Your Third Crop – Cool Season Fall Planting

When I first decided to start gardening, it was very late summer. I thought for sure I was too late to get into the game that year. I was astonished to learn that there is something called a cool season crop and not just for the spring. I first plant a cool season crop, after I harvest that, usually by early to mid-July, I plant a second crop of beets, carrots and potatoes in some beds, but by late August, other beds are opening up, perhaps where cabbage or broccoli or celery was growing and I have a new canvas for my third crop, my fall, cool season plants.

Spring déjà vu

It is especially easy to plan some or all your fall crop by simply planting exactly what you planted in the spring. This year, in the spring, I planted snow peas and shelling peas, onions, beets, romaine, butter crunch, spinach, celery and potatoes, broccoli and cabbage. I will plant most of the same crops in the fall.

Fall adjustments

I will make adjustments for the fall. Gardening is a game of trial and error, after all, and sometimes what we thought we wanted or what we thought would work just didn’t, in the spring. I decided after shelling peas that I don’t like shelling peas. I will not be planting them again or perhaps I might if I have any peas left over. They will not be in the plan next spring. I also started Pak choi and Bok choi too late. They did not grow in the spring. I will try again in the fall. I also planted wax beans and green beans. Neither germinated. Perhaps I try again or plant something else in their place. Isn’t it great to get a second chance!

Going back to school

The fall always makes me think of going back to school. It marks the beginning of something brand new, a new chapter and an opportunity to learn something new. The same can happen in the garden. Is there a variety of something you have been hankering to try? Have you considered expanding your lettuce horizons? We never have enough space to grow everything we want, but with this space in the fall, maybe escarole, black seeded Simpson or arugula. If you grew red cabbage in the spring, perhaps a green cabbage in the fall for coleslaw. Instead of your standard broccoli, consider that really cool looking, Romanesco. I like having my basics covered, but I always want to leave a little space to try at least one or two new items in the garden.

Preparing for winter stores

Another consideration when planning your fall crop is how you will use it or store it. That might influence what you plant. For instance, if you are having a huge gathering for Thanksgiving, you can possibly time some of your harvest close to the holiday. Potatoes and winter squash might need to be planted earlier, but beets and carrots can be planted early September, in time for dinner. The only time my family ever ate turnip was at Thanksgiving. Turnip is a quick grower, 55 days! I have found turnip to grow easily. The only hesitation for me is the vast amount of greens that are produced by the plant. I don’t want to eat them, but I feel guilty even putting them in the compost pile. Some folks love turnip greens or if you have a juicing machine, they can be added in with your kale.

Don’t forget about overwintering

Yes, we are planting crops to harvest in the fall, but there are foods we can plant in the fall to harvest in the spring. Most folks know that garlic needs to be planted in the fall to harvest by June or July. Carrots and parsnips can be overwintered. They will stop growing once the cold sets in, but you can leave them in the ground, covered with 3 or 4 inches of mulch or straw and gather as you need them. Fall planted onions have several advantages. They can be harvested a full month prior to spring planted onions. They can grow larger and thirdly, they may taste sweeter. Zones 5 and below are probably too cold for fall onions since extreme cold can kill the plant. Lastly, rogue potatoes find a way. Often, I will miss a potato or even a few when digging them up. These potatoes will spring into action as soon as is possible in the spring. These independent fugitives know when to grow and they save me from having to store in the fridge all winter. If you are not counting on missing potatoes, you can just leave some behind when you harvest in late summer.

Tips and tricks

 There are a few steps you can take to ensure a successful fall crop. For me, deciding when to plant every specific plant or seed can give me anxiety, but it isn’t that complicated. You just have to look up the date of your first frost in your area and count backwards to get the number of days you need to grow your broccoli or carrot or pea. However, because fall crops grow more slowly than spring crops, because of shortening days, just add a week or two to your planned growing time. Also, keeping the cold out is important. Perhaps extra mulching is called for and then frosty nights won’t pose much of a threat. In addition, covering your plants will also keep scavenging critters out, keep insects that are longing to lay eggs in your plants out and also protect against the cold evenings. If you feel you need to plant earlier to get the best start for your plants, the hot days of August could foil your plans. Covering or shading your cool season seeds and seedlings will shield your delicate crop to be. Quick! Get to it and enjoy your fall,  bountiful, gardening venture.