Row Covers & Fall Vegetable Gardening; Gardening Guidebook for Arlington County, Virginia ~ Chinquapin Organic Gardens, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Virginia State University ~ For more information, Please see websites below: ` Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children = http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~ ` Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech = http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~ ` Free School Gardening Art Posters = http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~ ` Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden = http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~ ` Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success = http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~ ` City Chickens for your Organic School Garden = http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~ ` Huerto Ecológico, Tecnologías Sostenibles, Agricultura Organica http://scribd.com/doc/239850233 ` Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide = http://scribd.com/doc/239851110

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Fall Vegetable Gardening
Kirsten Conrad Buhls, Extension Agent
Arlington VA
Virginia Cooperative Extension and
Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Helping residents of Arlington and
Alexandria producing their own
affordable, healthy food.

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What Do We Mean By
Fall Gardening?
Planting crops for harvesting before
frost
Planting crops that can overwinter for
spring harvesting
Planting cover crops to add nitrogen and
minimize weeds in spring
Protected gardening in a cold frame,
greenhouse or under row covers
Why Plant in the Fall?
Fewer harmful
insects
Fewer weeds
Extended use of
garden space
Fresh crops for a
longer time

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All are cold hardy & some are
quick maturing
•Cole crops: broccoli, cabbage, collards,
cauliflower, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts
•Greens: leaf lettuce, spinach, arugula,
Asian greens, mustard, herbs
•Root crops: Rutabagas, beets, carrots,
turnips, parsnips
Select Crops
Half-hardy
Survive light frost
– Beets
– Cauliflower
– Chard
– Chinese Cabbage
– Endive
– Kohlrabi
– Lettuce
– Mustard
– Peas
– Rutabagas

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Hardy
Survive heavy frost
– Broccoli
– Broccoli Raab
– Brussels Sprouts
– Cabbage
– Collards
– Kale
– Radishes
– Spinach
– Turnips
Overwintering Crops
Broccoli Raab
Chicories
Garlic
Kale
Leeks
Multiplier Onions
Spinach
• Leeks

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Fall Days & Temperatures
Cool nights slow plant growth.
Vegetables take longer to mature.
Days grow shorter, less sunlight energy
for plants.
These environmental conditions add
sugar to cole crops.
Lettuce and spinach will not bolt.

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Seed Starting Date
Short-Day Factor
First frost date for your area
Days to maturity, germination, transplant
Add 14 days for Short Day Factor
Formula:
Days to maturity + Days to germinate +
Days to transplant + SDF=Days to plant
before frost
Sample Calculation For
Sowing Spinach Seeds
• Days to germination: 7 to 10
• Days to maturity: 35
• Short Day Factor (SDF): __14__
56 to59
I can sow seeds between 56 and 59 days before the
first frost – about Oct. 19-26 for Arlington
Counting back from Oct. 19-26 the dates to sow are
about Aug. 22 to Sept. 1 if you want to use
transplants.

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Preparing the Site
Remove waste from previous crop.
If ground is dry, give it a thorough soaking.
Work compost into top few inches of soil.
Transplants
Start transplants or
purchase for:
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collards

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Putting out Transplants
Seedlings need
gradual exposure
to direct sunlight.
Will benefit from
light shading for
the first few days.
Keep them soaked.
Row Cover Protection
Throw a bed sheet
over row cover for
a few days to
provide shade.
Row covers deter
insects and larger
critters.
Row covers can
extend season.

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….then,
1 ½ inches of water
Per
1 ½ weeks
Keep soil moist for
young transplants. Water
lightly and frequently at
first, and….
Seeds to Sow
Direct seed:
Beets
Broccoli raab
Chinese cabbage
Cilantro
Collards
Endive
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Spinach
Turnips

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Getting Seeds to Germinate
and Grow
Soil is hot and dry.
Clay soil forms hard crust.
Seeds need cooler temperatures and
moisture to germinate and grow.
Slow growing beets and carrots will suffer
setbacks if soil is dry.
Seeds Become Dormant at
High Temperatures.
The maximum soil temperature for
germinating lettuce and spinach is 70
degrees F. The optimum temperature for
germinating peas is 70. For many other
vegetables it is 80 degrees F.

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Sowing Seeds
Water soil before sowing.
Sow in the late afternoon so
germination will begin overnight.
Direct Sow
Plant seeds slightly deeper. Depth may be 1 ½
to 2 times deeper than spring.
Can cover seeds in furrow with potting soil or
vermiculite.
Keep soil cool and moist. Cover seeded area
with burlap, newspapers, or boards.
Can shade soil, or use light mulch.

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Germinating Seeds
Another tip is to pre-germinate seeds.
Soak seeds overnight in a moistened
paper towel enclosed in a plastic bag. Do
not soak longer or delicate seedling
parts will be damaged in planting.
Interplant
Use shade from
existing plants.
Sow lettuce,
carrots, arugula,
beets, collards.

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Mustard greens on north side
of tomatoes
Planting Schedule
Last plantings of fast growing warm
season vegetables-snap beans.
Order garlic.
Start cabbage family seedlings
indoors.
Sow lettuce, cilantro, rutabagas,
radishes.
Soak or pre-germinate parsley seeds
for sowing.

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Planting Schedule
10-12 weeks before
hard frost:
Set out
transplants
Direct sow beets,
carrots, collards
& more lettuce,
radishes,
Planting Schedule
8 to 10 weeks before hard frost:
Sow Asian greens, arugula, turnips,
spinach, mustard
More lettuce, radishes, beets,
collards

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Planting Schedule
6 to 8 weeks before hard frost:
Sow spinach.
Plant garlic, shallots, multiplying onions.
Sow half-hardy vegetables under
protective cover.
Protected Gardening
Moving a zone South
• Floating Row Cover
– Provides 4-10
degrees of
protection
• Cold Frame
• Hoop House
• Greenhouse

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Herbs for the Cold Frame
• Chives
• Oregano
• Sage
• Thyme
References and Help
Articles
Grisak, Amy, “Second Acts.” Organic Gardening, Aug/Oct 2009, pp 58-
63.
Pleasant, Barbara, “Grow Your Best Fall Garden.” Mother Earth News,
August/September 2009, pp 31-35.
Books.
Bubel, Nancy. The New Seed Starters Handbook. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale
Press, 1988.
Internet
Wilson, Carl, “Front Range Food Gardener Blog,” staff Horticulturist
with the Colorado State University Extension office in
Denver, CSU Extension web site.
Diane Relf, “Fall Vegetable Gardening”,
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-334/426-334.html
Straw, Allen, “Vegetable Planting Guide and Recommended
Planting Dates” http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-331/426-
331.html