A Guide To Starting a Fall Garden

Most gardeners turn in for the autumn and winter months as a break from the work of a long summer garden.  They wait until spring to start up again. That has been my pattern over the last several years. By the time the last tomato has been picked and preserved, I am ready for a break.  I saw the fall season as a new opportunity. The weather is cool and pleasant, most days, and what is a better time to be outside enjoying the season.

Each fall I would get out my clipboard and start planning my garden for the spring. Reviewing what was planted and rethinking next year planting season is necessary for a successful harvest.  Crop rotation is important each year so keeping a planner of what was planted where is important. Each spring would roll around and most all my close friends and family would know I was in the garden and unreachable.

Many of my summer plants such as summer squash and zucchini reach their peak in early August in Texas.  Instead of replanting for another crop of summer veggies, the last few years I have pulled up the spent plants and prepared for a fall garden.  This was new for me and meant not much down time between seasons. I started small and tested my endurance for yet another season of work. I found fall has some favorable qualities for growing some of the best vegetables. Many insects are getting ready to hide out for the winter, breezy conditions keeps flying insects at bay, and the weather is mildly pleasant.

Preparing for a fall garden has some considerations.  Although many vegetables will grow and ripen into late fall, they need to be planted before the nights turn cold.  I started my garden late August. Even though some of the daytime highs reach the upper 80’s I had to consider cooler evenings and the decreasing daylight hours that come with fall.  I choose plants with short maturity days.

Planting at the proper time is probably one of the most important factors in successful fall gardening.  I think we all know the weather sometimes does not cooperate so I try to go by average planting dates and first freeze averages.

 

What Can You Plant In A Fall Garden?

Average planting dates for some fall vegetable in Texas (Region II in the Texas gardening zone and Zone 7 for the USDA Hardiness Zone)

• Broccoli: August 1
• Cabbage: August 1
• Carrots: August 15
• Lettuce: September 15
• Spinach: September 15
• Collards: August 15
• Beets: September 1
• Garlic: August
• Swiss Chard: August 15
• Brussels sprouts: August 1

For those of you outside of Texas be sure to check your hardiness zone for planting times.  Depending on where you live planting times can vary.

Below is a table from the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension with Average minimum temperatures for Texas gardening zones.

 

Below is the Plant Hardiness Zone Map form the USDA

Fall crops generally do better when started from transplants however, I must say my garden was completely started with seeds in the ground.  My summer garden was rather large and I had little time starting fall seeds. A key to establishing a healthy fall garden which is started late summer is making sure the newly planted seeds have plenty of water.  I have a drip system and put it on a timer therefore, each day my fall seeds watered daily in the morning. I have backed off my daily watering schedule since my plants seem well established.

My arugula, lettuce, beets and cabbage were planted the last few weeks of August.  This is their growth in 6 weeks. I also planted broccoli, carrots, and spinach and they are doing well. They all were planted at the same time and it was a marathon day! I have planted frost tolerant plants so if we have a light frost I will not panic.  If I see a hard freeze approaching earlier than the average I will cover the plants with plastic. There are many garden row covers available to protect vegetable crops during cold nights. Remove plastic covering entirely during the day for ventilation and sun.

Harvesting Fall Produce

To get the best produce from your fall garden, harvesting at the right time is key. Below are a few tips for produce I have planted.

Arugula will be able to harvest when they are about 2-3 inches tall.  Usually that is about 3 weeks after planting. The whole plant can be cut or individual leaves.  The leaves are best when they are young. They are a nice addition to a salad.

Beets should be pulled when they are about 2 inches in diameter.  If they get larger the roots will grow larger and the beet will lose flavor.  To harvest pull or dig the roots. Cutting the tops sometimes allows the beet to bleed which reduces the moisture content in the root.

Broccoli can be harvested when the heads are firm, compact, dark green,and are there is no hint of yellow.  The more you harvest the more you get so when the broccoli is cut a side shoot may develop for new growth.

Cabbage is mature when the head becomes solid and at the sides are firm and can not be pressed in when pressure is applied to the head.  Cabbage has a tendency to split. Slowing the growth will help prevent splitting. One way to slow the growth is to twist the plant while it is in the ground to break some roots which will reduce uptake of water from the soil and delay splitting.

Carrots are fully mature in about 60-80 days but can be harvested earlier if desired.  The crown where the foliage attaches to the root is at least ¾ – 1 inch in diameter when the carrot is mature.  If you pull up a carrot and the bottom is white the carrot is not done growing. I loosen the soil and pull them up.  Once the carrots are mature they can be left in the ground for a few weeks. (In Texas storing carrots in cool garden soil is just fine.)

Lettuce will go from seed to the kitchen in about a month in most regions.  When lettuce has grown to the size preferred, it can be harvested. I usually harvest the entire plant as we have some form of salad daily.  You can harvest just a few leaves for your salad bowl and usually the outer leaves are cut first and are the biggest. When a central stem begins to form the harvest is over and the leaves take on a bitter taste. I have gotten more than one harvest from my plantings. Since I harvest an entire plant, I will cut the plant about 1 inch above the soil and will have re-growth.

Spinach is harvested when 8 or more dark crisp leaves have grown. I cut the leaves from the plant which will encourage regrowth.  I have also cut the entire plant about 1 inch above the soil which also has given me another crop of spinach. Spinach will develop a central stem that will grow into a flower stalk.  If this occurs as will some lettuce the leaves are bitter and only some will be edible.

 

I have really come to enjoy fall gardening and I hope you do as well. If you haven’t tried it before, I encourage you to give it a try this year or plan for the next fall season. You will love enjoying the fruits of your labor.

 

“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.” Minnie Aumonier