Extend Your Season: Fall Gardening for Vegetables and Planning

Extend Your Season: Fall Gardening for Vegetables and Planning

Fall's cooler temperatures are ideal for many crops and for laying groundwork for next spring.

Fall Planting

Root vegetables (carrots, radishes, beets), lettuce, spinach, and potatoes thrive in fall. Perennials, trees, and spring-flowering bulbs also establish well now. Order spring bulbs from catalogs for next year's show.

Soil Assessment

Soil is the backbone. Is it porous, moisture-retentive? Add amendments/fertilizer regularly to stimulate growth. Review last year's pest issues—prepare defenses now.

Garden Audit

Walk the garden: what thrived? What failed? Can a plant be moved? What needs dividing? Sketch the layout, noting each perennial's location—prevents mistaking returning plants for weeds in spring.

Fall isn't cleanup—it's investment in next year's success.