{"id":15188,"date":"2025-09-10T16:00:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T20:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?p=15188"},"modified":"2025-09-11T17:26:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T21:26:33","slug":"growing-in-the-fall-how-to-garden-year-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/growing-in-the-fall-how-to-garden-year-round\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing in the Fall: How to Garden Year-Round"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Written by: Nicole Majewski<br \/>\nEdited by: Kiya Tavascia<br \/>\nDesigned by: Suhana Shaik<br \/>\nPublished by: Rayna Almas<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">A<\/span>utumn isn\u2019t known as the harvest season just for aesthetics. It\u2019s when all your apples, cranberries, peppers, and pumpkin are gathered up en route to your yellow leaf-patterned plate. But autumn isn\u2019t just the season to reap the old\u2014who says it\u2019s too late to plant the new? People tend to think that plants can only bloom in the warm summer conditions, but that\u2019s not true at all. In fact, some <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">thrive <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the crisp autumn air, or even in light frost! And of course, the better plants grow, the more delicious they\u2019ll ultimately be. So, plant yourself a display to rival even the striking red of the leaves around you\u2014here\u2019s exactly what and how you can grow in fall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-15191 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/how-to-garden-year-round-300x174.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"533\" height=\"309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/how-to-garden-year-round-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/how-to-garden-year-round-510x297.jpg 510w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/how-to-garden-year-round.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\" \/><\/p>\n<h1><\/h1>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What to Grow<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oftentimes, autumn is dubbed an interval between backyard harvests. If people talk about planting, they\u2019re usually referring more to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">planning<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and for the spring to come months later. But we\u2019ve already established that plants <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">flourish in the fall. So, which ones does this include?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Vegetables<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, it\u2019s that simple. While green cucumbers might not be the best option once the trees have gone red, that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t plant other types. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, lettuce, and bok choy are not only resistant to the cold and frost, but they actually become <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sweeter <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in these conditions. And you thought there\u2019d never be a reason to look forward to below-zero temperatures! There\u2019s also great potential in members of the cabbage family. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brassicas <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts grow just as well in colder conditions, while experiencing the benefits of pest and weed-free weather. Other delicious options include root veggies like potatoes, beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, and parsnips, as well as peas and green onions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Botanicals<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This category includes herbs and flowers. The former are even more resistant to the elements than veggies, and often happily thrive all throughout autumn and into early winter. This is especially true for chives, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme\u2014all perfect for adding some extra pizzazz to your Thanksgiving dinner. Meanwhile, our autumn-loving flowers like pansies and viola are just begging to brighten up your fall garden.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, veggies and botanicals aren\u2019t the only plants that could do well in your fall garden. But whatever you settle on, make sure you do research beforehand. Your crops should be adept at coping with the cold, and ones that mature quickly enough to be harvested before the harsh onset of winter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Grow<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By choosing proper plants for the fall, you\u2019re already creating a good chance of a great yield. Either way, that doesn\u2019t mean that there aren\u2019t extra considerations that could make your garden even better. Here are some of the most important ones:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Protect your plants!\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, while autumn-based plants are naturally much more resilient to the harsher elements, you should still make an effort to ensure they\u2019re as comfortable as possible. There are a few ways to go about this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firstly, supplement your soil with compost or organic fertilisers. Since you\u2019ve probably done the bulk of your gardening over the spring and summer months, the soil is likely worn out. Replenishing its nutrients will do it worlds of good, and your autumn crops will thank you!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secondly, plant your seeds deeper than you would have in warmer months. This helps roots more easily reach the better, more deeply buried soil.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last on our soil agenda is drainage. A key difference between autumn and summer gardening is, of course, the temperature. Since fall is much less hot, your soil will naturally be much less dry. This is good to a moderate extent\u2014your plants need water, but they also don\u2019t need too much. However, if your soil isn\u2019t drying, it isn\u2019t <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">draining<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which means it\u2019s your responsibility to prevent flooding. It\u2019s a good idea to alter your setup to incorporate raised plant beds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, use \u201crow covers\u201d. That means putting a figurative coat over your plants to keep them warm and insulated over those extra-chilly nights. Layers of leaves or grass make fantastic natural blankets.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Think sunny thoughts!<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sun shines very differently in the fall versus in the summer. Since the mornings are darker and the afternoons shorter, you need to be strategic about maximising the sun that your garden gets. A great way to do this is by changing the location of your planting. You\u2019ll want to opt for the spot with the least shade possible so that the sun shines onto your plants whenever it\u2019s out. Another option is planting in containers or atop wheelbarrows, which you can move to different locations throughout the day according to where there\u2019s most sunlight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Timing is everything!<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the warmer months have probably gotten you into the habit of patiently waiting weeks to pluck your harvest from the soil, this isn\u2019t always the best technique in fall. Temperatures are always fluctuating; some days might be paradise for your leafy greens, but even one unexpected freeze could be too much for them. And, of course, your fall garden\u2019s time is always ticking, no matter how persistent your crops may seem. This \u201cdeadline\u201d usually falls around the first fall frost. Because of this, it\u2019s good to get into the habit of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">successive planting<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or following your plants&#8217; rapid growth cycles. You should be able to harvest each individual crop in quick, successive cycles\u2014ideally at least one 10-14 days. This ensures you\u2019re both protecting your plants and getting the most out of your harvest!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And remember\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gardening doesn\u2019t have to be outdoors; indoor planting is always an option! Once temperatures get too cold, you can always continue your growing by moving your plants into pots and bringing them inside to warmer temperatures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;\">And Now You Know<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sweater weather makes for the perfect time to do a lot of things, and gardening is no exception. Don\u2019t let the chilly breeze deter you from continuing to care for backyard plants\u2014many will thrive if you only let them!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">References<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XaeXAnQ3liA&amp;t=780s\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XaeXAnQ3liA&amp;t=780s<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=A0QRDBNGYiE&amp;t=253s\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=A0QRDBNGYiE&amp;t=253s<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7wZl046nB2U&amp;t=638s\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7wZl046nB2U&amp;t=638s<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gardenerspath.com\/plants\/vegetables\/plant-autumn\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/gardenerspath.com\/plants\/vegetables\/plant-autumn\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardenworks.ca\/tip-sheets\/fall-and-winter-harvest\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.gardenworks.ca\/tip-sheets\/fall-and-winter-harvest<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureconservancy.ca\/en\/what-we-do\/resource-centre\/conservation-101\/10-ways-to-get-your-garden-ready-for-fall.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.natureconservancy.ca\/en\/what-we-do\/resource-centre\/conservation-101\/10-ways-to-get-your-garden-ready-for-fall.html<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/landscapeontario.com\/fall-gardening-checklist\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/landscapeontario.com\/fall-gardening-checklist<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greengardenvibes.ca\/blogs\/news\/top-10-best-fall-plants-for-fall-gardening-in-canada\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.greengardenvibes.ca\/blogs\/news\/top-10-best-fall-plants-for-fall-gardening-in-canada<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gardenerspath.com\/how-to\/design\/put-color-fall-landscaping\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/gardenerspath.com\/how-to\/design\/put-color-fall-landscaping\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardeningknowhow.com\/ornamental\/flowers\/fgen\/fall-flowering-gardens-creating-color-and-interest-during-the-off-season.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.gardeningknowhow.com\/ornamental\/flowers\/fgen\/fall-flowering-gardens-creating-color-and-interest-during-the-off-season.htm<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.almanac.com\/best-vegetables-fall-garden\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.almanac.com\/best-vegetables-fall-garden<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Image References<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pxhere.com\/en\/photo\/861521\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/pxhere.com\/en\/photo\/861521<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Autumn isn\u2019t known as the harvest season just for aesthetics. It\u2019s when all your apples, cranberries, peppers, and pumpkin are gathered up en route to your yellow leaf-patterned plate. But autumn isn\u2019t just the season to reap the old&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15189,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15188"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15188"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15194,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15188\/revisions\/15194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}