As summer fades into fall, many Knox County gardeners are wondering whether its too late to plant a crop ahead of the fall/winter season.

In virtually every case, the biggest worry will be the first frost, which is rapidly approaching, seasonal weather data released on the Dave's Garden website shows.

In general, planting for the fall harvest is all about timing. It is crucial to plant your crops by late summer and harvest them prior to the first frost. For Knox County, risk of first frost destroying crops begins as early as Oct. 4 and will almost certainly occur by Oct. 17, based on season averages. The end of the winter/spring frost period is usually around May 5 but could end as early as April 19. Ohio has an average of 170 days between the first and last frost. 

Therefore, if you're looking to plant a crop for fall/winter 2020, the window has most likely closed since final frosts are right around the corner. Instead, take this time to plan ahead of the next season to find the optimal window for planting and harvesting. 

Of course, the type of crop chosen will affect how late said crop can be harvested into fall. A solid example of this would be kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, spinach and broccoli, which can be harvested as late as the end of October. But by November, practically all crops will be outside the optimal growing window for this region of Ohio, officially designated as zones 5 and 6. 

Another factor to take into account ahead of next season is whether each crop needs to be grown indoors and transplanted. A recommended tip is to stagger crops depending on how long their harvesting time is. Arugula and beets can take between 25-40 days to harvest, while carrots and cabbage take up to 70 days. Thus, cabbage and carrots should be planted ahead of other crop types. 

For all of your gardening needs, visit Forster Seeds of Quality for expert tips and information to guide you to an incredible harvest in 2021.