As the vibrant colours of summer begin to fade, many gardeners find themselves yearning for a break from the heat and toil of the growing season. However, don't pack away your gardening gloves just yet! Fall is a perfect time to get a head start on spring by planting certain flower, vegetable, and herb seeds. In this blog post, we'll explore the wonderful world of fall gardening and offer some friendly, down-to-earth advice on which seeds to sow if you live in a cooler climate (zone 3 – 4).
Cool-Season Vegetables & Herbs
If you're a veggie enthusiast, don't miss out on the opportunity to have early spring greens, by sowing seeds now. Cool season vegetable seeds like:
- Spinach
- Broccoli*
- Cabbage*
- Brussel Sprouts*
- Kale*
- Lettuce
- Turnip*
- Sorrel
- Radishes*
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Dill
- Chives
*At the earliest signs of germination you may wish to cover with inset netting if you have issues with the dreaded flea beetles.
While we know that squash and pumpkins are not suppose to be cold tolerant, I have seen many “volunteer” squash and pumpkins sprout in my compost pile and throughout the garden. You could try planting these seeds and be rewarded with seedlings in the spring that will be more vigorous and cold hardy than any seedling you start indoors.
Wildflowers & Native Flowers
Want to add a burst of colour and beauty to your garden effortlessly? Fall is a fantastic time to sow wildflower mixes and native flower seeds. Choose a mix suitable for your region, scatter the seeds, and let Mother Nature do her magic. You'll be greeted with a riot of blooms when spring arrives.
Cold Tolerant Flowers
There are many flowers that can be seeded in the fall. Flowers that “self seed” are good candidates for fall sowing because we know that they naturally seed in the fall and germinate in the spring. Here’s a list of some flowers that would work well for fall sowing:
Annuals
- Calendula
- Pansies and violas
- Poppies
- Cosmos
- Forget me nots
- Marigolds
Perennials & Biennials:
- Bachelor’s Buttons
- Columbine
- Delphinium
- Evening Primrose
- Echinacea
- Flax
- Foxglove
- Hollyhock
- Lupines
- Milkweed
- Monkshood
- Pasque Flower
- Poppies
- Rubeckia
- Bee Balm
- Borage
- Lavender
- Catnip
- Chamomile
- Yarrow
- Sea Holly
Mark Your Spots
It’s easy to forget what you’ve planted (and where), so we recommend that you use planted markers to remind yourself where you have done your fall planting. Small plastic markers may get knocked down over the winter by the snow. You may want to try larger wooden posts, at least until the snow melts.
Fall For Late Planting
While it's tempting to put your gardening tools away after a long summer, fall offers a unique opportunity to get a jumpstart on spring while enjoying the crisp autumn air. By planting cool-season veggies, herbs, and cold-tolerant flowers, you can ensure an earlier vibrant and bountiful garden when the snow finally melts. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your seeds, and embrace the joys of fall gardening—it's a delightful way to enjoy the changing seasons while blessing yourself with an early spring garden. Happy planting!