Time to Think about Fall Planting

Timing is key.  Vegetables grown in this season need about 14 extra days to mature compared with spring-seeded crops.  This is due to the shorter days of Autumn, cooling soil and less intense sunshine.

How do you know when to start?

1. Determine your average first frost date, which is now Oct 21-31 in Piermont.  (The last 2 years we have been able to harvest raspberries almost until Thanksgiving).
2. Check the seed packet for days to maturity.
3. Add 14 days to that number.
4. Use that figure to calculate back to seed-starting date

Swiss Chard 60 + 14 days to harvest

What can you plant?

Beets, cilantro, lettuce, radish*, spinach (see also: Overwintering Spinach & Why Winter Spinach Tastes Better), kale, peas, salad greens, Swiss chard, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, onions (see also Three Ways to Plant Onions), leeks, parsley and arugula.   When choosing varieties, select ones that are fast-
maturing to insure a harvest.

NB: Joan Gussow starts her fall peas around Aug 1.  And, crops such as kale, lettuce, spinach and broccoli thrive in lower temperatures.
*Do not throw away your radish tops! Sauté in just a little olive oil with some onion and bacon.

See original article Time to Start Work on Your Fall Garden by Kathy Van Mullekom
For planting tips & timing see Rodale's The Key to a High Yield Autumn Garden and consider succession planting to keep the harvest coming!
Another resource is How to Grow Fall Vegetables
Updated July 24, 2016