Barrenwort. An easy perennial for fall that offers shade, barrenwort (Epimedium spp.) produces tidy mounds of heart-shaped foliage that can take on sunset hues of yellow, orange, and red as weather cools toward the end of the growing season. Place these plants where they'll get a little sun for the best
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.
Ornamental kale and cabbage: With beautiful flower-shaped rosettes and a pretty palette of pinks and purples, ornamental kale and cabbage can't be beat. We love these plants along walkways and at entryways, and they're incredibly low-maintenance. Stock flowers and Snapdragons: These cheerful blooms are fall favorites.
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.
Mid-August to mid-October is an ideal time of year to plant new trees, though, that time frame can be stretched into November and December. To be 100% sure, measure soil temperature early in the morning for a few, consecutive days. If your soil is consistently 50° F or higher, you're good to plant.
FLOWERS – sow ageratum, alyssum, candytuft, carnation, cineraria, coreopsis, cornflower, cyclamen, delphinium, dianthus, everlasting daisy, Iceland poppy, impatiens, marigolds, sweet pea and viola.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Although cyclamen is usually grown as a houseplant, this extra-hardy variety (also called Persian violet or winter cyclamen) thrives outdoors and is at its peak during the winter months, when cold weather coaxes the foliage and flowers from summer dormancy.
Spring-blooming perennials, especially in the bare root form, are best planted early in the fall. Planting in the fall while the soil is still warm will give the roots enough time establish properly. This allows the plants to emerge from well established roots, with a stronger start, the following spring.
Autumn is a great season for annuals, low-maintenance perennials and evergreen shrubs to shine. In fact, some of the most popular flowers, like colorful mums, roses, dahlias, purple pansies and yes, even bright yellow sunflowers, all bloom around September and October.
Christmas Rose. This evergreen perennial blooms from winter to early spring depending on the selection and where you live (mostly early winter in warmer regions, and as late as February or March where it's very cold).
If you live in a frost-free region, October is a great time to plant cool-weather flowers and vegetables in your garden. Crops such as kale, cabbage, collards, lettuce, carrots, mustard, onions, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, and garlic can all be planted in early to late October.
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.
Asters (Aster Spp.)
One very popular variety is Aster 'Celeste', which forms a clump covered with dense purple daisy-like flowers in late summer and early fall.