It’s mid-July, and the breeze here in the mountains feels like a warm hug. Most folks are busy harvesting courgettes the size of baguettes and, no doubt, cursing their once-again runaway mint. I’m standing in my garden with a fresh cup of (yes, mint) tea and a question: What do I want to eat in the fall?

Because while summer is in full swing, this is actually the secret season to sow again. Gardening either keeps you fully in the moment or shoots your brain a few months into the future. That’s part of the deal, I guess. Especially up here at 900 meters altitude (zone 6-ish), where autumn comes with a whisper… and then a frost. No time in between.

So I thought I’d take you along. Let’s chat about what you can still plant now, and which crops are worth your time to make sure there’s still some harvest joy in the fall.

Let’s Talk About Frost, Baby

As we tiptoe toward fall, it’s a great time to start plotting your autumn garden. For an overview of the types of crops that are generally best suited for a fall garden, and how Planter can help you to double check the timing, have a read of the article: Don’t Forget Your Fall Garden.

One of my favorite newer(ish) Planter features? In the settings tab, Planter shows a countdown to your first expected fall frost, like a tiny ticking clock for gardeners. Super useful for figuring out what you can still grow in time… and also mildly panic-inducing (in the best way). Here’s mine:

My Fall Planting Picks

Ideally, I want to plant everything, have maximum diversity, and eat 23 different crunchy things in my salad bowls. But sometimes, less really is more. Expanding gradually keeps gardening fun and avoids unnecessary stress on both your soil and your (possibly receding) hairline.

With the internet offering a bazillion planting guides (plus whatever gardening books you’ve got lying around), there’s no shortage of info. For this round, I’m keeping it simple and using the Planter app to guide my choices. It already knows my local frost dates, and I love that you can filter for things like frost-tolerant crops or perennials. The Growing Calendar shows which crops you can still plant, and how much time you’ve got left to do it.

So, without further rambling… 

Here are some of the fast-growing cool-season crops I’ve chosen for an abundant fall harvest in the mountains!

1. Mâche (Lamb’s Lettuce). The absolute fall classic in Germany. To not plant it? Unthinkable.

2. Kohlrabi (early varieties). Great raw or marinated as veggie “kebab.”

3. Spinach. Always good. Especially the cold-hardy types.

4. Cilantro. Yes, even now! It handles light frost just fine.

5. Kale. Might be a bit late, but I’m giving it a go for baby leaves (and planning a perennial kale tree next year!).

6. Mustard greens. Spicy when young, flavorful when cooked.

7. Carrots. Early varieties still make it if you plant now.

8. Radishes. Because color + crunch = salad joy.

9. Bok Choy. Quick to grow, great for stir-fries.

10. Wasabi Arugula. Want to keep it mild? Use young baby leaves. Want it spicier? Let the leaves get bigger or use the flower buds, they’re often even punchier.

A few slow-burners I’m adding anyway.  These won’t feed me this year, but they’re future-you gold:

• Black salsify (Scorzonera ‘Duplex’). Beautiful, weird, delicious root native to Europe.
• Garlic. Usually planted in mid-to-late October, but I might prep beds now and sneak in a little green garlic (early-harvested cloves).
• Chives. Super hardy, great for pollinators, and the purple flowers are edible too.
• Echinacea (Coneflower). Slow to establish, but gorgeous and medicinal.
• Rhubarb. If you’re feeling bold and patient (it’s worth it). 

What to Keep in Mind When Planting Now

1. Choose fast-growing or frost-tolerant crops Look for varieties that mature in 60 days or less, or that can handle light frost.
2. Sow directly in the soil Depending on where you live, it might too late for longer-growing transplants unless you’ve already got them ready. To be safe, I’m going with direct sowing only.
3. Germination can be tricky in summer heat Sow in the evening, water well, and consider adding light shade over freshly seeded areas to keep the soil cool.
4. Keep watering consistent Seeds and young plants need steady moisture, especially during warm July days.
5. Don’t overdo it It’s easy to get excited (hello, seed hoarders), but keep it simple and realistic to avoid overwhelm. Think: joy, not stress.

So there you have it, one last hurrah for the garden before the frost moves in.

Go sow something. Go be smug in October. You’ve got this.

What makes a plant an insectary plant? Insectary plants provide food sources and shelter for beneficial insects, which attracts them and encourages them to stick around your garden. If you’ve already read our article Pest Hunters: Beneficial Predatory and Parasitic Insects, you know that there are many beneficial insects that prey on garden pests. By planting insectary plants we can encourage these predatory and parasitic insects to take up residence in our garden. Not to mention supporting pollinators which are much appreciated garden helpers!

You might be wondering: ‘if beneficial insects eat pests, why do they need plants for food?’ In many cases it’s the beneficial insects’ larvae that prey on insect pests while the adults feed mainly on pollen and nectar. This is why many insectary plants tend to be flowers or flowering herbs. In the case of herbs, it’s important to let at least some of the plants bloom if you want to attract beneficial insects.

Keep in mind that one lonely flowering plant will not entice an army of pest hunters! Aim to plant as many insectary plants as is possible with the space you have, and be sure to plant insectary plants with different bloom times to provide pollen and nectar all season long. Also, place insectary close to the plants you want to protect. If they’re too far away from your main garden the beneficial insects may not make the trek over.

To help with incorporating insectary plants in your garden plan, we’ve compiled a list of some common insectary plants and the beneficial insects they attract:

List of insectary plants

Ammi

Scientific name: Ammi majus

In a study of insectary plants from the University of Connecticut, Ammi majus was found to attract the highest number of beneficial predatory and parasitic insect families amongst all plants studied. Ammi was also the only plant in the study that attracted two types of parasitic wasps- braconids and ichneumonids. Ammi generally blooms in spring and early summer.

Borage

Scientific name: Borago officinalis

Borage is a favored pollinator plant in the garden. It is also highly attractive to beneficial insects such as lacewings, syrphid flies, and ground beetles. Borage may even help to repel hornworms and other pests! Borage self-seeds prolifically; regular deadheading can help to encourage flowering and to reduce the amount of seeds dropped. With good care borage will bloom for most of the growing season- from June to October or longer.

California poppy

Scientific name: Eschscholzia californica

California poppies are native to the western United States and Mexico. They are highly attractive to syrphid flies and can also attract minute pirate bugs. California poppies bloom from early spring to summer, depending on the climate. In warmer areas they are perennials, but in colder climates they are grown as annuals.

Catnip

Scientific name: Nepeta cataria

Catnip does double duty when comes to pest control. Not only does it attract beneficial nectar-feeding insects such as syrphid flies, but it also produces compounds that have been shown to repel pests such as aphids, squash bugs, and others. Catnip is an extremely aggressive spreader that also self-seeds prolifically, so you’ll want to keep it contained and grow it in an area where it cannot easily self-seed. Catnip usually blooms from late spring to mid-summer; deadheading when flowers die back can help to promote new blooms and reduce seed drop.

Chamomile

Scientific name: Matricaria chamomilla

Studies have found chamomile to be highly attractive to syrphid flies as well as parasitic wasps. Chamomile may also help to attract lady beetles, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, and tachinid flies. Chamomile blooms from spring right through to fall, providing a valuable season-long food source for beneficial insects.

Cilantro

Scientific name: Coriandrum sativum

Cilantro goes to flower readily especially when warm, dry weather arrives in late spring to summer. While this can be disappointing if you’re growing cilantro for it’s leaves, it’s a boon for attracting a variety of beneficial insects such as syrphid flies, tachinid flies, parasitic wasps lacewings, lady beetles, and minute pirate bugs. Plus you can let cilantro form seeds then harvest them either to make coriander spice or to re-plant!

Dill

Scientific name: Anethum graveolens

While dill is technically a biennial it often flowers in the first season, depending on the variety and when it was planted. Dill is attractive to syrphid flies, lacewings, lady beetles, and parasitic wasps. You might also find green-black-and-yellow caterpillars on your dill plants. These are black swallowtail butterfly larvae, and while they do eat dill (and related plants) they rarely cause major damage. It’s best to leave them be!

As a bonus, dill may also have a repellent effect on aphids, cabbage loopers, squash bugs, and other pests. Plus dill readily self-seeds if the flowers are left to form seed heads!

Lavender

Scientific name: Lavandula spp.

English lavender is attractive to syrphid flies and lady beetles. Once established, lavender is a drought-tolerant plant that does not like ‘wet feet’, although it will flower best if not left to completely dry out. Lavender typically blooms from late spring to early summer. The scent of lavender, while appealing to many of us, may have a repellent effect on mosquitos, moths, and other pests.

Marigold

Scientific name: Tagetes spp.

Marigolds are a well-known beneficial garden plant, and for good reason! Marigolds are attractive to a variety of beneficial insects including lacewings, damsel bugs, big-eyed bugs, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, and minute pirate bugs. Marigolds also have many reputed pest-deterring properties, although only some of these are proven with research and the effects can vary depending on the type of marigold and how it is used. Marigolds can bloom almost all season long provided they are cared for and regularly deadheaded!

Mint

Scientific name: Mentha spp.

Mint and catnip are related and, like catnip, mint is a very aggressive spreader and self-seeder. So long as mint is contained it is a beneficial addition to the garden, attracting syrphid flies, damsel bugs, minute pirate bugs, and big-eyed bugs. Mint may also have a repellant effect on cabbage loopers and cabbage maggots. Mint usually blooms from late spring through summer; deadheading can help to encourage more blooms and reduce self-seeding.

Oregano

Scientific name: Origanum vulgare

Oregano is attractive to a variety of predatory and parasitic insects such as syrphid flies, tachinid flies, parasitic wasps lacewings, lady beetles, and minute pirate bugs. Oregano may also help to repel aphids. Oregano tends to bloom in mid-summer. The leaves are more flavorful before the plant forms flowers, but do not harvest too aggressively if you want to encourage blooms.

Parsley

Scientific name: Petroselinum crispum var. crispum, P. crispum var. neapolitanum

Parsley is attractive to syrphid flies, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, and tachinid flies, Like dill, parsley is also technically a biennial but it can flower in the first season especially if exposed to extremes of hot or cold weather. Parsley also plays host to black swallowtail butterfly larvae, sometimes called parsleyworms. While they do eat parsley, they usually do not cause major destruction especially in the home garden.

Sunflowers

Scientific name: Helianthus spp.

Sunflowers are a tall and striking addition in the vegetable garden. They are attractive to syrphid flies, parasitic wasps, lady beetles, and minute pirate bugs. Note that some speciality sunflower varieties do not produce nectar or pollen so they will not be helpful for beneficial insects (nor pollinators). Sunflowers usually bloom in late summer and early fall, providing a great late-season food source. Because sunflowers are tall and may share pests and diseases with other garden plants (more so than some of the other insectary plants), choose a location where sunflowers will not interfere with or shade out other garden plants.

Sweet alyssum

Scientific name: Lobularia maritima

Alyssum is a well-documented insectary plant that is attractive to syrphid flies, lacewings, tachinid flies, lady beetles, minute pirate bugs, and parasitic wasps. Because it is a compact, low-growing plant, alyssum can be tucked into almost any empty space in the garden to lure in beneficial insects (and to help suppress weeds and retain moisture). Alyssum can bloom from summer to fall, although it may slow down during very hot, dry weather. Keep alyssum well-watered and deadhead regularly to encourage continuous blooming.

Thyme

Scientific name: Thymus spp.

Beneficial insects tend to prefer many smaller flowers rather than individual larger flowers. Thyme, with its dainty white or pink flowers, is highly attractive to parasitic wasps, syrphid flies and other beneficial insects. Thyme can also help to repel whiteflies and cabbage moths. Thyme will typically bloom from late spring to summer. As with oregano, thyme leaves are best harvested right before the plant flowers but do not harvest too aggressively if you want to encourage bloom.

There are certainly many more insectary plants than the ones listed here! Of course there will be native plants specific to your area that can help to attract local beneficial predatory and parasitic insects to the garden. Also, research is just beginning to understand how particular garden plants can be best used for natural pest control. No matter which plants you choose, adding a variety of flowering plants in the garden is a great way to beautify the space while providing potential benefits to your edible crops!

In broad terms, both herbs and spices come from plants, but herbs are usually the fresh leaves. On the other hand, spices are typically dried, and they make use of many other parts of the plant- root, stalk, seed or fruit. Both herbs and spices add flavor to the dish, however herbs are more subtle while spices have a much stronger flavor.

Plan Your Garden with Planter!

This time, we’re growing a plan centered around spices! This plan is pretty pepper-heavy, simply because of how useful and diverse they are; as usual, this plan is not an exhaustive list of spices, only a suggestion!

If you’re ever looking to grow a spice that isn’t present in Planter, you can add custom plants through the app, or as a premium desktop member! You can find more information about that by clicking here!

Companion/Combative Info

• Onions, while not featured in this post, are a great companion plant to peppers (which make up a large part of our example garden!) Peppers are particularly prone to aphids, and are protected by the pungence of onions and shallots!
• Fennel and dill will play just fine together normally, but if you are looking to harvest the seeds, you might want to give them some healthy space. Some accidental cross-pollinating can cause some strange flavors in both.
• Fennel shouldn’t be planted by peppers- it releases chemicals in the soil to inhibit the growth of competing plants, so your peppers will pay the price. In this plan, we put them in a container of their own to ensure they don’t cause any trouble! If you’d like to learn how to customize your garden view like this, click here!

Commonly used spices:

Coriander

The seed of the cilantro plant, which is also used as an herb! These seeds are often used in a variety of cultures, including Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines. Their mild flavor is put to good work alongside other spices in curries, masala, soups, or even pickles. Heating the seeds before using them will bring out their flavor, so be sure to toast them before grinding them up!

When your plant bolts, let it dry out, and then the coriander should be easy to shake from the seed head!

Fennel

Fennel is used usually as a root veggie, but you can also grow it for the seeds and use them as a spice!

Raw fennel seeds have a fresh licorice flavor, but bringing heat to the table sparks brand new flavors. When they’re cooked, the seeds offer a more sweet and caramelized flavor. These work well as an interesting sweetener for soups, broths, or oils; all you have to do is simmer them in the dish and strain. When ground, they can be a great rub on meats, particularly pork or lamb.

Ginger

Ginger, like many on this list, is a strong and showy participant in dishes! You have to be very careful about how much you use, but its warm flavor compliments many sweet or savory dishes. Try it ground in baked dishes like cookies gingerbread, add it to broth for a delicious ginger noodle soup, or add it to marinades for fish or chicken. No matter how it’s used, it will often take the show due to its strong and bright sweetness. My personal favorite salad dressing is made of carrot and ginger, and is a staple in most hibachi restaurants. This root can also be candied for an explosively spicy-sweet treat!

Peppers

Chili peppers and the like can be considered a spice! When dried, their spiciness takes a whole new level.

Paprika and Cayenne are both made from powdered, dried peppers. However, their levels of spicy are leagues apart. Paprika is made with mild peppers like bells, and isn’t very flavorful by itself, but when smoked it can be a great pairing to tomatoes or meat. On the other hand, Cayenne uses much hotter peppers, and should be used MUCH more sparingly, with care not to touch your face or eyes!

Mustard seed

Did you know- mustard seed is the largest selling spice in the world? It’s included in so many household condiments and pickled foods!

You can grind up the seeds with vinegar or oil to make your own mustard (the condiment), or you can roast the seeds to bring out earthier flavors and rub them into chicken or fish! It’s also key in pickling, and an essential ingredient in relish.

Garlic

Fresh or dried, powdered or minced or crushed, garlic is a very hearty powerful spice great in curry or most savory dishes. This spice is, dare I say, as useful as salt or pepper. After all, what can’t you use garlic in? It’s a staple in italian cuisine, incredible on any kind meat, and it’s even good raw in salsa. Something I’ve seen done before that I really want to try is roasting the cloves (which makes them really sweet) and then spreading them on toast. The only downfall of this pice is its strength- it’s very easy to go overboard.

Rosemary

Rosemary is sort of a grey area- while you typically use the leaves, like an herb, its woodiness would classify it as a spice just like bay leaves. Regardless, rosemary is a warm addition to many dishes. Make sure to mince the needles finely, as their woodiness makes them tough even after cooking.

You can make a rosemary butter that flavors steak, or rub it into rich meats like lamb… or you can bake it into bread (focassia is the popular choice) or even gnocchi. It pairs well with cheese, too, or lemonade. Its warm flavor and smell can add a new dimension to many different dishes, so don’t be afraid to make use of it!

Lavender

Lavender is typically used an herb, but you can use the flowers, buds, or seeds as a spice! Seeds can be steeped in tea, or you can steep them in milk for lavender ice cream. The buds and flowers can be very powerful when dried, and their floral flavor naturally pairs well with sweet flavors and baked goods; however, lavender isn’t a one-trick-pony! When paired with other herbs and spices, they can revolutionize tomato sauces or roasted potatoes.

Dill

These seeds are a key ingredient in an important process- Pickling! But that’s not their only use. Unlike the leaves, dill seeds are enhanced by heat. Toasting these bundles of goodness brings out their flavor and aroma, and they make a good substitute for caraway in breads. Alongside spices like pepper, onion, and garlic, ground dill seed also makes a great rub for pork or steak!

In Conclusion…

Cultivating a spice garden is a delightful journey that brings a spectrum of flavors to your fingertips. From the mild allure of coriander to the bold zest of peppers, each spice adds its unique character to culinary creations. Let your spice garden be a testament to your culinary taste, turning every meal into a celebration of your harvest and the rich tapestry of spices you’ve nurtured. And let Planter be your planning companion, so your garden ideas grow to fruition! Happy growing and savoring!

‘Curry’ is actually a loose, catch-all term that doesn’t properly refer to any specific dish. In its originating culture, each dish would have its own unique name. That being said, many dishes that could be loosely grouped as ‘curry-style’ dishes can be created using many of the same core plants in the garden. Let’s explore some potential ways to plan a culinary curry garden in Planter!

Curry garden base plan

Our sample curry garden base plan starts with a standard 4’ x 8’ garden in Planter. We’ve filled the garden with uber-versatile plants that form the backbone of many great curry dishes:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Cilantro
• Hot peppers
• Tomatoes
• Onions

Garlic and cooking onions were placed on the outside because they are slow growers and need to be harvested by pulling or forking them out of the soil. Two hot pepper plants might not seem like a lot, but they’ll likely be prolific enough to provide your family with ample chili harvests (of course if you’re major spice lovers feel free to add more!) While cilantro is associated with cuisines from some of the hotter parts of the world, it actually can’t take the heat all that well and has a tendency to bolt. Because of this, you might want to plan to plant your cilantro in successions.

Roma tomatoes were chosen because they are a nice meaty tomato that work well for cooking. Ginger is kept in containers because a) it grows slowly and needs to be started indoors well in advance if you live in a cooler climate and b) the containers can be moved and positioned around the garden so the plants receive dappled sun- ginger loves the heat but not direct, scorching sunlight.

When choosing locations for the plants in your own plan, be sure to position them so they’ll be easily accessible for harvesting and where they won’t shade each other out unintentionally. This base plan is just a starting point that you can adapt to your unique garden conditions.

If you happen to have some more space to play with in your garden, consider branching out into some specific cuisines:

Thai curry garden plan

Thai food is vibrant and features an array of different veggies. To prepare some tasty Thai dishes, the following plants were added to the base plan:

• Peas
• Eggplant
• Carrots
• Lemongrass
• Thai basil
• Thai mint
• Peanuts
• Dwarf lime

The Thai curry garden plan incorporates most of the plants from the base curry garden plan and adds on from there. The serrano chiles were swapped for Thai chiles, and more garlic and onions were added. Lemongrass is a staple ingredient in many Thai dishes- its included in a container so it can be started early indoors and easily transitioned outside. Mint was also added in a container to prevent it from spreading and taking over the entire garden! Basil plays more nicely so it can be incorporated right into the garden bed. If possible, try to find Thai varieties of mint and basil for a more authentic flavor.

For something slightly more adventurous peanuts and a dwarf lime were added to the plan- these ingredients are often incorporated in Thai dishes or used as accompaniments. Peanuts can grow well even in somewhat northern climates as long as you select an appropriate variety and ensure they are planted with enough time to mature. Limes on the other hand are frost sensitive, but dwarf varieties can be grown as container plants that can be brought inside over winter. If overwintering a lime tree seems like too much work, forgo it and plant something else instead- just be sure not to fill the middle of the garden space with plants that will be hard to reach.

Indian curry garden plan

The Indian curry garden plan also works off the same base curry garden plan, but includes some unique ingredients favored in Indian cooking:

• Turmeric
• Cauliflower
• Potatoes
• Okra
• Kidney beans
• Mustard
• Spinach

Turmeric is a plant that spreads and grows by rhizomes, similar to ginger. Since turmeric isn’t available in Planter (yet!) one workaround is to create a custom variety of ginger and name it turmeric (turmeric isn’t technically a ginger variety but this is just a quick fix). Like ginger, turmeric is grown in pots so it can be started well in advance and moved around in the garden to capture the perfect balance of sun and shade.

Cauliflower and potatoes are included in the plan as core ingredients in the popular and delicious dish ‘aloo gobi’. Okra is added as the key component of ‘bhindi masala’, and the kidney beans can be used to prepare delicious ‘rajma’. With drying beans you’ll want to have several plants to get a yield that is substantial enough to make bean-based dishes. Rounding out the list we have spinach and mustard- spinach can be used to make a mouth-watering ‘saag paneer’ and along with mustard greens (and other mixed greens) can be used to create delicious ‘saag’ curries. And if your mustard bolts and goes to seed no worries- mustard seed is also a key spice in many Indian dishes!

We hope these curry garden plans have provided some inspiration to plan a fun and practical cuisine-themed garden! Having all the veggies at hand to create a whole range of dishes will help you make the best use of your garden produce in the kitchen. Planter makes it easy and fun to explore garden design possibilities to compliment your culinary adventures!

Today, we’re focusing on an assortment plants that we can use for tea. Whether it’s the fruit, leaves, root, flower, or even the seeds themselves, there’s incredible range in the kind of plants that can be used for a wonderful cup of tea! We’ll be focusing on some of the more common plants in this Growing Guide.

Harvesting

• Some plants may taste better dried or fresh, so experiment! Fresh leaves will tend to make more mild flavored teas.
• The best time to harvest tea herbs is a dry morning; too late and the heat of the sun will dry out the leaves a bit, but also drive out some of their flavor.

Drying

• Just as there are many options for tea plants, there are also many methods of drying your plants! Most herbs will dry out plenty when hung in paper bags (with holes poked in) in a cool, dry place.
• However, something as simple as a microwave or a low-heat oven could also do the trick- just make sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!

Storing

• The most important thing is to keep your harvest stored in an airtight container; whether that’s in bags or containers, in the cabinet or the freezer in cubes, it doesn’t matter too much! It may be useful to label your containers while you’re at it, if you’ve dried similar-looking herbs.
• To see if dried herbs are still good for tea, rub them between your fingers and smell them. If they smell like nothing, or dusty, then the best thing you can do is toss them!

Steeping

• About 1-2 teaspoons of your harvest with 8 ounces of water should be enough for the perfect tea.
• Most things will be ready after about 8 minutes of steeping. If your blend is too bitter after that time, try reducing the time; or if it’s too weak, increase it.
• Some teas, such as green tea, go bitter when steeped in boiling water. If your tea is too bitter, and reducing steeping time only made it weaker, try steeping with hot (but not boiling) water!
• Some of your plants aren’t going to fit in a tea bag, but you can use a sieve, french press, or a tea ball to separate out the solids from the tea.

Example Garden Plans

This garden’s plants had no combative or companion relationships in our database; however, future Plan Your Garden guides may feature plants that do interact! We’ll be sure to let you know of any possible interactions, if that happens.

Tea Plants Breakdown:

Blueberry

Whether you opt for fresh or frozen blueberries, both bring a burst of flavor to your cup. Consider experimenting with complementary notes by pairing blueberries with basil, hibiscus, or green tea for a unique twist. If you want to extract the full berry goodness, try mashing the blueberries directly into the water and then straining the mixture!

Raspberry

Get ready to dive into a world of raspberry goodness – and it’s not just about the berries! Whether you opt for the juicy fruits or the leaves, raspberries bring a unique twist to your tea experience. If you like green tea, you’ll love the raspberry leaf brew. On the other hand, the fruit themselves offer tartness, and pair exceptionally well with a squeeze of lemon or some black tea.

Lemon

Lemon is something that may be tough to grow in a small garden, but its versatility is unmatched; it earns its place in this list. Whether you prefer squeezing in some fresh juice or tossing in slices of the fruit, lemons add a burst of brightness that complements not just herbal teas but even black tea. If you want lemon to be the star of the show, try it with honey- and if you want a drink to really rock your taste buds, pair it with ginger as well.

Strawberry

Get ready to sweeten up your tea game with fresh strawberries! For a classic touch, pair strawberries with black tea, and if you’re feeling something a bit smoother, you can add milk for some strawberry milk tea! If you want something more herbal, experiment with pairings like mint, basil, ginger, or anything citrusy.

Echinacea

Known for its long history of medicinal use, the coneflower brings a unique pine flavor to your tea, creating a distinctive and invigorating brew. It’s incredibly versatile, too; you can use the leaves, the flower, or even the roots. It’s a strong flavor already, so it doesn’t need much to support it- maybe honey and lemon, if it suits you!

Lavender

Whether you use the flowers or even the leaves, lavender brings a calm and sweet flavor to your cup that’s not overwhelmingly floral. This versatile herb plays well with others, making it a fantastic companion to herbs, a drizzle of honey, or even in black tea. The variety English Lavender is particularly excellent for tea, with its compact flower heads.

Chamomile

Whether from dried buds for a relaxing experience or fresh ones for a fruitier note, chamomile is your go-to for a soothing cup. This versatile herb can stand alone, offering a gentle floral flavor, or blend seamlessly with other herbs for a delightful herbal harmony. So, whether you’re unwinding or experimenting with blends, chamomile brings a touch of tranquility to every sip.

Bee Balm

Bee balm, a tea sensation in a small package! Whether dried or fresh, petals or leaves, this herb packs a punch with a robust mint flavor and subtle citrus notes. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly for a refreshing twist in your tea. Whether solo or in a blend, bee balm is your shortcut to a bold, minty, and citrusy tea experience.

Ginger

Meet ginger, the flavor powerhouse for your tea adventures! The root, when peeled and grated, has a robust flavor that easily takes the spotlight. This makes it an easy solo act in your tea cup – a perfect alternative to coffee for an invigorating kick. Known for its digestive benefits, ginger pairs seamlessly with the sweet touch of honey and the zesty freshness of lemon. Spice up your tea routine with the bold and energizing essence of ginger.

Nasturium

Introducing nasturtium, a floral delight for your tea cup! These orange blooms, bursting with personality, offer a distinctive note that can stand out on its own or complement other herbal blends. They make a peppery brew to wake your senses! Spice up your tea ritual with the subtle warmth of nasturtium, making each sip a flavorful journey.

Cilantro/Coriander

Whether you’re working with dried seeds or fresh leaves, cilantro adds a unique twist to your brew. While the dried leaves may not retain much flavor, fresh ones bring a subtle citrus and peppery note, while the seeds boast a tangy and floral taste, even making appearances in the world of beer flavoring. This herb loves to mingle with lemony companions and a hint of honey, creating a fragrant tea rich in antioxidants and vitamin K.

Fennel

Fennel’s tea potential lies not in its leaves, but it’s seeds. Steep them like any other tea for a licorice-anise symphony. For a fresher note, opt for some mint to assist- for a sweeter kick, introduce stevia or honey to build on that licorice goodness. But if you’re feeling bold, toss in some ginger and lemon for a strong and well-rounded flavor explosion.

Basil

Whether you fancy the flowers or the leaves, basil brings a subtle peppery note to your cup. Dive into herbal harmony by pairing it with mint for a refreshing twist, or let it dance with the bright zest of lemon or citrusy herbs. This herb also plays well with black tea, creating a blend that’s both familiar and comforting.

Catnip

Catnip isn’t just a feline favorite but a soothing herb for your tea as well! Whether it’s the dried leaves or flowers, catnip can brew into a calming and mild mint tea. While your cats might go wild over this plant, for humans, it’s a gentle remedy that can aid with headaches and provide a moment of tranquility.

Lemon Balm

Discover the soothing embrace of lemon balm tea, crafted from its dried leaves that release a bright citrus flavor with every steep. This herbal infusion not only tantalizes your taste buds but also offers a refreshing remedy for insomnia and anxiety. Allow the calming essence of lemon balm to guide you into a tranquil state, sip by sip.

Lemongrass

Embark on a journey of relaxation with lemongrass tea, carefully crafted from its vibrant stalks known for their digestive and calming properties. Whether dried for a concentrated experience or used fresh for a burst of vitality, lemongrass adds a unique twist to your tea repertoire. Exercise caution when harvesting this herb, as the stalks can be sharp! Remember – a little goes a long way with this intense herb. Use sparingly to avoid overwhelming your palate, and consider pairing it with black tea over ice.

Mint

This versatile herb harmonizes effortlessly with other companions like lavender, thyme, and rosemary, creating a symphony of flavors in your teacup. Opt for fresh mint leaves for a milder tea experience that gently soothes your senses. Explore the vast array of mint varieties, each offering slightly different flavors. Whether it’s the sweet allure of Chocolate Mint, the fruity notes of Apple Mint, or the classic appeal of Peppermint, let the diverse mint family elevate your tea ritual to new heights.

Lemon Verbena

Indulge in the refreshing essence of lemon verbena tea, skillfully crafted from its dried leaves that impart a zesty, lemony flavor. Beyond its delightful taste, this herbal infusion is renowned for its digestive benefits, making it a good choice for after a meal. Savor the bright and citrusy notes as you sip on lemon verbena tea, letting its soothing properties contribute to a blissful moment of relaxation while aiding digestion.

Sage

Elevate your tea experience with sage, a herb that brings a bold and distinctive pine flavor to your cup. When using sage leaves, be mindful of their potent taste, which can be overwhelming. To create a harmonious blend, consider pairing sage with the sweet touch of stevia or honey, or a splash of lemon Explore the unique combination of flavors as sage takes center stage, complemented by the subtle sweetness of honey or stevia and the bright citrusy notes of lemon.

Stevia

Step into the world of natural sweetness with stevia tea, crafted from its dried leaves. Known for its intense sweetness, treat stevia with care, using it sparingly as you would with sugar—it’s nature’s sweetener. Don’t expect this to be the tea’s main contender; it should be used as support for other herbs.

Experiment with pairing stevia with mint, creating a refreshing and sweet symphony that tantalizes your taste buds; or, you can opt for something citrusy like lemon balm. For a unique twist, combine stevia with sage, balancing its sweet notes with the bold and piney flavors of sage.

Thyme

Savor the slightly savory and highly fragrant notes of thyme, offering not only a delightful tea experience but also providing relief for coughs and soothing your throat. Whether enjoyed on its own for a pure thyme infusion or paired with a citrusy herb, this versatile tea promises a comforting and flavorful journey with every sip.

Thyme’s leaves make delicious brews whether they’re dried or fresh. While the stems may not contribute significantly to the taste, they make taking the leaves back out much easier.

Rosemary

Immerse yourself in the delightful pine-y essence of rosemary tea, made from its dried leaves. Enriched with a touch of citrus, this aromatic infusion creates a harmonious balance that tantalizes your taste buds. This pairs perfectly with other citrusy herbs to bring out those undertones. And just like most herbal teas, you can always sweeten up your brew with stevia or honey.

As the air gains a chill, we tend to seek both warmth and a way to use our leftover harvest. Thankfully, you can do both by making some of these herbal teas! We hope this Growing Guide brings you some comfort and heat this season- keep an eye out for more pieces in this Plan Your Garden series!

A note: You may be wondering, where’s Camellia sinensis (the tea plant)? We looked into it, of course, but growing and making black tea at home turns out to be a very long process. Given its pervasive availability in stores, we opted to simply reference it, rather than include it as an entry. It’ll join our plant roster on Planter sometime; however, if you plan to grow it before then, you can easily create a custom plant on our app!

Harvest your herbs

Your first instinct might be to just hack down every little bit of greenery that’s left on your herb plants. Before you do, note that some herbs are perennial and some are annual. Annual herbs such as basil and cilantro will typically die off in cold winters. Biennials such as dill and parsley may come back next season, but they are typically grown and harvested as annuals. Perennials such as thyme, oregano, mint, and sage can often survive a winter, depending on the variety, how cold your winters get, and the soil conditions. Since annuals die off in winter, you might opt to harvest them out completely when freezes are in the forecast.

You might also be tempted to hack back your perennial herbs to harvest as much as you can, but you’ll want to proceed more cautiously. While perennial herbs can benefit from pruning in late summer several weeks before your first frost, if you harvest aggressively before winter they might not be able to heal and come back next season. Don’t cut too far down on the stems and don’t remove a significant portion of the plant.

Harvesting your herbs is probably the simplest approach (other than doing nothing), but you’ll likely end up with a glut of herbs to use up. Try drying your excess herbs or chopping them up and freezing them in ice cube trays topped off with water or oil.

Save herb seeds

If your herb plants have formed mature seed heads, take advantage and save seeds for next season! Dill, cilantro, and parsley are all examples of herbs that are fairly easy to save seed from. To save seeds from your herbs, be sure the seed pods on the plant are fully mature- they should be light brown, not green. Cut off the seed heads and allow them to fully dry out before storing them (this can take up to a couple weeks). Remove the fully dry seeds from the heads, then store them in paper sachets, airtight containers, or plastic baggies and label them with the plant/variety and the year. If you’re interested in learning more about seed saving, be sure to check out Seed Saving 101.

Cover your herbs

Herbs can be surprisingly cold-hardy, with some notable exceptions such as basil. If you cover your herbs with row cover or clear plastic sheeting you can potentially keep harvesting them into winter. Annuals can still die off if temperatures drop too low, but covering them offers a few degrees of frost protection that can let you keep harvesting them just that little bit longer. Perennials often keep their leaves through winter- so long as they are accessible under the cover and you have the willingness to get out there, they can potentially be lightly harvested through winter. Even if you don’t intend to harvest them in winter, covering your perennial herbs, along with applying a thick layer of organic mulch, can help increase their chance of survival. For information on protecting plants from the cold check out Season Extension Techniques: Keep the Growing Going!

Bring herbs indoors

If your herbs are growing in containers you might be able to easily transition them indoors. In fact, it may be best to bring them indoors as even hardy perennial herbs may not survive freezing temperatures outside in a container. If you do bring your container herbs inside, check the plants thoroughly for pests and consider refreshing the soil to avoid bringing in unwanted houseguests. Otherwise, you can take cuttings from your herbs and root them in water (this works well with basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme to name a few). Herbs prefer full sunlight so to grow them indoors you’ll want to consider using grow lights to keep them as healthy as possible. If your herb cuttings fail to take root all is not lost- just start new herbs from seed as a fun indoor winter project!

Do nothing

Last but not least, you can simply let nature take its course. Without any extra effort you might find that your herb garden mostly bounces back come spring. Perennial herbs can make a comeback, semi-tender herbs might surprise you with their resilience, and some herbs might have self-seeded so you get brand-new plants as soon as the weather warms up! As mentioned, keep in mind that herbs left in containers outside are less likely to survive winter unaided (depending on the size of the container and the temperatures). Also be aware that some herbs, such as lavender, are fairly cold-hardy but will rot and die if they are left in wet, poorly-drained soil. Doing nothing is a bit of a gamble, but if you happen to end up with holes in your herb garden next season consider it an excuse to try growing some brand-new herb varieties!

Herbs can be sturdy winter warriors, but they are not all created equal! Decide what you want to do with each plant as the snow approaches, then hunker down and start planning in Planter for an abundant herb garden next year!

Below are some common veggie crops that typically mature quickly enough to start from seed in midsummer and still get a solid harvest by season’s end!

Beets

Beets are an excellent crop to seed in summer and grow into fall. Beets are sturdy plants that can grow in the heat but will also appreciate cooler fall temperatures, and they’re typically ready to harvest in 55-70 days. Don’t feel constrained to just growing plain old purple beets- there are beautiful golden, white, and ‘candy cane’ (pink-and-white striped) varieties that add visual interest in the garden and the kitchen! For beet growing tips be sure to check out Grow Great Root Vegetables.

Chard

Chard is a beet relative that is usually grown for its large, spinach-like leaves. Chard performs well in spite of the summer’s heat, and it can also handle some seriously cold temperatures. Chard typically matures in 40-60 days which means for many gardeners a midsummer planting will give ample time to reach maturity and continue to produce a harvest well into fall and even early winter. Harvest only the outermost chard leaves and it will keep on growing and producing harvests for weeks to come.

Beans

Beans might be a surprising candidate for summer sowing, but they’re a quick-growing crop that does very well planted in midsummer for early fall harvests. Bush beans tend to mature faster than pole beans, so if your growing season is waning make sure to look for a faster-growing bush bean variety. Beans are a warm season crop that prefers full sun, so be sure to plant them in a sunny spot that will also receive maximum warmth as fall approaches. When cooler nights start to roll in you can use season extension techniques to keep your beans producing just a little while longer.

Lettuce

While lettuce does not at all enjoy the heat of summer, it’s good to plan for multiple plantings of lettuce throughout the growing season (this is called succession sowing). Lettuce is generally a quick-growing crop, especially if you are growing it as cut-and-come-again lettuce rather than full lettuce heads. Lettuce planted in the summer may need a little TLC to produce a harvest. Shade cloth can help block out too much searing heat from the sun, and consistent watering can help to avoid stress to the plant that could accelerate bolting. And once cooler temperatures hit, your lettuce crop will be even more prolific!

Carrots

Carrots might seem like a plant-once-and-done crop, but there can be a massive difference in the days to maturity depending on the variety. ‘Early’ carrot varieties can be ready to harvest in as little as 50 days, whereas more substantial storage varieties can take up to 120 days to mature! So be sure to select carrot varieties for summer sowing carefully. Carrots can be tricky to germinate, and summer’s heat does not help matters. Water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist after sowing carrots- some gardeners even put down a piece of plywood over the soil to hold in moisture (be sure to check for germination every day if you go this route!)

Cilantro

Cilantro is possibly one of the most bolt-prone crops around, which means the only way to be able to keep harvesting it for fresh summertime salsas is to keep on planting it! Keep watering and harvesting your cilantro regularly especially in summer to try to stave off bolting as long as possible. Cilantro that does flower helps to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects that can help your summer crops along– if you have enough space just leave the flowered plants in and plant a new round. You can also easily save seed from cilantro for upcoming plantings!

Radishes 

Radishes are an excellent crop to sow midsummer (or almost anytime, really) as they grow  extremely quickly. Radishes can reach maturity in as little as 25 days, and their compact size means that they can be tucked into almost any garden space that frees up as spring and summer crops kick the bucket. And if your radishes happen to bolt before you get a chance to harvest them you can always let them continue growing- the green seed pods are edible (and delicious!) Then plant a whole new wave of radishes!

This is just a small sampling of our favorite crops to plant in summer- there are many more summer sowing possibilities to explore. Don’t let your garden dwindle down to just tomatoes and peppers as the season wears on- sow a fresh round of summer crops for full garden beds and abundant harvests!

Do all veggie plants need full sun?

For the most part, vegetable plants grow and produce best in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sun per day). Veggie plants need ample sun to be able to photosynthesize and grow as quickly as possible- a lack of sun may not outright kill them but it can severely stunt their growth. But there are some plants that will still produce a respectable harvest in partial shade (4-6 hours of sun per day). Gardening successfully in part shade comes down to being selective about what you choose to grow and having realistic expectations about how much you’ll be able to harvest.

If your potential garden location is in near total shade and gets only a few hours of sun each day, you may want to skip down the Alternatives to gardening in part shade section of this article. While you can certainly have fun experimenting with growing edible plants in shade (you might even discover some non-traditional edible plants that grow well in shade), you’ll likely only be able to muster up a meager harvest.

Veggie plants to grow in part shade

Lettuce and leafy greens

Lettuce and other leafy greens such as spinach, chard, and arugula are star performers in the shade. Growing them in part shade can even have some benefits, as blazing summer sun can contribute to them bolting. To get the plants off to a good start you may want to consider starting them indoors then transplanting out to the shadier parts of your garden. It can be challenging to get lettuce to form full-sized heads in part-shade, but you can certainly harvest it as cut-and-come-again lettuce.

Green onions and chives

‘Bulbing onions’ require full sun to form their large, edible bulbs, however green onions and chives are excellent shady garden plants because they are primarily harvested for their slender, pungent greens. While they will produce best in full sun, you can tuck them into shady spots and still harvest enough to make the effort worthwhile. To learn more about growing these and other allium-family crops be sure to check out Grow Amazing Alliums.

Radishes

By now you might be noticing a theme with shady-garden plant picks: they tend to be green and leafy. Radishes can add a nice burst of color to an otherwise monotone shady salad garden. Radishes can still form nice-sized roots when grown in part shade- although it might take longer than usual for the bulbs to form. Be careful not to use too much high-nitrogen fertilizer where you plant radishes, as this will stimulate them to form lush leafy tops and tiny roots. If this does happen all is not lost- radish greens are edible too!

Beets

Like radishes, beets are another root crop that can be grown in partial shade. The roots of shade-grown beets will likely be smaller than their full-sun counterparts, but you can always roast them whole and just call them ultra-gourmet baby beets. Don’t leave beets in the ground for an excessively long time hoping that massive roots will form- they might just turn woody and tough instead. Beet greens are also totally delicious in salads or sauteed, so if you do find the bulbs are too diminutive the greens will not disappoint!

Brassicas (such as broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale)

Brassicas can be grown in part-shade locations- but they must receive at minimum 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day. If your location has dappled sun throughout the day, you may want to avoid growing brassicas there. Because brassicas, like leafy greens, are prone to bolting under stress caused by heat and drought, growing them in shade may help to delay this. Patience is key as brassicas are already slow-growing crops and they will grow even more slowly in the shade. You likely will not be able to get super-sized heads to form on your broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, but it’s at least possible to grow small, tender heads. Start brassicas indoors to give them the best possible chance to grow and reach maturity in the shade.

Peas

While peas perform best when in full sun, you can still get a harvest if they’re planted in part shade. You might even be able to trellis your climbing peas so that the plants are able to climb out of the shade to reach more sun. It is important to plant your peas with enough time for them to reach maturity before the summer heat comes. While partial shade will help keep them cooler for longer, eventually they will stop flowering and producing peas in the summer’s heat. For more info on growing peas, check out Grow Awesome Legumes.

Certain herbs (such as mint, cilantro, dill, and parsley)

While Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and oregano prefer full sun and soil on the drier side, other herbs such as mint, cilantro, dill, and parsley don’t mind a bit of shade. The shade will help keep the soil moist and will help delay bolting. Trim (and cook with!) herbs planted in part-shade regularly to help keep the plants bushy and compact. And a special warning about mint: be sure to plant it in a container to keep it from spreading prolifically.

Alternatives to gardening in the shade

Container gardening

While your yard might be submerged in shade, perhaps there’s a sunny spot on a deck or front porch that could be a great spot to grow veggies in containers. Virtually every type of veggie can be grown in a container provided the container is large enough for the crop, and you water and fertilize regularly to keep the growing medium moist and full of nutrients. Containers can also be moved around as needed to capture the most amount of sun available as the sun’s angle changes.

Rent a community garden plot

If your house is in the middle of the deep woods your best bet for getting a sizable garden harvest could be to rent a plot at your local community garden. Community garden plots are typically very inexpensive to rent for an entire season and will let you grow sun-loving veggies much more successfully. If you garden in a community plot be sure to set reminders to water your garden when the weather’s hot and dry, as you won’t be able to check the state of your plants as easily as in a backyard garden.

Garden with neighbors and friends

If your neighbors and/or friends have unused backyard space that gets full sun exposure, try striking up a deal with them! If they let you use the space for gardening you can bestow them with tasty garden-grown produce throughout the season. If your friends happen to be gardening enthusiasts all the better- you can share the work, share knowledge, and share the reward!

Don’t let the semi-shaded parts of your garden be nothing more than wasted space. Maximize your harvests by growing some of these shade-tolerant plants and saving the full-sun spaces for sun-loving crops. Every harvest you can get from a shady space is a gardening win!

Motivation

In past years, I’ve had troubles getting all the components of salsa to grow well. In 2020, I had a bumper crop of tomatoes and peppers, but no onions. That worked out fine, since onions are rather inexpensive to buy at the grocery store. In contrast, in 2021, the only thing that grew well were the onions! The tomatoes suffered due to excessive rain. And the peppers never took off due to poor-quality soil; I built 2 new raised beds and filled each with bags of raised-bed garden soil from Home Depot. Due to the amount of soil, I had to take two trips from the store and it turns out that the second batch of soil was no good, while the first batch (same brand) was excellent.

Valuable lesson learned: even with bagged soil, it’s still worthwhile to get the soil tested. I didn’t realize that the soil was bad until the following year.

Starting the Seeds

In the past I’ve done pretty well starting my tomato plants from seed, so I decided to go that route again. I chose the classic Amish Paste tomato variety. This year, I also decided to grow peppers from seed! I chose two great varieties, King Arthur Hybrid Bell Peppers and Garden Salsa Hybrid Hot Peppers.

I started the tomato and pepper seeds on my workbench with a red-blue grow light. I put about 3 seeds in each container, assuming some of them wouldn’t germinate.

After a few weeks, seedlings emerge!

5 weeks after sowing, I realize that I started the seeds way too early…again (I can’t resist the gardening itch in the middle of winter 😅). At this stage there’s still more than 2 months until I can safely transplant them.

6 weeks after sowing, I started moving the tomatoes into gallon jug containers to encourage better root growth:

8 weeks after sowing, just before transplanting. The tomatoes had gotten so large I had to use their cages to keep them from falling over. I put them on a cart and wheeled them inside the basement door when it got too cold:

On the plus side, the peppers grew really well throughout this entire process. I did transplant them into larger containers mid-way through, but they never grew “leggy” as I feared.

Onion time!

While the tomatoes and peppers were growing inside, it was time to plant the onions outside. Onions are fairly resistant to frost, so it’s safe to plant them before your frost date. I like to use starter onions from Dixondale Farms. Starter onions look like green onions and give your crop a head-start, which is very useful for growers like me in colder climates. This year I chose Walla Walla, Red River, and Highlander onions. Using Planter’s useful spacing info, I started by putting 4 onions in each square foot. But rules are meant to be broken, and after realizing I received several dozen extra onions I managed to fit about 6 onions per square.

In the garden, finally!

Once the chance of frost was mostly gone, it was time to transplant the tomatoes and peppers into their final spots in the garden! I planted corn, beans, and squash (aka the “Three Sisters”) next to the tomatoes. The idea is that the squash will cover the ground, keeping weeds at bay. And the corn and tomato cages will act as a trellis for the beans. In the end, all the beans and squash did was provide snacks for the rabbits 🐰.

I intercropped the peppers with the onions, since they’re good companion plants.

Intercropping also reduces weeds, since the onions shade out much of the ground.

Harvest time!

I was able to make a good deal of fresh salsa from the garden this year! The limiting factor, surprisingly, were the tomatoes. They just weren’t as productive as I had hoped. I did get a decent amount of tomatoes from them, but nowhere near the 2020 yield. My guess is that they were too lanky and overgrown when they were first transplanted. Starting the seeds later in the spring would have resulted in better-supported, healthier plants.

In contrast, the peppers continue to produce heaps of delicious sweet and spicy peppers. Likewise, the onions that were in the pepper bed did really well! I harvested them in mid-August after their stems started falling over. I then laid down some straw to keep the weeds at bay. Once the onions were gone, the peppers received a bit more sunlight which is probably why they’re doing so well now. However, the onions in the raised garden bed with the poor-quality soil did not do well. I’m hoping to rejuvenate the soil in that bed this fall.

I also tried to grow cilantro from seed in the garden, but it didn’t germinate. Later in the summer I tried growing some indoors and it germinated without a problem, which I then transplanted into the garden.

Lessons learned and plans for next season

1. Don’t start tomatoes too early.
2. Test garden soil, even if it comes from a bag.
3. Start cilantro from seed indoors. Or purchase from a nursery.
4. Give the peppers more of a head start, so they’re taller than the onions when they’re transplanted.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my salsa garden adventure! Last but not least, here’s my simple fresh salsa recipe:

Peter’s Fresh Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 medium tomatoes (1.5 cups), chopped
• 1 green bell pepper (¼ cup) , chopped
• 1 small onion (¼ cup), chopped
• 1 jalapeño or garden salsa pepper, chopped (if you like it spicy!)
• 1 Tbsp cilantro, minced
• 2 tsp lime juice
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Even though summer can get hectic, don’t forget to take a step back from the to-do list to plan your fall garden. While the tomatoes are ripening and the peppers are plumping, it’s time to be thinking about which seeds to sow and seedlings to transplant for fall harvests.

Why plant a fall garden?

As your first frost date approaches, you can still plant cool season crops as they can tolerate a frost or even a freeze. In some ways, fall crops can be easier to grow than spring crops as the ground is readily workable and temperatures drop into the ranges that cool-season crops prefer rather than getting hotter. Cool-season crops can sometimes struggle to germinate in high heat though, so if you are planting from seed you may want to consider starting indoors or setting up some shade cloth. Above all, make sure the soil is kept consistently moist until the plants start to take off.

Another advantage of planting cool season crops in fall is that some of them, such as carrots, parsnips, beets, cabbage, and kale, will actually sweeten up after enduring a frost!

What plants can I grow in fall?

Most cool season crops will grow well in fall, so long as they are started with enough time to reach maturity. These include:

Brassicas: brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale do very well growing into fall as they are generally quite frost-tolerant, and their flavor improves with the frost. These crops do take some time to reach maturity though, roughly 60-80 days or more from seeding to harvest depending on the plant and variety, so be sure to start seeds in time or buy transplants from a garden center.

Lettuces and leafy greens: lettuces and leafy greens such as spinach, chard, and arugula are rock stars in a fall garden. They grow quickly and can be harvested repeatedly until the cold weather finally knocks them out. In most cases the leafy greens are not as frost resistant as brassicas, so you may want to consider protecting them with a hoop house or some floating row cover, to help extend the harvests once chilly weather sets in.

Root vegetables: root vegetables are great candidates for a fall garden. Radishes are especially quick to mature and can be planted well into fall. Others such as parsnips, carrots, and beets take longer, so again be sure they have enough time left in the season to mature. Root crops often don’t transplant well, so buying seedlings from the garden center may not be a viable option.

Garlic and shallots: unlike the other fall crops that are planted in summer and grow into fall, garlic and shallots are planted in late fall for harvesting next season. While they don’t need to go in the ground now, you will still want to be thinking about where to plant them when the time comes and ordering sets soon to be sure they will arrive in time for planting.

When should I plant my fall garden?

To sort out when to get your seeds started and your transplants planted out for your fall garden, look for Cool season plants in Planter:

Then, look at the number of days needed for Germination and the number of days from Sprout to Harvest for that plant. Work backwards from your first frost date to determine when you need to plant to ensure there is still enough time for the plant to mature and produce a harvest. While frost-tolerant plants can keep growing past your first frost date, it is good to get your fall crops planted with a bit of extra time in case of slower growth or extreme weather conditions.

There is a lot to tend to in the garden in the midst of summer, but it’s also time to plan ahead and start planting for fall. Planter makes it easy to figure out which crops can be planted for a fall harvest, so you can spend more time getting out in the garden!

Why Add Herbs to Your Garden

Herbs pack a major flavor punch in a dainty package and greatly enhance any dish you add them to. The price of fresh herbs at the grocery store can make you flinch - ‘do I really need fresh thyme in that dish?’ But if you have a flourishing herb garden, you will be looking for new and creative ways to use them rather than shying away! Herbs also contain vitamins and minerals and offer many health benefits.

Most herbs are quite easy to grow. They can thrive in nutrient-poor soil and some even prefer to dry out slightly! And herbs benefit your garden overall- they are great companion plants that can help ward off pests and attract beneficial insects and pollinators.

How to Select Herbs for your Garden

The first thing to consider when deciding which herbs to plant is what herbs do you like to eat? If you don’t regularly enjoy eating it, don’t bother growing it (unless you are experimenting with something new!)

Some herbs, such as mint, are perennials that can come back every year. Some perennial herbs may not be able to withstand winter in your area though, so be sure to confirm that the specific varieties you select are hardy in your growing zone. There are also herbs, such as dill, that are prolific self-seeders that will likely regrow each year.

Perennial and self-seeding herbs can be an asset in your garden if they are planted in a convenient location. Be warned, though, that some of these herbs can take over your garden if they are not contained. Bear this in mind when choosing which herbs to plant and where to plant them.

How to Plant and Care for Herbs

Some herbs can be easily started from seed, and some can even be propagated from cuttings. Others can be more tricky to grow from scratch, but buying herb plants from your local garden center still provides a great return on your investment.

Generally, herbs prefer a full-sun location and very well-draining soil. If you are growing in heavy clay soil it will need amending with compost and sand. Different herbs can have unique preferred growing conditions, however. Even though it looks enticing to plant a variety of herbs together, check their unique growing needs in Planter and avoid grouping herbs with very different needs in the same space.

You may opt to grow herbs in containers to have better control of the growing conditions. Planting herbs in containers also has the advantage of helping to control spread (except for rogue seeds!) If you do plant your herbs in containers, be sure they have drainage holes or use fabric pots that allow excess water to drain. You will need to water herbs in containers more often than if they were planted in the ground or in larger raised beds. Containers will also need extra care over the winter. Bring them into a garage or shed to help protect them, and bear in mind that perennial herbs will be less winter-hardy if they are grown in containers.

Regardless of whether you plant in-ground or in containers, it helps to have your herbs in a location that is handy to the kitchen. Otherwise you might not be inclined to go harvest them when you are in the middle of cooking!

When it comes to caring for herbs often less is more. Many herbs do not like to be overwatered and prefer to dry out between waterings, and as a general rule herbs need minimal fertilizing. There are always exceptions though, so be sure to check Planter for watering and fertilizing recommendations for the herbs you grow.

When your herbs are ready to harvest, don’t be afraid to give them a haircut! Herbs thrive with a regular trim; it helps them be more productive. Just don’t cut away more than one third of the plant at once. Check out the harvesting and storage tips in Planter to get the most out of your herbs:

Include your favorite herbs in your garden, and enjoy harvesting the freshest possible herbs right outside your door!

What are Cold-Hardy Crops?

There are several cold-hardy crops that will grow in cooler temperatures and can withstand a mild frost or even a freeze. These plants are typically divided into two groups - semi-hardy which can tolerate a light frost with air temperatures between 28°F and 32°F (-2°C and 0°C), and hardy which can tolerate heavy frost with air temperatures below 28°F (-2°C). Not only do these plants withstand the colder temperatures, they actually grow best in the cooler weather.

Examples of semi-hardy crops include: carrots, beets, lettuce, cilantro, and peas.

Examples of hardy crops include: kale, spinach, garlic, chives, and parsley.

Use Planter to identify cool season plants that are Tolerant or Semi-Tolerant to frost! Select a plant and refer to the Season and Frost cards under Quick Info:

Note that cold-hardy crops are not to be confused with cole crops. Cole crops are members of the brassica family specifically- and while they do love the cold - they are just one family out of many that happen to enjoy cold weather.

When to Plant

Knowing when to plant cold-hardy crops can be tricky. Obviously, the ground should be workable. Aside from this how do you know when it is safe to plant? As a first step, check the Growing Calendar in Planter, to see when the crops you are interested in planting can be sown (or transplanted) outdoors in your area.

It’s a good idea to use a soil thermometer to measure the ground temperature to ensure it is warm enough for seeds to germinate. Seeds that are planted in soil that is too cold for them to germinate will absorb water without germinating, which leaves them susceptible to rot. Research the ideal soil temperatures to germinate the crops you are planning to grow.

Even if the ground is warm enough to plant, there is no guarantee that the weather will cooperate! There may still be a risk of extreme weather that could potentially kill off even the most hardy crops. To help avoid this, mulch the plants generously to protect them from the elements. Cover plants with plastic sheets or cloches if severe cold rolls in. Also, sow regular successions (‘waves’) of crops. If some plants do perish in the harsh spring conditions, planting in succession helps ensure there will be new plants growing up not far behind.

Caring for Cold Hardy Crops

Prior to planting cool season crops, prepare the bed by working in compost and a slow-release, all-purpose fertilizer. Depending on the crop, you may need to re-apply fertilizer every several weeks.

Although it may not be warm out, still be on the lookout for dry conditions. If there isn’t enough rainfall, provide sufficient water to keep the ground consistently moist

Take full advantage of the early spring growing season - don’t miss out on delicious harvests of cold-hardy crops!