Fall gardening
Fall vegetable planting in North Carolina
Last reviewed by GardenSproutly against the sources listed on this page.
Late summer is the time to plant cool-season crops for a fall harvest. Once well established, they keep growing through cold temperatures and sometimes even moderate freezes.[1]
Some cold-hardy crops planted in fall, such as collards, kale, turnip greens, spinach, and Swiss chard, may survive the winter or go dormant and grow again in early spring.[1]
Late-summer and fall planting dates by region
Crops with a planting window that begins between July 1 and mid-October in each regional calendar[2],[3],[4]. Crops planted continuously from spring into summer are not listed here; see the full regional calendars for those.
Eastern North Carolina
36 crops · full calendar
- ArugulaSeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1
- Beans, lima (pole)Seeds: around Jul 15
- Beans, snap (bush)Seeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1
- BeetsSeeds: Jul 15 – Sep 1
- BroccoliTransplants: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- Brussels sproutsTransplants: Jul 1 – Aug 15
- CabbageTransplants: Jul 15 – Sep 1
- Cabbage, ChineseSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15Transplants: Sep 15 – Oct 1
- CauliflowerSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- CilantroSeeds: Sep 15 – Oct 1
- Collard greensSeeds: Jul 15 – Sep 1Transplants: Jul 15 – Sep 1
- DillSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- EggplantTransplants: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Fennel, FlorenceSeeds: Jul 1 – Aug 15
- GarlicBulbs: Sep 15 – Nov 15
- KaleSeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- KohlrabiSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- Lettuce, headSeeds: Aug 15 – Sep 1Transplants: Sep 15 – Oct 1
- Lettuce, leafSeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- Mustard greensSeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1
- OkraSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Onions, bulbSeeds: Aug 1 – Mar 15
- Onions, greenSeeds: around Sep 1Transplants: Aug 15 – Sep 1
- Pac choi (bok choy)Transplants: Aug 15 – Sep 15
- ParsleySeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- ParsnipsSeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1
- Peas, bush (English)Seeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1
- Peas, field/southernSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Peas, vining (English)Seeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- PeppersTransplants: around Aug 1
- RadishesSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- RutabagaSeeds: Jul 1 – Sep 15
- SpinachSeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1
- Swiss chardSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- TomatoesTransplants: around Aug 1
- TurnipsSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1
Central North Carolina
35 crops · full calendar
- ArugulaSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- Beans, lima (pole)Seeds: around Jul 15
- BeetsSeeds: Jul 15 – Sep 1
- BroccoliTransplants: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- Brussels sproutsTransplants: Jul 1 – Aug 15
- CabbageTransplants: Jul 15 – Sep 1
- Cabbage, ChineseSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15Transplants: Sep 15 – Oct 1
- CauliflowerSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- CilantroSeeds: around Sep 15
- Collard greensSeeds: Jul 15 – Sep 1Transplants: Jul 15 – Sep 1
- DillSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- EggplantTransplants: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Fennel, FlorenceSeeds: Jul 1 – Aug 15
- GarlicBulbs: Sep 15 – Nov 15
- KaleSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- KohlrabiSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- Lettuce, headSeeds: Aug 15 – Sep 1Transplants: Sep 15 – Oct 1
- Lettuce, leafSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- Mustard greensSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- OkraSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Onions, bulbSeeds: Aug 1 – Mar 15
- Onions, greenSeeds: around Sep 1Transplants: Aug 15 – Sep 1
- Pac choi (bok choy)Transplants: Aug 15 – Sep 15
- ParsleySeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- ParsnipsSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- Peas, bush (English)Seeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- Peas, field/southernSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Peas, vining (English)Seeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- PeppersTransplants: around Aug 1
- RadishesSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- RutabagaSeeds: Jul 1 – Sep 15
- SpinachSeeds: Aug 1 – Oct 1
- Swiss chardSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1Transplants: Aug 1 – Sep 1
- TomatoesTransplants: around Aug 1
- TurnipsSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 1
Western North Carolina
23 crops · full calendar
- ArugulaSeeds: Aug 1 – Sep 15
- BeetsSeeds: Jul 1 – Jul 15
- BroccoliTransplants: Jul 15 – Aug 1
- Brussels sproutsTransplants: Jul 1 – Jul 15
- CabbageTransplants: Jul 1 – Aug 1
- Cabbage, ChineseSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15Transplants: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- CarrotsSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 1
- CauliflowerSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 1Transplants: Jul 15 – Aug 1
- DillSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Fennel, FlorenceSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 1
- GarlicBulbs: Sep 1 – Nov 1
- KaleSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15Transplants: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- KohlrabiSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 1Transplants: Jul 15 – Aug 1
- Lettuce, headSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 15
- Lettuce, leafSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 15Transplants: Jul 15 – Aug 15
- Mustard greensSeeds: Jul 15 – Sep 1
- Onions, bulbSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- Onions, greenSeeds: around Sep 1Transplants: Aug 15 – Sep 15
- Pac choi (bok choy)Transplants: Aug 15 – Sep 15
- RadishesSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- RutabagaSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 1
- SpinachSeeds: Aug 1 – Aug 15
- TurnipsSeeds: Jul 15 – Aug 1
Tips for a successful fall garden
- Plant seeds deeper in fall: about 1½ to 2 times their widest diameter, compared with 1 to 2 times in spring and summer.[1]
- Late-summer soil is often dry. If it is, water it 4 to 6 inches deep and let the surface dry before seeding.[1]
- Summer transplants may need a few days of protection from heat. A board or piece of cardboard angled on the south side of a plant makes a simple sunshade, and watering helps cool the air and soil.[1]
- Time fall plantings around pests. In eastern and central North Carolina, NC State Extension suggests delaying fall planting until whitefly populations decline with cooler temperatures.[2],[3]
- Expect more insects on fall crops. Pest pressure on fall lettuce is much greater than on spring crops, and fall collards face cabbageworms, diamondback moths, and loopers until cold weather arrives.[5],[6]
- Mulched fall carrots and rutabagas can stay in the ground through winter and be dug as needed.[1]
Fall crop guides
Sources
- [1]Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 16: Vegetable Gardening — NC State Extension. Published February 1, 2022. Checked October 11, 2026.
Supports: Cool- and warm-season crop groupings, seed-sowing depth, transplant growing times and temperatures (Table 16-3), soil preparation, succession planting, and harvest indicators. Scope: Written for North Carolina and the southeastern United States.
- [2]Eastern North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-02) — NC State Extension. Published June 15, 2016. Checked October 11, 2026.
Supports: Outdoor planting dates, planting methods, days to harvest, and plant spacing for eastern North Carolina. Scope: Eastern North Carolina. The publication does not define county boundaries.
- [3]Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01) — NC State Extension. Published July 8, 2016. Checked October 11, 2026.
Supports: Outdoor planting dates, planting methods, days to harvest, plant spacing, and the 6–8 week transplant-starting rule for central North Carolina. Scope: Central North Carolina. The publication does not define county boundaries.
- [4]Western North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-03) — NC State Extension. Published August 4, 2016. Checked October 11, 2026.
Supports: Outdoor planting dates, planting methods, days to harvest, and plant spacing for western North Carolina, plus regional pest-timing advice. Scope: Western North Carolina. The publication does not define county boundaries.
- [5]Lactuca sativa (Lettuce) — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension. Checked October 11, 2026.
Supports: Lettuce types, soil pH, bolting triggers, seed depth, spacing, succession sowing, days to harvest, and pests. Scope: North Carolina.
- [6]Fall Collards – It's Time to Plant! — N.C. Cooperative Extension, Pamlico County Center. August 18, 2025. Checked October 11, 2026.
Supports: Fall collard timing, soil pH, fertilizer, growing transplants, varieties, pests, diseases, and harvest. Scope: Eastern North Carolina (Pamlico County).