Fall Growing in

OHIO

THE BEST CROPS FOR a

Successful Fall Harvest

Boost Your Garden's Productivity with These Ideal Fall Crops for Ohio's Climate!

Tomato

How To Grow: To grow tomatoes in Ohio, follow these steps:

Choose the Right Varieties: Select tomato varieties that are well-suited to Ohio's climate. Consider both determinate (bush) and indeterminate (vining) types. Varieties like "Early Girl," "Celebrity," and "Roma" are popular choices.
Start Indoors: Since Ohio's growing season is relatively short, start tomato seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost date. This allows the plants to establish before being transplanted outside.
Transplanting: After the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up, transplant the tomato seedlings outdoors. Space them about 18-36 inches apart in rows that are 3-4 feet apart.
Soil Preparation: Choose a well-draining soil with good fertility. Work compost or well-rotted manure into the soil before planting to improve its structure and nutrient content.
Planting Depth: When transplanting, bury the tomato seedlings deep in the soil, up to their first set of true leaves. This encourages the development of a strong root system.
Support: Provide support for indeterminate tomato varieties by using stakes, cages, or trellises. This prevents the plants from sprawling on the ground and helps the fruit stay off the soil.
Sunlight: Tomatoes thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Watering: Water the plants consistently and evenly. Avoid overhead watering to prevent diseases. Water at the base of the plant to keep the leaves dry.
Mulching: Apply mulch around the plants to help retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and control weeds.
Fertilization: Tomatoes are heavy feeders. Incorporate balanced fertilizer into the soil before planting and consider side-dressing with additional fertilizer during the growing season.
Pruning: Remove suckers (small shoots that develop in the leaf axils) from indeterminate tomato plants to focus energy on fruit production. Pruning can help improve air circulation and reduce disease risk.

Eggplant

How To Grow:To grow eggplants in Ohio, follow these steps:

Choose the Right Varieties: Select eggplant varieties that are suitable for Ohio's climate. Varieties like "Black Beauty," "Ichiban," and "Long Purple" are commonly grown in the region.
Start Indoors: Since eggplants are sensitive to cold temperatures, start seeds indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last expected frost date. Transplant the seedlings outdoors once the danger of frost has passed.
Transplanting: Choose a sunny location with well-draining soil. Space the eggplant seedlings about 18 to 24 inches apart in rows that are 2 to 3 feet apart.
Soil Preparation: Eggplants prefer fertile, well-draining soil. Work compost or well-rotted manure into the soil before planting to improve its texture and nutrient content.
Planting Depth: Plant the eggplant seedlings at the same depth they were growing in their containers. Water the plants well after transplanting.
Sunlight: Eggplants require full sun, ideally receiving at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid overwatering. Water at the base of the plants to prevent water from touching the leaves, which can lead to fungal diseases.
Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the plants to help retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and control weeds.
Fertilization: Incorporate compost or balanced fertilizer into the soil before planting. Side-dress with additional fertilizer during the growing season if needed.
Support: Some eggplant varieties can benefit from staking or caging to prevent the heavy fruits from touching the ground.

Onions

How To Grow: To grow onions in Ohio, follow these steps:

Select the Right Varieties: Choose onion varieties that are well-suited to Ohio's climate. Varieties like "Yellow Sweet Spanish," "Red Burgundy," and "White Lisbon" are commonly grown.
Planting Time: Onions can be grown from seeds, sets (small onion bulbs), or transplants. Plant onion sets or transplants in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. If you're starting from seeds, you can start them indoors 8-10 weeks before the last expected frost date.
Soil Preparation: Choose a well-draining soil with good fertility. Work compost into the soil to improve its structure and nutrient content.
Spacing: Space onion sets or transplants about 4-6 inches apart in rows that are 12-18 inches apart. If you're growing onions from seeds, thin the seedlings to a similar spacing once they reach a few inches tall.
Sunlight: Onions require full sun to grow properly. Aim for at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Onions have shallow roots, so regular watering is important, especially during dry periods.
Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the onions to help retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and control weeds.
Fertilization: Incorporate balanced fertilizer or compost into the soil before planting. Onions don't require heavy feeding, but a light side-dressing of fertilizer during the growing season can be beneficial.
Thinning: If you're growing onions from seeds, thin them to the desired spacing once they're established. Thinning allows the remaining onions to develop fully.

Spinach

How To Grow: To grow spinach in Ohio, follow these steps:

Select the Right Varieties: Choose spinach varieties that are well-suited to Ohio's climate. Varieties like "Bloomsdale," "Tyee," and "Space" are commonly grown.
Planting Time: Spinach is a cool-season crop that thrives in cooler temperatures. Plant spinach seeds directly in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring. You can also plant a fall crop by sowing seeds again in late summer.
Soil Preparation: Choose a well-draining soil with good fertility. Work compost or well-rotted manure into the soil before planting to improve its texture and nutrient content.
Planting Depth: Sow spinach seeds about 1/2 inch deep and space them according to the variety. For baby leaf spinach, you can plant seeds closer together. For mature leaves, space the seeds about 2-4 inches apart.
Sunlight: Spinach prefers cooler temperatures and can tolerate some shade. It will grow best in partial shade to full sun.
Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist. Avoid overwatering, which can lead to diseases. Water at the base of the plants to keep the leaves dry.
Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the spinach plants to help retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and control weeds.
Fertilization: Incorporate compost or balanced fertilizer into the soil before planting. Spinach doesn't require heavy feeding, but a light side-dressing of fertilizer during the growing season can be beneficial.
Succession Planting: To ensure a continuous supply of spinach, consider planting new seeds every few weeks. As the weather warms, spinach tends to bolt (go to seed), so succession planting helps maintain a steady harvest.