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.
In general, aim to finish your fall planting about 6 weeks before your first expected frost date (8 weeks for evergreens). In Zones 3 and 4, you would count back from the latter half of September.
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.
Although each plant's needs may vary and some will be more winter-hardy than others, in general about a month before the last fall frost is sufficient in giving the plant enough time to establish itself and take root.
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.
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.
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.
Fall is Good for Root Growth
Warm soil temperatures encourage root growth – more so than in the spring when the soil is still warming up. Plus, with the shorter days and cooler air temperatures, plants spend less energy on growing foliage and flowers and more on building a strong root system in preparation for winter.
You can transplant perennials anytime until the ground freezes in the fall, or wait to transplant them in the spring. Fall is an excellent time to transplant herbaceous perennials because your plants will then have three seasons to establish a good root system before hot summer weather sets in next year.
No matter which fall gardening project you choose, be sure to make plant roots super-happy by using Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix (for containers) or Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Vegetables & Herbs (for in-ground).
Quick-growing vegetables perfect for cool spring and fall growing conditions include leafy greens, carrots, beets, radishes, and peas. Started from seed, many are ready for harvest in just four to six weeks.
Fall and winter gardens produce some of our favorite fruits and vegetables: kale, cauliflower, peas, carrots, lettuce, beets, onions, and broccoli, just to name a few! To boot, these plants tend to be some of the easiest to grow, making fall and winter gardens excellent for the beginning gardener.
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.
While you can plant a late planting to the first frost date, it's always best to allow as much growing time as possible. If you missed the spring planting, then calculate which vegetables you can grow now and still have a harvest before the first frost.
It's important to cut back foliage in the fall to protect flowering plants from disease and give them a clean start for regrowth as winter starts to turn into spring. However, there are some plants you can keep around through the winter since they benefit wildlife and still offer visual interest for your home.
Look for deals on spring-blooming bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs, which can all be planted in the fall, up until your area gets hit with a hard frost. And don't forget your lawn; cool-season turfgrass can be seeded this time of year, too.
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.
In fall, plants do not need as much water as they may have needed in summer. But rather than stop watering altogether, it's best to wean them from weekly watering to every other week to monthly throughout fall.
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.
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.
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.