What To Plant in Autumn
The fall planting season begins in mid-October and lasts well into winter, with January usually being the last good cool-season planting month.
SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS
Although a few bulbs are planted in spring for summer bloom, most kinds are planted now.
These must be purchased soon and chilled in the refrigerator crisper for six to eight weeks before planting:
Hyacinth
Spring-blooming crocus
Tulips
These can be planted right away:
Amaryllis
Anemone
Babiana
Brodiaea
Calla lily
Crocosmia
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Dutch iris
Freesia
Homeria
Ipheion
Ixia
Lachenalia
Leucojum
Muscari
Ornithogalum
Oxalis
Ranunculus
Scilla
Sparaxis
Species tulip
Watsonia
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BEDDING PLANTS
Cool-season kinds to plant between now and December, for winter and spring bloom:
Bells of Ireland
Calendula
Candytuft
Canterbury Bell
Chrysanthemum mulicaule
Chrysanthemum paludosum
Cineraria
Columbine
Cyclamen
Delphinium
Dusty Miller
English daisy
Forget-me-not
Foxglove
Hollyhock
Iceland poppy
Nicotiana
Pansy and viola
Phlox
Primrose
Ranunculus
Blue bedding salvia
Schizanthus
Snapdragon
Stock
Sweet pea
Sweet William
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Although available as plants, these are extra-easy to start from seed sown on prepared ground, from October through January:
Annual African daisy
Alyssum
Baby-blue-eyes
California poppy
Clarkia and godetia
Larkspur
Wildflowers
Linaria
Virginia stock
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PERENNIALS
Almost all kinds can be planted in autumn, but because they are mostly dormant now, they may be hard to find at nurseries. But planted now, they will grow roots through winter and explode with above-ground growth in early spring.
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LAWNS
October and early November are the best times to plant cool-season lawn such as fescue, especially from seed. Sow seed of annual rye grass on top of browning warm-season lawns such as Bermuda grass, for winter green.
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GROUND COVERS, SHRUBS AND TREES
Now through January is the best time to plant all but the most tender landscape plants. It’s a golden opportunity. You can plant in other seasons, but the plants are more difficult to keep watered, so failure is more likely.
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EDIBLES
Plant cool-season crops between now and early March. Some are best transplanted into the garden as young plants:
Artichoke
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Rhubarb
These edibles do best started from seed sown directly in garden beds:
Beet
Broccoli raab
Carrot
Endive
Fava bean
Kale
Kohlrabi
Head and leaf lettuce
Leek
Mesclun mixes
Pea
Radish
Spinach
Swiss chard
Turnip
A few to grow from bulbs, or “sets”:
Onion
Garlic
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Things not to plant now:
Wait until January and early February to plant roses and deciduous fruit trees such as apples and peaches. They can be planted now but are much less expensive and easier to plant in midwinter, when they are sold bare root (dormant, with no soil around their roots).
Tropicals and some subtropicals--such as citrus and hibiscus--do better planted in spring, when the weather is rapidly warming. Young plants of tender subtropicals are also more susceptible to even light frost, another reason to wait until all that is past.
