Get Ready for Fall with this Fall Planting Guide

What to Plant in the Fall

Planting isn’t just for spring! Fall is an excellent time to get your hands dirty and grow a variety of plants. Wondering what you can plant in the fall? The answer is almost anything. From turfgrass and spring-blooming bulbs to cool-season vegetables, perennials, trees, and shrubs, autumn offers plenty of opportunities to enhance your garden.

Why is fall so great for planting? Cooler air temperatures are easier on both plants and gardeners, while the soil remains warm enough to encourage root growth until the ground freezes. In contrast, spring planting often has to wait for the soil to thaw and warm up.

Fall also boasts more planting-friendly days than spring, which can be hampered by heavy rains and unpredictable weather. On top of that, garden centers often offer discounts on their remaining inventory as the season winds down, making fall a budget-friendly time to stock up on plants.

While fall showers are generally abundant, you’ll need to water if rain falls short of an inch per week. Thankfully, pests and diseases are less of a problem during this season, and there’s no need for fertilizer. In fact, applying fertilizer in the fall can encourage tender new growth that’s vulnerable to winter damage.

Keep in mind, the window for fall planting closes about six weeks before your area experiences a hard frost, typically in September or October.

Use this list for Fall Planting Inspiration.

Pansies
Fall is the best time to plant pansies because the still-warm soil temperatures give their roots time to establish. By planting in fall, you’ll get two seasons of enjoyment out of these cool-season favorites. Remove spent flowers so the plant doesn’t use its energy to set seeds, and keep the soil moist. After the soil freezes, mulch plants to prevent alternate freezing and thawing cycles that can heave plants out of the ground. Learn how to select and grow pansies.

Cool-Season Vegetables
Many vegetables thrive in cool weather, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, and Swiss chard.

Many fall-harvested crops should be planted in early August to give them enough time to mature. Always consult the seed packet to see how many days it takes until maturity, and count backward from your frost date to allow enough time.

Lettuce, spinach, and other greens with a short maturity time can be planted later in the season. Extend the growing season by planting them under floating row covers or cold frames that will shield plants from frost but still allow light, air, and water to penetrate.

Many root crops taste sweeter when they’re harvested after frost.
Learn more about cool-season crops.

Trees and Shrubs
Fall is an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs. The weather is cool but the soil is still warm enough for root development. Before digging, always check with your local utility companies to locate any underground lines. Always plant trees and shrubs at their natural soil lines. Keep newly planted trees or shrubs well watered until the ground freezes so they get a good start before going into full dormancy during winter.
Learn more about planting trees and shrubs.

Read the full article here: What to Plant in the Fall http://bit.ly/1JPofnB

Before starting your garden or preparing a new garden bed, remember to contact Colorado 811. We act as the communication link between you and utility companies, ensuring your request to have underground utility lines located is sent to the right parties. While we don’t perform the locates ourselves, the utility companies will mark their lines so you can dig safely and avoid the risk of injury or utility damage.