A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Vegetable Gardening Fall Vegetable Planting???

I live in a 3a hardiness zone, some say 2b. What can I plant in the fall, ahead of time for the following spring?
I have planted parsley leaf seed, and it comes up nicely the following spring. Dill also comes up. Does anyone know if Leaf lettuce can be seeded in the fall? Also what of the root vegetables like carrots and beets and parsnips?

How deep does your soil freeze, Daisy? I am no expert outside of my z9 and your z2-3 seems mighty cold for any of those. I think I would ask at a nearby garden center or local extension.

I agree with Tina. I searched too and while you might try to plant say beets and the lettuces late in the season for FALL harvests I think it would get far too cold over the winter to do as you are wanting to do.
I think I too would search out a local nursery & ask their advice.

and as a side note, you could try it I guess, but if you do you should be prepared for failure in case the experiment does not work.

Thanks, normally our winters go into minus -30's c and even -40's at timexs. Last year we had a colder winter than usual, cold enough to freeze up some of the City's water pipes under ground which are said to be pretty deep under ground. I had planted parsley seed in the fall last Fall. It took forever to come out this year, but now I have a very abundant crop, which will soon freeze again.
I could try a little experimental patch of carrots and beets, and lettuce, but knowing my gardening brain, I will forget and plant something over top of it, before it has a chance to come out. I know some flower seeds that drop do come out the following year, regardless of the winter.

Oh, I could also try a fall planting of grass seed on a patch left over from an ant hill. and yes, it can fail, but then atleast I will know, but wish me success any way. Thumbs up.

Yes, an experiment wouldn't be too bad. And if you got that unusual mild winter, it could be very good.

Yes exactly. I wish you all the best of luck. Please do keep us informed..
PS IF you do try to plant some seed, make a drawing of what you did and say where this was done on the paper--then next year you won't have to remember, it will be there on your paper.

I do that every year in my flower bed. it helps me know just what will come back up & what will need to be replanted.

Hi Daisy..I get the same weather as you and I have occasionally seen an item self sow from the previous year but I wouldn't waste much time on trying it as a way to put in my garden.

Thanks (laughing) no, I won't depend on it, our winters are very unpredictable and so is the depth of our ground freeze, so if I get something coming up next spring, it will be like winning on a ticket. I love to experiment.

That is a good way to look at it. Please DO keep us informed. We will be wondering..