The planting season is upon us! Yes, you heard that right. Fall is actually a great time for planting a variety of things. If you have been planning to add new trees, shrubs, and various perennials to your garden, you may not have to wait until Spring. In fact, many plants will benefit from a Fall planting. While they will soon go dormant, the plants will be slowly sending out their roots during the Winter months. This will make them more established and give them an extra head start by the time they emerge from dormancy for next year’s growing season. This is a huge benefit as they will be better equipped for contending with our hot, high and dry Summer conditions.
One of the only times that I do not recommend Fall planting is with a plant whose hardiness zone rating is teetering on the edge of “not hardy enough” in our climate. In such a case, we want to give that plant time during the growing season to first establish as much as possible. This is to prepare it for the coming Winter, instead of exposing it to the elements too abruptly, making it vulnerable to cold damage. These cases are quite rare, however, and if you are planning varieties that are rated for our climate zone, they should always benefit from a Fall planting.
Also, local gardeners still have time to plant some common vegetables for the Fall season. These are the varieties that struggle heavily with our hot Summers and prefer much cooler weather. They include lettuce, kale, spinach, radish, arugula, mustards, and even snap peas, beets, and carrots. Unless we succumb to an extra early and hard frost, we should get a good harvest.
Garlic is another cold hardy crop for which this season plays an important role. Late Fall is the best time to get your garlic bulbs in. Plant them two to four inches deep in rich, loose soil, and they will be one of the first crops to emerge beautifully in early Spring, ready to grow.
An extra bonus to a Fall garden is that it does not have to be watered as much. Cooler temperature means slower evaporation, making moisture retention more attainable with less work.
Fall season is almost here and we don’t have to be done yet. Enjoy the extra head start and the uniquely productive gardening season that Fall provides us. While you’re at it, take advantage of potential end-of-season sales offered at local nurseries, avoiding some of the Spring shopping rush. Happy planting!
