Fall is one of the most exciting gardening seasons—cooler weather, fewer pests, and the promise of fresh harvests long after summer has gone. But not every plant loves the shorter days and chilly nights. Some warm-season favorites simply won’t thrive once autumn rolls around. To save you time, space, and a little heartache, let’s talk about what not to plant in the fall.
The Gardenary Cool Season Garden Planner
The secret to cool season gardening is knowing your timing, picking the right crops, and staying consistent—this planner walks you through it, step by step.
At a Glance
- Tender herbs and greens: Skip basil (purple and green) and mizuna mustard greens, which quickly fade once cooler nights set in.
- Warm-season vegetables and fruits: Peppers, eggplant, okra, corn, watermelons, and cantaloupes all need long, hot days to flourish and won’t produce well in fall.
- Heat-loving legumes and flowers: Yard-long beans, sunflowers, cosmos, and coreopsis thrive in summer but struggle once temperatures drop.
Herbs to Skip
As much as we all adore basil, it is a true heat lover. Both purple and green basil thrive in long, hot, sunny days. Once nighttime temperatures dip below 55°F, basil begins to sulk and quickly loses its lush flavor and vigor. In fall, it’s best to let basil rest and turn your focus to cold-hardy herbs like parsley, cilantro, or chives instead.
Leafy Greens to Avoid
It may seem surprising, but not every green is cut out for cool weather. Mustard greens like Mizuna and Purple Mizuna are much happier in spring and summer. They grow fast in warmth, but cooler fall nights slow them down and can make their flavor turn too sharp. If you crave leafy greens in autumn, go for spinach, arugula, or lettuces that appreciate crisp days and cool nights.
Fruits to Hold Off On
Peppers of all kinds—bell, serrano, poblano, jalapeño, and shishito—along with eggplant, okra, corn, watermelon, and cantaloupe, are warm-season plants through and through. These crops need long stretches of hot, sunny days to mature and sweeten. In fall, the soil cools too quickly and daylight shortens too much to give them what they need. Instead of trying to coax fruit from summer stars, shift your attention to fall champions like broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes.
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Legumes That Won’t Work
Yard-long beans are an absolute joy in summer gardens, stretching vines and dangling pods like ornaments. But they do not tolerate cool weather. They’ll stop producing and struggle to grow once autumn arrives. Save your bean trellises for next summer and, in the meantime, consider planting peas, which thrive in crisp fall air.
Start Your Garden the Easy Way
Get growing with 10 foolproof seed varieties, a 120-page gardening guide, planting plans, and step-by-step video lessons—all designed to help you succeed. The Easy Garden Kit makes it simple, fun, and affordable to bring fresh food and flowers to your backyard.
Flowers to Leave for Warmer Days
Sunflowers, cosmos, and coreopsis bring such joy to summer gardens with their cheery blooms, but fall is not their time. These flowers depend on long days and steady warmth to grow strong and full. Planting them in fall usually means they will stall out or frost will claim them before they bloom. In autumn, turn instead to pansies, violas, calendula, or nasturtium for cool-season color.
The Bottom Line
Fall truly is a season of abundance—if you focus on crops that love cooler weather. By skipping warm and hot season plants, and choosing cool-season champions instead, you’ll set your garden up for success. The reward? Crisp harvests, resilient plants, and beauty that carries you right up to the first frost (at least), and if you want to keep growing even longer, check out my favorite frost-resistant crops for winter here.
Ready to fill your garden beds with the right crops this season? Check out my guides for inspiration:
More Resources for Fall Gardening
Watch our Free Fall Garden Workshop - Discover a simple 3-step system to plan, plant, and harvest the garden of your dreams.
Get the Cool Season Garden Planner - Perfect for fall gardeners in cooler climates, and a helpful guide to carry you right through winter if you’re in a warmer region.
Explore the Fall Planting & Growing Guide - Detailed planting, tending, and harvesting instructions for 25 fall crops, plus 11 ready-to-use planting plans to make your season a success.