Smiles, I am in the same boat. I have often done spring gardening with direct sowing but would like to try for a fall garden. I too am seeking knowledge when it comes to figuring out when to start indoor seedings, when to put outside, etc. Is there anything that can be direct sown in fall garden?

Lettuce is always good for fall sowing. And onions can be fall-sowed for an early spring harvest.

As for other crops that like cool weather, like peas, potatoes, broccoli, etc., you have to count back the average days to maturity, plus about five days for germination, to know when to plant them. My tomatoes, corn, eggplant, squash, & beans are never finished in time!

Go into google, type "your state name" planting dates and hit enter. If you only get spring dates then add fall to the search.

Or you can do "your county name and state name" and then planting dates. This should really give local info.

Most counties have a cooperative extension service so check out their website too. That's where you can find master gardeners info. The Master Gardener program usually has gardeners that will answer questions from locals

Our co-op extension website sucks (for lack of a better term). It provides little to no information for a home garden.

Smiles

Sorry, my post left out important information!

You identify the average first fall frost date and count back from THAT.

I get that, but what if it is a hearty plant which can tolerate slight frost?

Hi fanfortina,

I found this pdf from the Maryland Extension Office that should help. where in md are you? im new at planting veggies and herbs. this is my first year with veggies and 2nd with herbs, so i've been looking for information on fall planting, but it's so confusing at times, specially when one has limited sun space available in the garden.

Here is a link that might be useful: fall planting dates MD Extension Office

FALL PLANTING DATES FOR VEGETABLES

The important thing to realize is that vegetables which can be direct seeded for a fall crop are *not* rare exceptions.

That is something which was lost on me until the past few summers when I learned that many of the veggies I was trying to grow from a late spring planting grow much better if they mature in cooler weather. This includes radishes, turnips, rutabaga, peas (English), cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, bok choy) and many leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, mustard, yu choy, escarole, endive) which bolt quickly in hot weather. You have plenty of time for a second planting of snap beans too.

Jim

I get that, but what if it is a hearty plant which can tolerate slight frost?

You have to consider the growth rate of plants in the fall. Frost isn't the only issue as many plants can tolerate them for awhile.

The day length is shorter so less sun for the plants and the average temp is cooler so plants will grow more slowly.

What I do is I look at the days to maturity on the seed packet. If there is a range then I use the longest number of days. I add 2 weeks to that and subtract from the date I want to harvest them.

This isn't a precise thing, and some years things may not work out as well as you hoped, but that is gardening. In general though, if you sow the seeds while summer is still around and the ground warm things germinate quickly and grow quickly and then they slow down as the temps cool. Ideally you want the plants near harvest at this point. Once the cool weather arrives many will 'keep' in the ground for a very long time because they aren't growing much and they don't have the urge to bolt.

If you have the room, stagger the fall planting so you plant 1/3 each week for 3 weeks (or more) and keep notes so you can see how each did (and remember it for next year, I forget so much over the winter if I don't write things down).

Venusruiz, I am in central MD. Frederick county. I'm getting ready to start up some broc and cabbage seeds. I'm thinking of direct sowing peas later on too. I'm thinking July 10 for the peas? Maybe get the broc and cabbage outside by Aug 6-10? Experts, do I have a fighting chance?

Thanks everyone!

Here's a link for all the states' extension offices to find things like planting dates, research, etc. This may help. Maureen

Here is a link that might be useful: Extension Offices

I'm in Georgia zone 7b. About to plant another round of bush beans and zucchini (darn vine borers).

Around July 4th I start seeds indoors for cabbage, collards, celery, lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower. This is my first for fall broccoli. My goal is to get the plants out by mid August. I use heat-tolerant, early varieties in the fall @55 - 60dtm to allow enough time for fruit to develop. The heat-tolerant varieties don't bolt so easily in our hot August/Sept. temps. Oh, and just before Labor Day, I direct seed carrot, beets, radish and peas. Remember, early varieties!

Can anyone tell me which company you like to order seeds from for your fall crops ? This will be my first year ever to grow in the fall ... I esp want to grow kale ... I'll be getting that seed from my local feed and seed but I think I want to order some mail order catalogs as well just so I can start planning my fall garden ;-)

"... I'll be getting that seed from my local feed and seed but I think I want to order some mail order catalogs as well..."

I order a lot by mail from on-line catalogs of Sand Hill Preservation, Victory Seeds, Evergreen Seeds and others.

However, if I can get what I want locally, I prefer to do that.

Jim

Here's a fall planting schedule from the Joy of Gardening that I've used for years. You must know your expected frost date and count backwards. These dates take into account changes in day length, sun angle and intensity as well as temperature.
SEEDS ONLY:
beans 7-10 weeks
beets 8-12 weeks
carrots 8-12 weeks
chinese cabbage 6-8 weeks
kale 4-10 weeks
lettuce (not head lettuce) 4-6 weeks
mustard 6-10 weeks
peas 6-10 weeks
radishes 2-8 weeks
spinach 4-6 weeks
tomatoes 8-12 weeks

PLANTS ONLY:
broccoli plants 6-8 weeks
brussel sprouts plants 10-12 weeks
cabbage plants 6-8 weeks
cauliflower plants 6-8 weeks
collards plants 6-10 weeks
head lettuce plants 8-10 weeks

Best of luck! Maureen

Rane_grow, I Don't know what I'd do without my catalogs. They keep me occupied all winter. I try to buy whatever I can locally, mostly because they typically sell varieties that do well in my area. I like Johnny's Seed b/c they're also on the east coast, but territorial, southern exposure and victory are also very good. Sandhill has great prices, but they are in Iowa near the flooding. Don't know how this may have impacted them.

Smiles 317, be sure to follow-up green beans with a green leafy fall vegetable like Kale, cabbage or Lettuce. Beans are said to impart nitrogen in the soil. Green Leafy veggies will greatly benefit from this.