Fall Vegetable Gardening
Calvert County Master Gardeners
College of
Agriculture and
Natural Resources
Grow Your Own Food
We Can Show You How
Our Vision:
1 Million Maryland food gardeners
producing their own affordable,
healthy food.
What do we mean by fall
gardening?
Planting crops for harvest before frost and
after frost
Planting crops that can overwinter for spring
harvesting
Protected gardening in a cold frame,
greenhouse or under row covers
Planting cover crops to add organic matter
and nitrogen, and minimize weeds in spring
Select Crops
All are cold hardy & some are quick
maturing
•Cole crops: broccoli, cabbage, collards,
cauliflower, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts
•Greens: leaf lettuce, spinach, arugula, Asian
greens, mustard, cilantro
•Root crops: Rutabagas, beets, carrots,
turnips, parsnips
Half-hardy
Survive light frost
– Beets
– Cauliflower
– Chard
– Chinese Cabbage
– Endive
– Kohlrabi
– Lettuce
– Mustard
– Peas
– Rutabagas
Hardy
Survive heavy frost
– Broccoli
– Broccoli Raab
– Brussels Sprouts
– Cabbage
– Collards
– Kale
– Radishes
– Spinach
– Turnips
Overwintering Crops
Arugula
Broccoli Raab
Chicories
Garlic
Kale
Leeks
Multiplier Onions
Spinach
• Leeks
Fall Days & Temperatures
Cool nights slow plant growth.
Vegetables take longer to mature.
Days grow shorter, the sun’s angle is lower in
the sky and light is less intense; less sunlight
energy for plants.
These environmental conditions add sugar to
cole crops.
Lettuce and spinach will not bolt.
Seed Starting Date
Short-Day Factor
First frost date for your area
Days to maturity, germination, transplant
Add 14 days for Short Day Factor
Formula:
Days to maturity + Days to germinate + Days to
transplant + SDF=Days to plant before frost
Sample Calculation For Sowing
Spinach Seeds
• Days to germination:
• Days to maturity:
• Short Day Factor (SDF):
7 to 10
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__14__
56 to59
I can sow seeds between 56 and 59 days before the first frost –
about Oct. 19-26 for Huntingtown.
Counting back from Oct. 19-26 the dates to sow are about Aug.
22 to Sept. 1.
Preparing the Site
Remove waste from previous crop.
If ground is dry, give it a thorough soaking.
Work compost into top few inches of soil.
Transplants
Start transplants or
purchase for:
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collards
Weather Considerations
• High heat and humidity
in August
– Start cool weather crops
in a protected spot
– Indoors under lights,
under shade cloth or in a
shady part of the garden
Putting out Transplants
Seedlings need
gradual exposure to
direct sunlight.
Will benefit from light
shading for the first
few days.
Keep them soaked.
Row Cover Protection
Throw a bed sheet
over row cover for a
few days to provide
shade.
Row covers deter
insects and larger
critters.
Row covers can
extend season.
Seeds to Sow
Direct seed:
 Beets
 Broccoli raab
Chinese cabbage
Cilantro
Collards
Endive
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Spinach
Turnips
Getting Seeds to Germinate and
Grow
Soil is hot and dry.
Clay soil forms hard crust.
Seeds need cooler temperatures and
moisture to germinate and grow.
Slow growing beets and carrots will suffer
setbacks if soil is dry.
Seeds Become Dormant at High
Temperatures.
The maximum soil temperature for
germinating lettuce and spinach is 70
degrees F. The optimum temperature for
germinating peas is 70. For many other
vegetables it is 80 degrees F.
Sowing Seeds
Water soil before sowing.
 Sow in the late afternoon so germination
will begin overnight.
Direct Sow
Plant seeds slightly deeper. Depth may be 1 ½ to 2
times deeper than spring.
Can cover seeds in furrow with potting soil or
vermiculite.
Keep soil cool and moist. Cover seeded area with
burlap, newspapers, or boards.
Can shade soil, or use light mulch.
Germinating Seeds
Another tip is to pre-germinate seeds.
Soak seeds overnight in a moistened paper
towel enclosed in a plastic bag. Do not soak
longer or delicate seedling parts will be
damaged in planting.
Interplant
Use shade from
existing plants.
Sow lettuce,
carrots, arugula,
beets, collards.
Mustard greens on north side of
tomatoes
Planting Schedule (late July)
Last plantings of fast growing warm season
vegetables-snap beans.
Order garlic.
 Start cabbage family seedlings indoors.
Sow lettuce, cilantro, rutabagas, radishes.
Soak or pre-germinate parsley seeds for
sowing.
Planting Schedule
10-12 weeks before
hard frost:
Set out transplants
Direct sow beets,
carrots, collards &
more lettuce,
radishes
Planting Schedule
8 to 10 weeks before hard frost:
Sow Asian greens, arugula, turnips,
spinach, mustard
More lettuce, radishes, beets, collards
Planting Schedule
6 to 8 weeks before hard frost:
Sow spinach.
Plant garlic, shallots, multiplying onions.
Sow half-hardy vegetables under protective
cover.
Protected Gardening:
Moving a Zone South
• Floating Row Cover
– Provides 4-10 degrees
of protection
• Cold Frame
• Hoop House
• Greenhouse
Herbs for the Cold Frame
•
•
•
•
Chives
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Planting Fall Crops: Garlic!
• Purchase bulbs to plant in October from a
seed/plant company; not from grocery store!
• Choose full sun location
• Weed area and amend soil with compost
• Separate cloves and plant them pointed end
up, 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart
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•
•
•
•
Top dress with compost or mulch to deter weeds
In Spring add fresh layer of compost or mulch
Remove any flower stalks to insure large bulbs
Harvest when foliage yellows and falls over. Usually in
July here.
• Store in dry cool location
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References
Articles
Grisak, Amy, “Second Acts.” Organic Gardening, Aug/Oct 2009, pp 58-63.
Pleasant, Barbara, “Grow Your Best Fall Garden.” Mother Earth News,
August/September 2009, pp 31-35.
Books
The Maryland Master Gardener Handbook. University of Maryland College of
Agriculture and Natural Resources. September 2008.
Bubel, Nancy. The New Seed Starters Handbook. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale Press, 1988.
Internet
Wilson, Carl, “Front Range Food Gardener Blog,” staff Horticulturist with the
Colorado State University Extension office in Denver, CSU Extension
web site.
Fall Chores For a Healthy Garden
• Clean up and remove plant debris from garden.
– Leave vegetable roots in place
– Dig in or remove summer mulch
• Add and mix in farm manure or compost.
• Plant a cover crop in September on bare ground or
cover soil with tree leaves.
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Caring for Perennials
• Asparagus -Cut to 2 inch stubs after frost, Add 4 to 6
inches mulch
• Rhubarb - Top dress with composted manure
• Strawberries - Mulch with straw or organic materials
4” deep after soil freezes
• Raspberries/blackberries - In winter, remove
floricanes which have borne fruit
• Blueberries - Protect with pine bark mulch, rotted
sawdust, or compost around the base of the bush
Protect all perennial vegetables from freezing
weather with mulch around the base of plants.
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Reminders for “Putting the Garden to Bed”
• Remove all rotten fruit from the ground
around trees; insect infestations last through
winter.
• Leave vegetable roots in place but remove
diseased tomato, potato, and squash foliage
to prevent disease. Do not toss these plants
in the compost. Bag and discard.
• Remove dead branches from roses and fruit
trees (no pruning yet).
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• Leave dried flowers, ornamental grasses, and
seed heads that look good and provide food for
birds.
• Protect perennials from frost heaving by
mulching after the ground freezes.
• Protect ornamentals such as azaleas and berry
bushes from bud-eating deer with deer netting.
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• Build a simple compost bin or add to your
present one all Winter long.
• Plant spring bulbs. Including garlic
• Plant cover crops after harvest to correct soil
compaction.
• Clean and sharpen tools blades
• Plan next year’s garden!
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How to Store the Harvest
• In-ground growing
• Unheated attic- onions
• Unheated basement – Winter squash and
pumpkin (stems on)
• Root cellar
• Pits with containers
• Specialized treatments (tomatoes)
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How to Store the Harvest
•
•
•
•
•
Drying
Freezing
Canning
Preserving
Pickling
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UME Master Gardeners’
Mission
Our mission is to educate Maryland residents
about safe, effective and sustainable
horticultural practices that build healthy
gardens, landscapes, and communities.
Resources
• Grow It! Eat It!
http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit
– We have all types of practical food gardening tips and
information. Check out our popular blog!
• Home and Garden Information Center
http://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic
– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You
can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.
– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click
“Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”
• Maryland Master Gardener Program
http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg
– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!
This program was brought to you by the
Maryland Master Gardener Program
Calvert County
University of Maryland Extension