Skip tomatoes, peppers, corn, melons, and eggplant. These are the vegetables avoid fall planting because they need summer heat to grow well. They can't survive frost at all. Save them for spring instead.
I made this mistake my second year in the garden. Thought I could squeeze in one more round of tomatoes. Started them in August when plants looked cheap at the nursery. They grew fine for a month. Then temps dropped to 35°F (2°C) one October night. Every single plant turned black by morning.
When I tried peppers in late summer, the same thing happened. Beautiful plants with lots of blooms. Zero fruit before frost killed them. I learned that warm season crops fall into a group called frost-tender. They came from tropical places. Your garden can't give them what they need in autumn.
South Dakota State research shows which crops can't handle any cold. Beans, corn, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and melons have zero frost tolerance. Any temp at or below 32°F (0°C) hurts them. Squash and tomatoes handle a light frost but die below 30°F (-1°C).
These plants also need heat units to produce fruit. Your tomato needs 75-90 warm days to go from transplant to ripe fruit. Fall can't give you that many warm days. The math just doesn't add up no matter how hard you try.
Fall planting mistakes often come from not knowing this timing. You see healthy plants at the garden center in August. They look great and cost less. But they won't give you fruit before frost hits. Save your money for cool-season crops instead.
Here's how to spot warm-season crops in the store. They grow fruit, not leaves. They came from tropical or sub-tropical places. Seed packets say plant after last frost or needs warm soil. If you see those clues, wait until next spring to buy.
What should you do with your garden space instead? Pull those spent summer crops out. Add compost to your beds. Plant cool-season veggies that love fall weather. Lettuce, spinach, kale, and broccoli all thrive as temps drop.
I now treat Labor Day as my switch point. Summer crops come out. Fall crops go in. You get a fresh start with veggies that match the season. Your garden keeps making food instead of fighting the weather. Work with nature and you'll eat better.
Read the full article: Fall Vegetable Garden: Best Crops to Plant
