- 1). Prepare the soil by taking the weeds and dead roots from old plantings, and by removing rocks with a shovel, spade and rake.
- 2). Mix the topsoil into the potting mixture. Add compost to your mix.
- 3). Choose plants that can survive the colder months. For harvesting, plant the following root crops by mid July: beets, carrots, parsnip, rutabaga and globe onions. Plant the following leaf crops about the same time: Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, and fava bean.
- 4). Plant pumpkins, as they are a favorite plant for the season. It is best to plant pumpkins in late May to early June so that by Halloween time they are ready.
- 5). Use the following planting guidelines to grow a fall garden. Plant late-maturing crops (90 days maturity) by mid-July, mid-season crops (60 days maturity) by mid-August, and early-maturing crops (30 days maturity) by mid-September.
- 6). Plant fall blooming flowers, such as chrysanthemums and marigolds, during mid- to late-summer so that the bloom will show at the first sign of autumn.
- 7). Lengthen your growing season. Take advantage of windbreaks and walls where you can generate heat for your plants to survive longer. Choose the south-facing walls and fences to use the free solar energy of the sun.
- 8). Use cold frames and plant in greenhouses to protect plants from the colder weather.
- 9). Plant using raised beds, as they provide additional 8 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit in soil temperature as compared to in-ground soil.
- 10
Add mulch, which functions as a blanket to keep the planting bed warm.
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