To Pull or Not to Pull: Fall Garden Decisions
To Pull or Not to Pull: That is the question we debate with our Fall Gardens.
Late Summer harvest of tomatoes and basil on the edge of a raised bed from farm management with From the Ground Up. Photo by Laura Bassett
Knowing when to pull up your summer crops is crucial for a smooth transition into fall gardening. Most summer vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers, and squash, will start to slow down as temperatures drop and daylight decreases. But if you’re like me it’s hard to rip out that tomato plant that you spent all year growing and still has some green tomatoes on it waiting to ripen.
The general rule of thumb is to pull up summer crops once they’ve given their final harvest. For our area, we’re both blessed and cursed with a long growing season. What I’ve noticed is our first hard frost usually comes in November. This means, if you really want a solid fall/winter garden, you can pull your vegetables earlier, say in September or October. Allowing time for your fall crops to establish themselves before the weather changes. Additionally, early removal ensures your soil is prepared and has ample nutrients for the next round of planting.
Lettuce from fall vegetable garden. Photo by Laura Bassett
Pros of Pulling Your Summer Garden Early:
Extended Growing Season for Fall Crops: Pulling your summer garden early gives your fall/winter crops a longer growing period. For instance, vegetables like broccoli, kale, and carrots benefit from the cooler temperatures but need time to establish before the frost.
Healthier Soil: Early removal lets you refresh your soil with compost and organic matter, which can improve the health of your fall garden. Summer crops often deplete essential nutrients, so giving the soil time to rest and rejuvenate ensures a healthier growing environment for the next season.
Reduced Risk of Disease and Pests: Allowing dying summer crops to linger increases the chance of spreading diseases and pests that may affect fall crops. Early removal helps keep your garden beds clean and reduces the risk of infestations.
Better Organization for Crop Rotation: If you practice crop rotation, pulling up your summer crops early can give you a head start on planning the next year’s garden layout, ensuring you’re not repeating crops in the same space.
Lettuce in vegetable garden grown for clients by From the Ground Up. Photo by Laura Bassett
Tomato plant with a lot of dead leaves at the end of the season. Photo by Laura Bassett
Broccoli plant started late summer and producing mid winter. Photo by Laura Bassett
Cons of Pulling Your Summer Garden Early:
Loss of Late Harvest: Some summer crops, like tomatoes or peppers, can continue producing into the fall, especially in warmer climates. Pulling them too early means you might miss out on a late-season harvest that could continue for several more weeks.
Shorter Growing Season for Winter Crops: If you're planning on growing a cover crop or letting your garden rest for the winter, pulling your summer crops early may cut into the ideal growing time for cover crops, which often thrive with less competition later in the season.
Labor and Time Investment: Clearing the garden early requires more immediate work, including harvesting, soil preparation, and composting. This could be an intensive process if you’re managing a large garden.
Climate Considerations: In areas where fall temperatures remain warm longer, pulling crops early might not be necessary. If your garden could sustain another few weeks of production, removing them prematurely may result in missed opportunities.
Brazilian Starfish Pepper growing late summer. Photo by Laura Bassett
Late November Chili Harvest, Aji Crystal, Brazilian Starfish, Chile d’Arbol, Diablo and Jalapeño. Photo by Laura Bassett
Buena mulata chili pepper. Photo by Laura Bassett
What’s Best for Your Garden?
Ultimately, deciding whether to pull your summer garden early or let it linger comes down to your goals. What do you enjoy eating fresh from the garden? How much space do you have? This will all help to determine your own decision here.
I have done both options and my choice this year is to keep the summer crops as long as possible. I really enjoy growing hot chili peppers. They are just now starting to ripen so I want them to stay in as long as possible. On the other hand, my mother loves kale and lettuce so she’s going to be switching over to that soon.
No matter when you decide to clear your garden, ensure you remove any diseased plants immediately to prevent issues with your fall crops. After clearing, prepare the soil by adding compost and other organic matter to replenish nutrients depleted during the summer
Question of the Week: What plant do you have the hardest time pulling out at the end of the season?
Kale in the winter with frost on the leaf. Photo by Laura Bassett
