A Fall Garden, Starts in Summer
Labor Day is next weekend (I can’t believe it either) but talking about a "Fall garden" sounds like it should be an October kind of conversation.
Turns out it isn’t!
Per the Farmer’s Almanac, August and September are the main planting months for a fall vegetable garden here in the Triangle. Heck, a few slow to mature plants actually should have already been started at the start of August.
But if you’re like me and behind on the garden this year, you’ve still got some time left to get started. First frost doesn't land until Halloween, but the growing calendar starts now.
Things to Start Today
The first thing to know is that the big fall plants are already past their seed dates for our hardiness zone (Zone 8a by the way), so more on those in a minute.
If you’re looking to get started today, there is quite a lot that can still go in as a seed this week. Using the Almanac, we’ve got a short list of the closest dates down below. The most tender and less frost-resistant ones are:
A Few Planting Dates
Green Beans (start before September 2nd)
Peas (start before September 9th)
Beets (start before September 9th)
Lettuce (window opens September 9th)
There are a ton more to start planting so check out below for past dates, transplants, frost dates, and a ton of other great things to plant.
Starting “Late” in Raleigh
If you're starting from scratch with longer maturing edibles (plants you can eat folks), it’s recommended to buy transplants instead of seeds for the big stuff like broccoli, cabbage, collards, or kale.
The reasoning for this is that seeds need water every single day when fighting the heat and the late August soil tends to be really dry either way. So, for those of us behind schedule, here are some local spots that can give you a head start:
Where to Go
Logan's Garden Shop: They’ve been over at the State Farmers Market since 2025., founded in 1965 though. Their website appears to have vegetable transplants and, if a Japanese maple is on your list, Maple Mania is September 18-19 — see them here.
Fairview Garden Center: Just recently posted about new vegetable inventory, this local spot Run by the Dewar family for over 50 years. You can find them in Southwest Raleigh towards Holly Springs — check out their page.
Homewood Nursery: Founded by Bill Stoffregen in 1967, Homewood also has a Fall plant sale starting on September 4th. They are up in North Raleigh for those in the area — stop by their website.
Source: Homewood Nursery Instagram
Well, If You’re Outside Already…
Like all the best pastimes, you likely find a few other things to work on once you get started. So for those of you done tending to the veggies, here’s a bit more to read into:
Leave the azaleas, camellias, and hydrangeas alone. Per NC State Extension, Spring bloomers grow next year's flowers on the branches from THIS summer, so pruning them now cuts off an April bloom.
Keep the hummingbird feeder up through October! They begin their migration south in late August but leaving it up late actually is said to help the last of the migrators with some extra energy to make the — 500+ mile trip each year.
Grab a FREE soil test box while you're at it. NCDA runs the test for free through November 30th, and the results tell you nutrient levels, pH, — and much more.
For the beds you're giving up on this year, use a cover crop. Winter rye or wheat seeded between September 15 and October 20, then — used as organic matter in spring.
Eat something while you're at it. The last of the figs are coming in, and September is muscadine month in North Carolina. The State Farmers Market likely has both!
And finally, the end of Fall (officially September 22nd) is the time to let go of the summer garden and accept that new things are meant to grow each season — the NC Arboretum says so.
Get Yer’ Hands Dirty
Between planting season, yard cleanup and prep, and a couple local spots to check out this list should keep your green thumb busy well into Winter.
If you have any questions or are looking for a resource, don’t hesitate to reach out. We live in a fantastic area to learn and enjoy all things agriculture. I found quite a few great things when writing this and I’d be happy to share.
Looking for last weeks story? — Check out Raleigh & The Chocolate Factory.
Source: Videri Chocolate
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