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Spring tends to get all the credit for being the ideal time of year when it comes to gardening, but don’t overlook fall. Fall offers ideal planting conditions, such as warm soil, mild temps, and plenty of rainfall.
In terms of blooms, spring bulbs like tulips and hyacinths and cool-season annuals like aromatic sweet peas and wildflowers make for great fall-planting candidates. The same goes for cool-season veggies such as kale, carrots and peas. More generally speaking, you can also plant certain trees, shrubs, and perennials in the fall.
We chatted with two gardening experts to find out what they love to plant in the fall.
Meet the Expert
- Deborah Stone co-owns Stone Hollow Farmstead, an 80-acre farm in Harpersville, Alabama.
- Ashleigh Smith is a horticulturist with True Leaf Market, one of the largest e-commerce sellers of certified organic, non-GMO, and heirloom seeds nationwide.
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When to Plant a Fall Garden
If you’re looking to add a few plants to your garden this fall, you can start planting in September and continue into November. However, Stone notes that the exact timing depends on the type of plant and where you live.
Always take your average first frost date into consideration, as well as current weather patterns, to determine what are great options for your fall garden, she says.