Your garden is not finished providing you with another wonderful harvest of luscious vegetables, delightful herbs, and beautiful flowers that will make you a garden star this fall. When planted according to the guidelines below, these garden goodies will mature before Cincinnati’s first frost, (which is around the 23rd of October, on average over most years). It’s always a good idea to check with your local resources regarding the projected first frost date for your area since you may be in one of the microclimates created by large lakes, hills and other surrounding environmental conditions. It would be a good idea to nourish the soil with some compost before planting since many fall vegetables grow well in recently composted soil. Your work will be rewarded with fresh herbs and vegetables on your dinner table throughout the season.
Vegetable Planting Times for the Fall Season in Cincinnati
Cabbage and Kale: Buy plants that have been started in a cell pack and put these into the ground 6 weeks before the expected frost date. Kale will actually taste sweeter after exposure to light frost. Keep in mind however, that a heavy frost could kill kale.
Yukon Gold and Kennebec Red Potatoes: These can be planted 3 weeks before the first frost.
Lettuce: Leaf, Bibb and Romaine lettuce can be planted as seeds as late as 6 weeks before frost is expected.
Turnips, Carrots, Beets and Daikon: Radishes and turnips should be planted as seeds in early September. Since these are root vegetables, they need to be planted as seeds so that the roots can absorb the nutrients in the soil.
Arugula, Spinach, Cilantro and Winter Peas: These can be planted as seeds in early September, as well.
Flowers That Work Well for Fall Planting
You don’t have to limit your enjoyment of your fall gardening to just autumnal vegetables. There are flowers to think about as well! Mums are iconic for the fall and Pansies will add colorful flashes of beauty to your garden. Cyclamen and Gladiolus are two beautiful flowers that flourish in the autumn in Cincinnati gardens. Of course, these grow from bulbs, so they should be planted earlier in the summer, but you can enjoy them throughout the fall.
If you really want to help your autumn garden flourish, you may need to add a different fertilizer to the soil for optimal fall planting and growth, and you can call your trusted, local garden and tree service company for help with the best choice.
It is really amazing what you can do with your garden in the fall here in Cincinnati. You can enjoy so many tasty vegetables, and a variety of beautiful flowers, to brighten up your yard as the vibrant summer flowers begin to fade. If you need help with your Cincinnati garden or tree care this fall (or anytime) you can call us here at Tree Images in Cincinnati. We’re a professional tree service company who is ready to help your trees and yard shine in the fall and all year long.
Happy planting!
