Fall is an ideal time to grow vegetables that thrive in cool temperatures.
Vegetable crops can be classified into two basic categories – cool and warm season crops. What this means to you is that some plants thrive in the cool temperatures and short daylight hours of spring or fall and can survive light frosts, while others should be grown during the warmer, long days of summer.
If you are starting from seed, it is important to account for the number of days it will take for a plant to mature versus the first below freezing temperatures of the season.
For an example I will use broccoli , it will take about 55 ( the shortest amount of time) days before I can harvest them. The best way to know when to get these in the ground is to take your average frost date from above according to your zone and backup 55 days to plant them. However, this does not take into account the cooler and shorter days that need to be factored in. It would be better to come up with a date like the middle of September and back up from there. If you live in milder parts of the country such as the deep South or parts of California you can make this imaginary harvest date a little later. I use the days listed and add 7-10 days to that, to account for the shorter days and the cooler temperatures.

Estimated Frost Dates

Zone 3 – Sept 1st – 30th
Zone 4 – Sept 1st – 30th
Zone 5 – Sept 30th – Oct 30th
Zone 6 – Sept 30th – Oct 30th
Zone 7 – Oct 15th – Nov 15th
Zone 8 – Oct 30th – Nov 30th
Zone 9 – Nov 30th – Dec 30th
Zone 10 – Nov 30th – Dec 30th
Zone 11 – Frost Free

Another thing to keep in mind when planting your fall vegetables is that the seedlings require plenty of moisture. So keep them well watered until any rain that your area might have. Also, many of the leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale are heavy feeders so be generous with the vegetable safe fertilizer.
Dan & I like to grow certain cool season vegetables from seed, like arugula, spinach, and different types of lettuce that will germinate easily and mature quickly. Vegetables that are better started from seedlings (that are at least 6 weeks of age before transplanting outdoors) are broccoli, cabbage, kale and collard greens that you have prepared 4-6 weeks in advance. Transplants are an important issue for those who garden in the North where the fall season is shorter than those in the South. By using these seedlings (transplants) this will give you a head start. Look at our Planting Schedule at For more information.

Soil pH is a measurement of the number of Hydrogen ions present in the soil solution along with as the acidity of the soil.
When the soil pH is too acidic the nutrients that are present in the soil become locked-up or unavailable (low pH) or alkaline (high pH).

Correcting the pH has the same effect as applying fertilizer as it unlocks plant nutrients already present.
In your garden some garden plants thrive in acidic soils while others prefer an alkaline soil. The acidity or alkalinity of soil is a measurement by pH (potential Hydrogen ions). pH is a way to measure the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil, and the type of soil that you have.
A soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acidic soil and one with a pH higher than 7.0 is alkaline.
To Measure Soil pH
It is recommended that you use a relatively inexpensive, and follow the manufacturers instructions when testing the pH Level of your Gardens soil.
To raise or lower the pH level in the soil either Limestone or Sulfur is utilized.
Other materials will accomplish the same results; however the two that are listed are the most commonly used.

Limestone is added to the soil to raise the pH level because limestone is essentially calcium and calcium reacts with water in the soil to yield hydroxyl ions .. a process known as, hydrolysis = thus the pH level in the soil is raised.

Sulfur reacts with bacteria in the soil and produces sulfuric acid, which releases hydrogen ions thus causing the soil to become more acidic =the pH level is lowered.

Application Of Lime (To Raise Soil pH)

To increase your pH by 1.0 point and make your soil more alkaline.
Add 4 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in sandy soils
Add 8 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in loamy soils
Add 12 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in clay soils
Add 25 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in peaty soils
The addition of ash, bone meal, or crushed oyster shells will also help to raise soil pH levels.

Application of Sulfur (To Lower Soil pH)

If your soil needs to be more acidic, sulfur will lower the pH if it is available.
To reduce the soil pH by 1.0 point
Mix in 1.2 oz of ground rock sulfur per square yard if the soil is sandy
Mix in 3.6 oz per square yard for all other soils.
Composted leaves, wood chips, sawdust, leaf mold and peat moss, will also help to lower the soil pH.

Soil pH for Fruits and Vegetables
Most of all vegetables prefer a well-drained soil, rich in organic matter and slightly on the acidic side. A safe pH range for almost all vegetables is 6.0 to 6.5 pH. However as always there are exceptions to the rule. To obtain optimal results a more precise tracking and maintenance of soil pH will be required. This is not as difficult as one people would assume it to be. The pH requirements listed below give the maximum and minimum range, so as long as you stay within these parameters your success will improve.

Artichoke 6.5 -7.5
Asparagus 6.0 -8.0
Bush Beans 6.0 -7.5
Beets 6.0- 7.0
Broccoli 6.0 – 7.5
Brussels Sprouts 6.0 – 7.5
Cabbage 5.8 -6.2
Cantaloupe 5.5 -7.0
Carrots 5.5 – 7.5
Cauliflower 6.0 – 7.0
Celery 5.5 -6.5
Chicory 6.0- 7.5
Corn 5.5 -7.0
Cucumber 5.5 – 7.5
Eggplant 5.5 – 6.0
Garlic 5.5 – 7.5
Horse Radish 6.0 -7.0
Kale 6.0 – 7.5
Kohlrabi 6.0 – 7.5
Leek 6.0- 8.0
Lentil 5.5 – 7.0
Lettuce 6.0- 7.0
Mushroom 6.5- 7.5
Muskmelon 5.8 -6.2
Mustard 6.5 – 7.5
Onion 6.0 -7.0
Parsnip 5.5 -7.0
Peas 6.0- 7.5
Peanuts 5.0 -6.5
Peppers 5.5 -7.0
Potato 4.5 – 6.0
Potato-Sweet 5.5-6.0
Pumpkin 5.5-7.5
Radish 6.0-7.0
Raspberries 5.6 – 6.2
Rhubarb 6.0 – 6.8
Shallot 5.5 -7.0
Soy Bean 5.5 -6.5
Spinach 6.0- 7.5
Tomato 6.0 -6.8
Turnip 5.5-7.0
Watercress 5.0 -8.0
Watermelon 6.0 – 6.8

Soil pH for Common Flowers

Amaryllis 5.5 – 6.5
Baby’s Breath 6.5 – 7.0
Balsam 6.5 – 7.0
Begonia 5.5 – 7.5
Caladium 6.0 – 7.0
Candytuft 6.5 – 7.0
Canna 6.0 – 7.0
Carnation 6.5 – 7.0
Chrysanthemum 6.0 – 8.0
Cockscomb 6.0 – 7.5
Coleus 6.0 – 7.0
Cornflower 6.0 – 7.5
Cosmos 6.5 – 7.0
Daffodil 6.0 – 7.5
Dahlia 6.5 – 7.0
Day Lily 5.5- 7.0
Easter Lily 6.0 – 7.5
Four-O-Clock 6.0 – 7.5
Foxglove 6.5 – 7.0
Geranium 6.0 – 8.0
Gladiolus 6.5 – 7.0
Hollyhock 6.0 – 8.0
Iris 6.5 – 7.0
Larkspur 6.5 – 7.0
Lupine 6.5 – 7.0
Marigold 6.0 – 7.5
Nasturtium 6.5 – 7.0
Narcissus 6.0 – 7.5
Pansy 6.5 – 7.0
Petunia 6.5 – 7.0
Phlox 5.0 – 6.0
Poppy 6.5 – 7.0
Salvia 6.0 – 7.0
Shasta Daisy 6.0 – 8.0
Snapdragon 6.0 – 7.5
Sweet Alyssum 6.5 – 7.0
Sweet pea 6.5 – 7.0
Sweet William 6.5 – 7.0
Tuberose 6.0 – 7.0
Tulip 6.0 – 7.0
Verbena 6.0 – 8.0
Zinnia 5.5 – 7.5