Fall Gardening in Spring

 Fall here in York County, PA is glorious. Our average first frost date isn't until Halloween and there is no reason September and October can't be just as beautiful and bountiful in the garden as July and

I didn't even mention Mums. They're great too. 

August. What am I posting about this in May? Because there are many plants that hit their peek in the fall that need to be planted now. Having a great fall garden requires some planning. But you can do this! Here is what you should be planting now to have an amazing fall garden. 

Vegetables

Some of the most quintessential vegetables of fall are pumpkins. However, they take a long time to grow. You can start them from seeds readily but they need to be started soon. If you wait till August, it will be much too late. This includes all pumpkins, gourds and winter squash such as butternut or acorn. They all require full sun and rich soil. 

A few other vegetables like Brussel sprouts and parsnips are the same way. Plant now to harvest in fall. I'm also experimenting with starting leeks from seeds now to harvest in the fall. I'll let you know how that goes. 

Maple trees and pumpkins just scream fall. 

Annual Flowers

Sunflowers, zinnias, strawflowers, and marigolds are all easy to start from seed and can look fabulous all fall. (Last year I was picking fresh straw flowers until Thanksgiving) But you need to plant them now. Again, they all need full sun. A word on sunflowers; some varieties bloom and finish in summer so if you want a fall show be sure to select a variety for fall. 

Perennial Flowers

Investing in some key perennials to show off in fall is a great idea. However, to get a good bloom this year, you need to select and plant them out now. Any member of the Aster Family is great for fall. I also enjoy my pink sedum flowers and Trycirtus. Gallardia is another popular fall flower. Ornamental grasses can also look great in the fall. 

Trees and Shrubs

Some seeds I've started near the spiggot. 

First, growing apples and pears brings a fantastic fall harvest of classic fall fruits. I recommend growing both. 

Second, there are so many plants that just look amazing in fall from large sugar maples, to wild grape vines, to the Virginia Sweet Spire I just planted out. Even blueberry bushes get great fall color. 

The best part is, that if you plan things out well, I find fall gardening to be far more relaxing. Fewer hours of sunlight mean plants slow down and it's easier to find time to sit with a hot cup of coffee and just take it in. 

Another tip: if you have limited space in your vegetable garden, you might struggle to find room for fall veggies right now. I like to start seeds in containers to plant out later when spring veggies are done and ready to pull out. Just keep the containers near a water source so they're easy to keep watered. 

What are some of your favorite fall plants? Are you planning anything special this year? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.