Information from Almanac.com
When we say “fall,” we really mean planting in summer in time for a fall harvest. Think of this as a second summer! It’s easy to keep the crops going if you’ve already prepared the soil!
Many crops that would be started indoors for a spring crop can just be plunked into the soil directly for a fall crop. Not only is the soil already warm but also there are less pests and it tends to be rainier so you don’t need to water as often. Some fall vegetables need to be harvested by the first frost, but many are frost-tolerant and even taste better after a kiss of fall frost!
See each plant’s individual Growing Guide for more specific planting, plant care, and harvesting information.
Specifically, on the charts, there are different columns labeled as follows:
- Start Seeds Indoors: When to sow seeds indoors to get an early start on the season.
- Plant Seedlings Outdoors: When to put small seedlings that you grew indoors (OR starter plants that you bought at a garden nursery) in the outdoor soil.
- Start Seeds Outdoors: When to plant seeds directly into the outdoor soil.
- Last Date to Plant: You may plant any time from the “start seeds” dates until this “last date.” Don’t wait any longer, or the crop won’t have time to get to harvest before fall/winter frosts.
The “Moon Dates” indicate the best planting dates based on Moon phases. You can learn more about this age-old technique below.
When N/A appears in the chart, that starting method is typically not recommended, although it is likely still possible.
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Planting Dates for Fall
| Crop |  Based on Frost Dates Based on Moon Dates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start Seeds Outdoors | Transplant | Average Days to Maturity | Frost Tolerance | ||
| Arugula | Aug 23-Sep 27 Sep 2-17 | N/A | 40 | Frost-hardy | |
| Beets | Jul 19-Aug 16 Jul 22-Aug 3 | N/A | 50 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Bok Choy | Aug 2-23 Aug 4-19 | N/A | 50 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Broccoli | Jul 12-19 Jul 12-19 | Aug 2-16 Aug 4-16 | 60 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Brussels Sprouts | Jun 21-Jul 5 Jun 21 | N/A | 100 | Frost-hardy | |
| Cabbage | Jul 12-19 Jul 12-19 | Aug 2-9 Aug 4-9 | 90 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Carrots | Jul 26-Aug 2 Jul 26-Aug 2 | N/A | 70 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Cauliflower | Jul 5-12 Jul 5-12 | Jul 19-26 Jul 19-21 | 75 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Chives | Jul 19-Aug 16 Jul 19-21, Aug 4-16 | N/A | 70 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Fennel | Jul 12-26 Jul 12-21 | N/A | 80 | Tender | |
| Garlic | Oct 25-Nov 7 Oct 25-31 | N/A | 120 | Frost-hardy | |
| Green Beans | Jul 26-Aug 9 Aug 4-9 | N/A | 55 | Tender | |
| Kale | Aug 2-16 Aug 4-16 | N/A | 60 | Frost-hardy | |
| Kohlrabi | Aug 9-30 Aug 9-19 | N/A | 45 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Lettuce | Aug 2-16 Aug 4-16 | N/A | 60 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Mustard Greens | Aug 9-30 Aug 9-19 | N/A | 45 | Tender | |
| Peas | Aug 2-16 Aug 4-16 | N/A | 55 | Tender | |
| Radishes | Aug 30-Sep 13 Aug 30-Sep 1 | N/A | 25 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Spinach | Aug 23-Sep 13 Sep 2-13 | N/A | 30 | Frost-hardy | |
| Swiss Chard | Aug 2-16 Aug 4-16 | N/A | 60 | Frost-tolerant | |
| Turnips | Aug 9-23 Aug 20-23 | N/A | 50 | Frost-tolerant | |
