In the article I wrote for last week's Growing Places I touched on fall gardening, but I didn't go into much detail. The temperatures are cooler, insect and disease pressure is lower and we usually get more rain in the fall. As a result, you won't have to spray, swat, or water as much. When you think about it, it's not all that hard to see why for many southerners, fall is the favorite season for vegetable gardening.
Truth be known, fall is a great time to garden, but remember that now is the time to get started.
It is hard to imagine, but before refrigeration and reliable shipping there was a time when people relied on fall gardens for survival. In today's world where fruits and vegetables are shipped all over the globe we sometimes loose our sense of season and seasonal produce. Whether you want to re-connect with the past, or simply want fresh produce throughout the year fall gardening is for you. However, if you are serious about maintaining a consistent supply of produce through the winter, it will probably be necessary to stagger plantings of vegetables on a 7 - 28 day schedule. UGA Extension Specialist and Vegetable Guru, Wayne McLaurin recommends using a shorter planting interval for early plantings.