If you thought spring was your only chance to plant, we have good news: fall is one of the best times of year to add trees, shrubs, and perennials to your garden.
Here in Southwestern Ontario, the "second planting season" begins as the summer heat fades. The soil is still warm, the air is cooler, and plants can focus their energy on establishing strong roots before winter arrives. By the time spring returns, your new plants have already had a head start.
Whether you are planning a privacy screen, adding a shade tree, refreshing a foundation garden, or filling a few empty spaces with hardy perennials, early fall is a wonderful time to get growing.
Why fall is such a great time to plant
Fall offers a combination that new plants love: warm soil and cooler air.
During the summer, plants lose moisture quickly through their leaves. Hot temperatures, bright sun, and dry conditions can make newly planted trees and shrubs work hard to stay hydrated. In fall, cooler temperatures reduce that stress, while the ground often remains warm enough for roots to continue growing.
That means your plants can spend less energy supporting top growth and more energy settling into their new home.
Fall planting benefits include:
- Warm soil encourages root development
- Cooler air reduces transplant stress
- Lower evaporation means less water loss
- Fall rain can help maintain soil moisture
- Roots have time to establish before the ground freezes
- Established plants are ready to grow when spring begins
Many hardy trees and shrubs continue developing roots well into the fall, as long as the soil remains workable. In Southwestern Ontario, early September through October is often an excellent planting window. Hardy perennials can also settle in beautifully during late summer and early fall.
For the best results, aim to plant several weeks before the ground regularly freezes. If the soil is still workable and your chosen plant is hardy for our region, it may not be too late to plant even later in the season. But earlier is generally better for evergreens and less-hardy selections.
Don't forget the vegetable garden
Trees, shrubs, and perennials aren't the only things that can still go in the ground. Elgin County's growing season has more room left in it than most people think, and a handful of fast-maturing, cold-tolerant vegetables can still be sown from seed right through late summer and into early September.
Our average first frost lands in the mid-to-late October range, though it shifts a bit from year to year, so it's worth keeping an eye on the forecast as the season goes on rather than relying on a single date. As a rule of thumb, count backward from your expected frost date using the days-to-maturity on the seed packet, and give yourself a little extra cushion.
Good candidates for a fall sowing right now include:
- Radishes - one of the fastest crops you can grow, often ready in 30–40 days
- Arugula - quick and peppery, ready in about 35 days and thrives in cool weather
- Lettuce and mesclun mixes - around 50 days, and fall lettuce tends to hold better without bolting the way spring and summer plantings can
- Spinach - another 50-day crop that actually prefers the cooler temperatures fall brings
- Beets, carrots, and turnips - root vegetables in the 65-day range; sow these earliest among the group to give them enough runway
- Kale - best started as transplants this time of year, and it genuinely improves in flavour after a light frost
If you're sowing directly into garden beds, aim to get quick greens and radishes in over the next couple of weeks for the best shot at a full harvest before the ground gets too cold to work. Root vegetables need a bit more lead time, so those are worth prioritizing first if you haven't started yet.
And keep your row cover or frost blanket close. It will help extend your produce season too.