Really fast varieties of lettuce are still doable if the first frost (already struck here 3 weeks early) is delayed otherwise no.

You can also make hoop houses to extend the season, but otherwise no, it is too late for this year.

Dream of spring.

You can also plant garlic and multiplier onions for harvest next season if you just want to get things in the ground.

Planted garlic and spinach yesterday.

Good to see that Justaguy2 would go out on a rather firm limb on this question and that Makalu would have some wise encouragement. Persephone, it is difficult for gardeners who are otherwise such a hopeful bunch to discourage others.

Once again, I've let a few dates slip by me this year. A recent one was finally getting around to trying to overwinter spinach. Now just when exactly was it, that I was supposed to plant the seeds??

Regardless of the air temperature your seedlings may experience once, and if, they emerge - soil temperature is critical for germination. Generally, the soil is warmer at this time of year than during the Spring, however, it is cooling quickly. I just put a thermometer in the soil in the most protected part of my yard - temperature, 42°F. There has been a big cool-down since it finally made it to 70°F in early July.

If you look at the link below you will see the days to germination of some of the crops you've been thinking about. Note that it would take me 51 days to have the carrots germinate even if soil temperature would hold steady. Even a quick crop like lettuce takes 15 days. My spinach would be 23 days.

If I was to plant spinach now it would be mid-October before it would emerge. Average minimum overnight temperature in my location is 35°F thru the month of October, 28°F during the month of November. Probably frost would occur at least half the nights during the plants first 2 weeks of "growth." Actual growth is just not going to happen.

Get the soil ready and plan, plan, plan . . . for Spring.

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: Days to Germination for Vegetables/Temperatures University of Minnesota

Well, apparently I was napping while Gandle was planting seed . . . I'll ask someone who overwinters spinach each year and see what he has to say. You just might get another vote for planting - I'll let you know.

Steve

Nope, he plants spinach seed in August and harvests some greens in the Autumn. The remainder overwinters. Zone 5, also . . .

Steve

I overwinter spinach and planted last week. It's been so hot here that I rigged a sun shade and have been watering twice a day. I saw the first seedlings yesterday. It's not too late to sow spring spinach, but you should do it ASAP. It overwinters very easily for me with just a light row cover to protect it a little from burn. In late winter I trim off the burned leaves and feed it. Then it takes off and by March, I'm eating spinach.

I will plant tomorrow my spinach and put it in a hoophouse. It will be ready in March.

But now is the time to plant garlic. And now is also a good time to seed a cover crop such as winter rye.

My garlic goes in at the end of next week. That's the end of planting for the year for me, but not the end of harvesting. I have still coming Savoy cabbages, escaroles, chicories, lettuces, arugula, chard, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, beets. I love the fall garden.