Regardless of whether your summer garden has produced many pounds of delicious veggies or has left you puzzled, planting autumn flowers and vegetables is an excellent way to extend your growing season and spend time outdoors as the weather begins to cool. Depending on where you live, you might even find that with the right approach and tools, figuring out how to plant a fall garden and nurture it to harvest can be even more straightforward than growing during the summer season. 

Follow these fall garden preparation steps to enjoy a smooth transition into this next growing season. 

1. Select crops and flowers

First, choose the best fall garden plants based on your USDA agricultural zone, your last frost date, and the harvest length of your favorite plants or the seeds you have on hand. If you live in a zone with a relatively early frost date such as zones 5a or lower, you’ll probably need to choose what to plant in the fall based on quick maturity times. You can also opt for varieties that endure cold temperatures well and don’t need as many daylight hours to thrive. 

Great cool-season crops include:

• • Leafy greens like kale, lettuce, and spinach
• • Broccoli 
• • Cabbage
• • Brussels sprouts
• • Carrots 

While they might need protection when temperatures start to drop or in case of snow, there are also some autumn flowers you can plant for a splash of color and to help out your local pollinators:

• • Pansies
• • Autumn crocus
• • Autumn phlox
• • Mums 

For those in zones 5 and lower, it’s best to start planting autumn flowers in late summer so that they can get established while the soil is still warm. If you live in an area with a later first frost date, you can get more flexible and creative with your fall harvest and enjoy taking advantage of a longer growing season. 

2. Determine best timing

Once you’ve decided what to plant in the fall garden, do some backwards planning to determine exactly when each plant needs to be in the ground. Most fall garden plants will thrive with an August planting date, but your precise timing should follow this formula:

Start with your first frost date based on your USDA agricultural zone, then check your seed packets to determine the number of days your selected plants will take to mature. Count backwards from the last frost date by the number of days to mature. Now you’ve calculated the last viable day you can sow those fall garden seeds! If you’re in a pinch, you can always transplant flowers directly into your fall garden. 

3. Fall garden bed preparation

The next step in your fall garden preparation is to get your beds ready to welcome your next round of plants! Depending on whether your summer crops are still taking up space in your garden beds, this could be tricky. Lean on companion planting guides and get creative with your layout. For example, could you clear out the last of your peas or green beans to make way for a row of carrots? Is there space beneath your squash trellis for a few heads of lettuce? 

Get ready for your late summer planting by removing debris from earlier in the season and clearing out weeds. It’s also important to remember that planting another round of crops demands a lot from the soil. You can lay a strong foundation for planting autumn crops by mixing in a natural soil amendment like Soil Wizard™. 

4. Sow or transplant

Now for the fun part! With your beds all prepared and your spacing figured out, sow your seeds according to the timing you mapped out in step two. Follow the instructions on the back of your seed packet for best results. 

If you’re transplanting flowers into your garden, try to choose a time of day that isn’t too hot. To give your new plants the best chance at thriving, apply a natural stimulant like Destressor. The antioxidants will keep your plants healthy and happy, even with a late summer transplant! 

5. Use eco-friendly plant food

Especially if you’re cutting it close on timing according to your first expected frost date, the last thing you want are slow-growing fall garden plants. You can use a natural fertilizer alternative like Booster to promote consistent growth and give your autumn flowers and vegetables a strong root system before the weather cools off. Keep a close eye on your soil and the health of your plants to address nutrient deficiencies quickly throughout the fall gardening season.

6. Provide consistent moisture

Late summer planting means it’s more important than ever to water your new plants consistently. They’ll need moisture to germinate and get a healthy start in your garden, and they might face high temperatures very early on when they’re still fragile. 

Follow summer watering tips and best practices to avoid damage to your plants. For example, water your autumn flowers and vegetables close to the soil and aim for times of day when the sun doesn’t shine directly on them. This way, their leaves won’t become sun scorched and they’ll have time to absorb that crucial moisture without the sun immediately evaporating it. 

Taking these simple steps for strategic fall garden preparation can make a world of difference in the appearance and yield of your garden in the autumn months! With the right planning and a boost from natural products, you can keep enjoying the garden’s bounty for months to come.