WHEN TO PLANT According to the Penn State Master Gardener Manual, the average date for the first fall frost in the York-Adams County area is October 10. The average date for the first hard frost--with temperatures of 25 degrees or lower--occur around November 10, so you have quite a bit of growing time left for vegetables that are planted in August. Spinach and other greens may even be planted in September. All the vegetables listed above can easily survive a light frost if provided with some kind of protection, and some can even make it through a hard frost.
To protect from frost, keep an ear tuned to your local nightly weather forecast during late September and early October. When frost is predicted, be ready with some kind of protection. Options range from commercially manufactured row covers, cloches, polyethylene blankets, and corrugated fiberglass covers to simple household items like used gallon milk jugs with their bottoms removed and old towels and bed sheets thrown over plants the evening that frost is forecast.
HOW TO PLANT When planting seeds for your fall garden, keep in mind that conditions are different for summer planting. Rains are usually infrequent but heavy rather than frequent but light. Provide constant soil moisture for good germination and to get your plants well established. Plant seeds deeper than in the spring so they will be in a moister and cooler layer of the soil. Provide shade for any transplants until they become acclimated to the outside garden. It is also a good idea to shade newly emerging seedlings until most have germinated and/or the weather has cooled. I simply place an old piece of lattice on top of some bricks until the seeds are up and going strong.
To increase seed germination, water the planting area with a fine mist 30 minutes before you plant. This lowers the soil temperature and creates the conditions that cool-season crops prefer. If the weather is unordinarily sunny and hot, a good technique to regulate soil temperature is to water the bed well and cover with several inches of straw, then water again. You can remove the straw after a few days and plant your seeds in the cool soil.
Planting Dates for Fall Vegetable Production
VEGETABLE |
DAYS TO MATURITY |
PLANTING PERIOD |
| Southern Peas | 55 - 75 |
July 15 - Aug 1 |
| Summer Squash | 55 - 60 |
July 15 - Aug 15 |
| Irish Potatoes | 90 - 100 |
July 15 - Aug 1 |
| Tomatoes | 75 - 80 |
July 1 - July 15 |
| Sweet Corn | 72 - 86 |
July 1 - July 15 |
| Carrots | 65 - 75 |
Aug 1 - Aug 15 |
| Collards | 70 - 75 |
Aug 1 - Sept 15 |
| Cabbage | 65 - 70 |
Aug 10 - Sept 1 |
| Cauliflower | 60 - 70 |
Aug 10 - Sept 1 |
| Broccoli | 70 - 80 |
Aug 1 - Sept 1 |
| Chinese Cabbage | 70 - 75 |
Aug 1 - Sept 1 |
| Swiss Chard | 60 - 70 |
Aug 15 - Sept 1 |
| Beets | 60 - 70 |
Aug 15 - Sept 1 |
| Beans (Bush) | 50 - 60 |
Aug 1 - Sept 1 |
| Beans (Lima) |
70 - 75 |
Aug 1 - Aug 15 |
| Cucumbers | 50 - 60 |
Aug 1 - Aug 15 |
| Turnips | 50 - 60 |
Aug 1 - Sept 15 |
| Mustard | 50 - 60 |
Aug 1 - Sept 15 |
| Spinach | 40 - 50 |
Aug 25 - Sept 15 |
| Kale | 60 - 65 |
Aug 20 - Sept 15 |
| Lettuce | 50 - 55 |
Aug 20 - Sept 15 |
| Radish | 25 - 30 |
Aug 20 - Sept 15 |