How to Plant a Fall/Winter Garden

For many of us, this may feel like the peak of summer with temperatures well into the 80"s!  

As summer wanes and the days grow shorter, it's time to transition your garden to planting fall and winter crops. Gardening in cooler months can be incredibly rewarding, providing fresh produce during a time when many gardens lie dormant. It is important to properly sow your seeds at the right and in the right place.  Many seeds will want to be started indoors, in a regulated and moist environment, instead of in the heat of late summer.  Remember that heat can cause some cool veggies to bolt, so properly nurture your starts till they are ready to be planted in your garden.

Another key to a successful fall/winter garden is to make sure that your soil has the nutrients it needs to sustain another growing season.  This largely can be impacted by crops that are intensive feeders and require the soil to be fallow or better feed your soil by growing nitrogen feeding cover crops. Gardens where corn or tomatoes were growing, may require going fallow for the season.  

Below is our guide can help you plant and maintain a thriving fall/winter garden.

1. Planning Your Garden

• Assess Your Climate: Understand the first frost date in your area. This will guide your planting schedule and help you work backwards, by planning and planting your appropriate seeds.  Many regions do not experience frost at all and can therefore have an even longer growing season.
• Choose the Right Crops: Select vegetables that thrive in cooler temperatures.  We have created an extensive list of excellent varieties that thrive during the cooler months.  
• Good options to consider (Full List Here)
  • Leafy greens (kale, spinach, Swiss chard)
  • Root vegetables (carrots, beets, radishes)
  • Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mustards)
  • Alliums (leeks, onions - bulb and bunching)
  • Asian Greens (Bok choy, Tatsoi, Red Giant mustard)
  • Herbs (chives, parsley, cilantro)
  • Flowers (marshmallow, milkweed, sweet pea, echinacea) 
• Succession Planting: Stagger planting times to ensure a continuous harvest throughout the season.  Figure out what harvest times are to help you appropriately plan and plant.  Read our blog post on how to always have greens coming out of your garden!

2. Preparing Your Garden Bed

• Clear Summer Plants: Remove any remaining summer crops that are complete and weed your beds.
• Amend the Soil: Add compost or well-rotted (and sourced) manure to enrich the soil. Fall crops benefit from nutrient-dense soil.
• Test and Adjust pH: Use a soil test kit to check pH levels and amend if necessary. Most vegetables prefer slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0).

3. Planting Your Crops

• Direct Sowing: Some fall crops, like carrots, beets and radishes, do well when directly sown into the garden.  They do not like to have their roots disrupted.
• Transplants: Start seedlings indoors for crops like kale, Bok Choy, broccoli and cauliflower that do not mind being transplanted.  
• Spacing and Depth: Follow seed packet instructions for correct spacing and planting depth. Crowding can lead to poor air circulation and increased disease risk.  

4. Protecting Your Garden

• Mulching: Apply a thick layer of mulch to help retain soil moisture and regulate temperature.  Read our blog post on how to best mulch your garden.
• Row Covers: Use floating row covers to protect young plants from frost and pests.
• Cold Frames and Greenhouses: These structures can extend the growing season by providing a controlled environment.
• Shade Cloth: In very hot climates, use shade cloth to protect your garden as summer may linger into the fall. 

5. Watering and Maintenance

• Consistent Watering: Keep soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Mulch helps with moisture retention.  A mister provides a perfect spray for young starts. Remember to keep your seeds moist as they germinate!
• Pest Control: Monitor for pests and diseases. Use organic methods like neem oil or insecticidal soap if necessary.  Read our blog post on integrative pest management. 
• Thinning and Weeding: Thin seedlings to prevent overcrowding and regularly weed to reduce competition for nutrients.

6. Harvesting

• Timing: Harvest leafy greens continuously by picking outer leaves. Root vegetables can be left in the ground until needed but should be harvested before the ground freezes.
• Storage: Store your harvested vegetables properly to maximize their shelf life. Root vegetables can be kept in a cool, dark place, while greens are best stored in the refrigerator in a bin or a sealed plastic bag.

7. Preparing for Winter

• Clean Up: Remove any dead plants and debris to prevent overwintering pests and diseases.
• Soil Protection: Consider planting cover crops or adding a layer of mulch to protect the soil over winter.

For many people planting a fall/winter garden is a new concept, yet it has been around for many centuries as our origins from a agricultural society.  It is only now beginning to catch up with our current culture.  Once you begin integrating it into your annual gardening practice you will wonder how you ever lived without fresh veggies during those cool fall and winter days. Happy Planting!