Why You Should Do Your Spring Planting in the Fall
Why You Should Do Your Spring Planting in the Fall
i'm attending a meadow-making workshop tomorrow, and i'm hoping to learn a lot about what to do with the little plot of land we take care of. i would love to do some fall planting!
That. Sounds. Awesome!
I was planning on starting some onions this fall. What other plants are good for overwintering when they are still young and which are we really better off waiting until spring for though?
As a broad rule of thumb, any bulbs can be planted during the fall - onion sets and garlics do very well for us when planted this way in usda zone 5 / Trewartha Dca. The same goes for things like daffodils, irises, and other bulbing plants. Trees, shrubs, and perennial herbaceous plants will also benefit from fall planting, and come into the following growing season with a more extensive root system for it. We've also had success with things like kale, chard, and other hardyish cut-and-come-again leafy greens, so that might be worth experimenting with.
True summer veggies - peppers, tomatoes, anything that melts at the first frost - I don't start until late winter or early spring (and those are started inside). Annual summer flowers get pretty much the same treatment, especially any that have a relatively short time to maturity. You could work those seeds into areas during the fall, but you'll have a wider range of results and less direct control (but chaos gardening is cool).
Most plants that are hardy enough to survive winter will do well with a fall planting. So most perennials for sure. Brassicas are another great cool weather crop. Lots of options, just not summer things like tomatoes, squash, etc.
Thanks!