Mario Bautista
After a steamy summer, it’s time to start planning what to plant in fall when autumn’s cooler air is easier on both plants and gardeners, but the soil is still warm enough to allow roots to grow before the ground freezes. If fall doesn’t bring at least an inch per week of rain where you live, it’s easy to deeply water plants. Disease and pest problems also fade away in the fall.
Late summer or early fall is often bargain time at garden centers trying to sell the last of their inventory before winter. Look for deals on what to plant in fall, including spring-blooming bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs, which can all be planted until your area gets hit with a hard frost. And don’t forget your lawn; cool-season turfgrass can also be seeded this time of year. Get these plants in the ground in fall, and they’ll reward you with gorgeous color in spring.
1. Spring Bulbs
All spring-blooming bulbs, such as tulips and hyacinths, need a period of cold to bloom, which is why they need to be planted in fall, even though you won’t be able to enjoy them until the following spring. Many bulbs come in a wide assortment, so you can choose colors, heights, and bloom times for what to plant in fall that work best in your garden. If deer or other critters frequent your yard, plant bulbs they don’t like to nibble, such as daffodils, grape hyacinths, and alliums.
2. Pansies and Violas
Fall is a good time to plant pansies and their smaller cousins, violas, because the still-warm soil temperatures give their roots time to grow enough to survive the winter. Plus, by planting them in the fall, you’ll get two seasons of enjoyment out of these cool-season favorites because they’ll often start blooming again when the weather warms up in spring.
If you live where the ground freezes, look for more cold hardy varieties. To help them overwinter, add a thick layer of mulch around them once your soil is frozen; this insulates them from alternate freezing and thawing cycles that can heave these small plants out of the ground.
3. Turf Grass
Establish new turf grass by seeding or laying down fresh sod in the fall. Seeding is usually the less expensive and easier DIY option when creating a brand-new lawn, but sod will give more immediate results. If you’d like to repair a patchy or sparse lawn, first rake the spots to expose soil, sprinkle grass seeds wherever you want them to grow, then cover lightly with compost or straw. Keep the new grass well-watered until freezing temperatures arrive.
4. Trees and Shrubs
Once the weather cools off after summer, but the soil is still warm enough for root development, it’s the perfect time to plant trees and shrubs. Before digging, check with your local utility companies to locate any underground lines. Always plant trees and shrubs at their natural soil lines. Keep newly planted trees or shrubs well-watered until the ground freezes to get a good start before entering full dormancy during winter.
5. Perennials
When deciding what to plant in the fall, look to perennials since it’s the best time to add these to your garden. You can also divide and replant existing perennials such as hostas and astilbe in your garden. Keep any fall-planted perennials well-watered until the ground freezes to encourage them to grow new, healthy roots before they go dormant for the winter. Protect them from frost heaving with a blanket of shredded leaves or other mulch layered about 3 inches thick around them. When spring rolls around, they’ll be ready to fill out your garden beds with fresh foliage.
6. Cool Season Vegetables
If you live in a climate where winters are mild, you can plant a variety of edibles in the fall. Try leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and Swiss chard, as well as root crops like beets and carrots in your raised beds or in the ground. Fall is also a great time to experiment with Asian greens like bok choy, Chinese cabbage, and mizuna. If you live in a climate with chillier winters, you can still grow these vegetables with the assistance of row covers, hoop tunnels, or a cold frame.
Another option for your vegetable beds? Plant a cover crop like buckwheat or peas. The best option will depend on your particular climate, but the right cover crop does a great job of improving the soil for successful planting next spring.
