Algoplus Garden Blog

Autumn Gardens - Fall Planting Guide

Autumn Garden Guide

Autumn gardens are cool weather crops that can be planted twice a year in spring and again in the fall. Most cool season crops can tolerate frost and light freezes of short duration with little damage and some can even tolerate hard freezes.

Extending your garden into the fall offers many benefits including cooler weather to work in, less watering requirements, fewer insects to battle and most veggiest taste better too!

 

Can't get enough of those tasty veggies?

 

Neither can we! If you've been thinking that it's too late to put in a garden this fall, rest assured there's still time to grow plenty of fresh food before the gardening season ends. There are some great plant choices with quick maturity dates for your fall vegetable garden.

 

We have provided an estimate below, factoring in a longer maturity time from seed considering the days during autumn get shorter. Use the maturity date as an estimated guide to count back from the average first frost date for your region to get the best estimated planting date while planning for your garden. 


Tender Vegetables with No frost Tolerance

Tender Veggies

No frost tolerance ~ > 32°F
Veggies Days to Maturity
Squash 80-100+
Cucumber 80
Peppers 50-90
Tomato 50-90

Semi Hardy Vegetables with some Frost Tolerance

Semi-Hardy Veggies

Light frost tolerance ~ 29-32°F
Veggies Days to Maturity
Carrots 80
Cauliflower 85
Chard 65
Collards 90
Green Beans 60
Lettuce 70
Mustard greens 60-75*
Onions 100
Ornamental Gourds 90-130
Peas 70

Hardy Vegetables with good Frost Tolerance

Hardy Veggies

Frost tolerance ~ 25-28°F
Veggies Days to Maturity
Arugula 30
Beets 70
Broccoli 90
Brussel Sprouts 110
Cabbage 95
Garlic 50
Kale 55*
Kolrabi 80
Radish 35
Spinach 60
Turnip 50

Herbs vary in frost tolerance. Check seed packets or plants tags.

Herbs

Frost tolerance varies depending on type and variety, but most can handle a light frost. Check your seed packets or plant tags to be sure. To plant a variety and cut out the trouble of worrying, herbs are great for indoor and patio container gardening!
Herb Days to Maturity
Basil 60-90
Chamomile 90-120
Chives 80-90
Cilantro 60-90
Borage 50-80
Dill 40-60
Lavender 60-90
Lemon Balm 90-200
Mint 60-90
Oregano 80-90
Parsley 40-90
Rosemary 60-90
Sage 60-200
Sweet Marjoram 60-90
Thyme 60-90

Avoid planting the same plant type or plant family in the same spot season after season. The soil will need to rest for at least a year or two. In the meantime, consider a simple yearly crop rotation. See our blog more information about crop rotation.

These tips are general recommendations for USDA Hardiness Zones 4-10.

Specific plant varieties may have different maturity dates. In addition, your specific zone may keep you from enjoying some of the recommended plants in your fall garden. One way around this is to see what transplants are available in your local garden center.  This will dramatically reduce your growing time.

Always be sure to check your seed packets and North America's USDA plant hardiness zones map for your specific zone when planning, selecting and planting garden plants.

Even with recommendations, unexpected early frost may damage plants, stunting growth or killing the plants all together.  If frost or freeze warnings threaten your garden, be sure to take necessary precautions to protect your plants. 

Next month we will discuss more on frost and freeze protection for autumn gardens.