By Jenny Marie Lawrence
Fall isn’t the end of the growing season — it’s the beginning of the next one. In Missouri, planting during cooler months opens the door to fresh possibilities, from extending the harvest to preparing for an early start in spring. With guidance from Lincoln University’s Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program (ISFOP), people are finding that fall planting is less about endings and more about opportunity.
“Greens and roots grow best this time of year because they can handle a light frost, and the cold even makes them taste sweeter,” says Mary Keeter, ISFOP farm outreach worker.
Cold-hardy vegetables, including beets, turnips and carrots, can be planted in late summer to early fall. Leafy greens such as kale, collards, spinach, lettuce, mustard greens, Swiss chard and arugula also thrive when planted during this time. Garlic and strawberries should be planted in the fall before the ground freezes, so they can take root and be ready to grow again in spring. Warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers, however, die back at the first freeze.
Source : lincolnu.edu