers that don't blossom this winter can spend the cold season in the ground, strengthening their root systems in preparation for a springtime bloom.
Depending on the type of seed, it is definitely not too late to plant grass seed in October. Cool season grass seed varieties like Jonathan Green Black Beauty grass seed do well with planting in October. The most important thing is to lay the seeds down at least 45 days before the first threat of frost.
Vegetables to plant in November: Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, kale, kohlrabi, onions (seed & sets), radishes, spinach and strawberries. Vegetables to plant in December: Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, kale, onions (seed & sets) and radishes.
Some farmers have been hesitant to adopt the practice of planting early because a late-Spring frost can reduce the yield potential gained by planting early. However, planting later not only reduces yield potential, but also presents the risk of an early-Fall freeze.
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.
1. Soak the root ball. Before you plant, fill a 5-gallon bucket with water, then submerge your plant (still in its nursery pot) into the water until it's fully saturated. You'll know it's saturated when you stop seeing bubbles percolating up from the plant's roots.