By William Ezell
|
|
0 Comments
Most Tennessee gardeners pack it in after the Fourth of July. The tomatoes are struggling, the squash has given up, and the heat makes the idea of going back outside feel like a punishment. But here's what a lot of Middle Tennessee gardeners don't realize: August is actually one of the best planting windows of the year — not for summer crops, but for a whole second season of vegetables that thrive in the cooler temperatures coming up.
If you plant now, you'll be harvesting well into October and November. Here's what to put in the ground this month.
Why August Planting Works in Tennessee
Fall crops — leafy greens, root vegetables, brassicas — actually prefer the cooler air temperatures of September and October. The trick is getting them established while the soil is still warm from summer, which accelerates germination and early root development. Plant too late and the soil's already cooling down; plant now and you get the best of both seasons.
Middle Tennessee's first frost typically lands in late October to mid-November depending on your elevation, which means most fall crops planted in August have a solid 10-12 week growing window — plenty of time for a full harvest.
What to Plant Now
1. Kale
Kale is one of the most reliable fall crops in Tennessee, and one of the few vegetables that actually improves after a frost — cold temperatures convert starches to sugars, making it noticeably sweeter by October. Plant transplants now or direct sow seeds, and expect to be harvesting into December in most parts of Middle Tennessee.
Kale is a heavy feeder, so beds that have been depleted by a summer of tomatoes or squash will benefit from a refresh before planting. Working in a few inches of finished compost before you put kale in gives it the nitrogen boost it needs to establish quickly and grow vigorously through fall.
2. Broccoli and Cauliflower
Both need a longer runway than most fall crops — 80-100 days to maturity — which is exactly why August is the window and not September. Start transplants now if you can find them at a local nursery, or start from seed indoors and transplant out in the next few weeks.
Broccoli and cauliflower both do best in loose, well-draining soil with consistent moisture. If your beds are compacted from summer heat and foot traffic, this is the crop that'll show it fastest. Loosening and amending with compost before planting makes a bigger difference here than with almost anything else on this list.
3. Lettuce and Salad Greens
Lettuce bolts and turns bitter in summer heat, which is why most Tennessee gardeners give up on it by June. But fall is lettuce season — it germinates easily in August's warm soil and then grows happily as temperatures drop through September and October. Butterhead, romaine, and loose-leaf varieties all do well.
Direct sow now and thin as they grow. Lettuce has shallow roots, so even a thin top-dress of compost or a quality soil blend in an existing bed gives it enough to work with.
4. Spinach
Spinach needs slightly cooler soil temperatures to germinate well — ideally below 70°F — so late August into early September is the sweet spot for Middle Tennessee. It's worth the wait. Fall spinach grows slowly but produces tender, sweet leaves that are far better than anything you'd get from a summer planting.
5. Carrots and Radishes
Both are direct-sow root crops that do well in fall, and both need something most Middle Tennessee soils don't naturally provide: loose, deep, rock-free soil that lets roots grow straight down without obstruction. Native Nashville clay is the enemy of a good carrot. Raised beds filled with a proper soil blend are genuinely the easiest solution here — our SuperSoil! Raised Bed Blend is loose enough out of the gate for root crops to establish without fighting compaction.
Radishes are ready in as little as 3-4 weeks, making them one of the fastest returns on investment in the fall garden.
6. Garlic (Plant in October, but plan now)
Garlic isn't an August planting — it goes in the ground in October in Middle Tennessee — but it belongs on this list because now is when you should be thinking about it. Garlic needs well-amended, loose soil and a bed that won't be competing with fall crops for space. If you're planning a garlic bed, decide now, amend it through August and September, and it'll be ready to go when planting time comes.
Getting Your Beds Ready Before You Plant
The single biggest mistake fall gardeners make is treating depleted summer beds as ready-to-plant. A bed that grew tomatoes or zucchini all summer has given a lot to those plants — and it shows in compacted, nutrient-depleted soil that won't serve a new crop nearly as well.
Before any of these crops go in, take 30 minutes to:
1. Pull any remaining summer plants and spent material (compost the trimmings — drop them at one of our drop-off sites if you're not running a backyard bin)
2. Loosen the top 6-8 inches of soil with a fork or broadfork
3. Work in 2-3 inches of finished compost — our Premium Screened Compost is fine enough to blend into existing beds without disrupting soil structure
That's the reset your bed needs before a fall planting. It takes less time than you'd think and makes a noticeable difference in how quickly fall crops establish.
Not Sure How Much Compost You Need?
Use our compost calculator before you order — it'll tell you exactly how much to get based on your bed dimensions, no guessing. And if you're local to Nashville or Ashland City, you can pick up in person or schedule a delivery.
Fall gardening in Tennessee is genuinely one of the most rewarding things you can do in the yard this time of year. The weather cooperates, the pest pressure drops, and the crops are some of the best eating of the season. Put something in the ground this week — you won't regret it come October.