Fall Planting Decisions

Our first frost date is 10/23/12 and with the help of Parsnip Love I found a great site for planning your fall garden at Simple Bites. I have never panted a fall garden before and so I have been doing my research.

Here is what Simple Bites has suggested.

12 to 14 weeks before your first frost

• Direct-sow beans, parsnips, rutabagas, and begin planting lettuce and radishes.
• Start brassica seedlings and kale indoors, and set out the seedlings within 3 weeks.

10 to 12 weeks before your first frost

• Set out brassicas and kale.
• Direct-sow beets, carrots, collards, leeks and scallions, along with more lettuce and radishes. In some areas, even fast-maturing peas and potatoes will do well in the fall garden.

8 to 10 weeks before your killing frost

• Direct-sow arugula, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, turnips, spinach, mustard, pac choi and other Asian greens.
• Sow more lettuce and radishes, including daikons.

6 to 8 weeks before first frost

• Make a final sowing of spinach.
• Make a final sowing of lettuce beneath a protective tunnel or frame. (I have hoops over one of my beds for my Christmas Salads.)

On or around your first killing frost date

• Every fall garden should include garlic and shallots to be harvested in the Summer of the next year

Current Plans

12 to 14 weeks before your first frost

Plant various lettuce and endive and Bright Lights Swiss Chard.

Considering peas.

10 to 12 weeks before your first frost

Plant Bettollo Beets, Yaya Carrots and kale.

8 to 10 weeks before your killing frost

Plant spinach

6 to 8 weeks before first frost

More lettuce and Bright Lights Swiss Chard.

Plus in October I will be planting "Music" garlic.