There FIRST THING’S FIRST FOR PLANTING THE FALL GARDEN: Determine your first frost date.  Google it. 

I live outside of Kansas City, Zone 6a, and the estimated first frost date is October 15.

We worked really hard this spring to create a really awesome garden at Dirty Skirt Farm.  After building 7 raised beds and setting out 30+ containers around the yard, we grew 60 tomato plants, 45 pepper plants, and an assortment of lettuces, onions, carrots, swiss chard, asparagus, zucchini, potatoes, herbs, and eggplant. Abundance is an understatement right now, constantly harvesting tomatoes and peppers.  Our root cellar and freezers are getting plumper with each passing day. 

 

 

Except for you, zucchinis.

 

Sorry I couldn’t get you to grow.

 

This will be my first time planting the fall garden, and I knew I wanted to do something because I had an empty raised bed after I harvested potatoes.  We decided to plant just a few things (1) to see how they grew and (2) to see if we will actually eat them.

 

When we planted our seeds directly into the ground, I calculated about 83 days before the first frost.  (My expected first frost is October 15, but I’m secretly hoping it’ll be around Halloween.) Most of the seeds we planted were 60-day varieties, so I figured I had plenty of time for a second harvest.  Plus, my soil is nice and warm and well-tilled from me hand-digging out rows of potatoes.  I put a lot of work into that soil, and I’m not letting it go to waste!  There may be some of that good soil under my fingernails.

 

Sure, next year’s garden layout is on my mind, but this year is still an experimental year to see what we’ll eat and what will actually grow.

 

I still want to plant garlic too!  I should probably do some research about that….and, you know, locate a good space in the yard.

 

In the comments, let me know what you’re planting for the fall garden.