Fall Gardening
As we all notice the days becoming cooler, we realize fall is definitely creeping into town. Our beloved summer crops may still be in the garden, but don’t forget about another great growing opportunity: to grow crops that thrive in cooler temperatures!
Tips for Fall Growing
When planning your fall garden, the first important key is to know how many days you have until your first frost. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, October 20 is the estimated first frost date for Zone 6b, which includes the Cincinnati area. This leaves us with just under 40 days to grow cool weather crops (at the time of this writing on September 11). With proper protection, we still have time to sneak in and grow many different crops before the frost comes, plus more that we can harvest well after.
To increase the likelihood of success, I recommend choosing crops and varieties with a fast maturing time. They’re more likely to reach the point where they can be harvested in the window we have left, as compared to their slower counterparts. That being said, a rule of thumb is to always add at least seven days to the maturity date of your chosen crops because as the days become shorter, your crops don’t as much daylight in which to mature, which causes them to grow more slowly.
What to Grow in the Fall
One of the crops I like to grow in the fall is lettuce. There are so many varieties—such as Monte Carlo Romaine, Skyphos Butterhead and Bibb—that you can either cut the entire head or use the “cut and come again” technique for a continuous harvest. One of the benefits to growing green leafy crops in the fall is that they tend to bolt and turn bitter in hot weather. Growing them in the cooler fall temperatures allows you to enjoy a more extended period of tender, fresh greens.
There are other hearty crops you can plant in a fall garden besides lettuce instead of putting your garden to bed. Hearty greens such as kale, collards, spinach and mustards are all options you can add. There are some varieties of kale that are more cold hearty than others. For instance, I would choose Red Russian over Curly Kale for cold weather growing. You can also try direct sowing beet seeds this fall. Don’t forget to choose a quick maturing variety! Early Wonder Beets, for instance, take just 40 or fewer days to mature.
If you’re reading this before September 16, 2023, join us for our free HUB Garden class on Season Extension! Get all the details and register here.