Now
29°C · Overcast
Today
29° / 15°
Soil 6 cm
23°C
First frost
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Gardening in Cleveland
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyCleveland Garden: Early September—Extend Fall, Plant Spring Bulbs
Zone 7a with 68 days until first frost (Nov 15). Soil at 23°C (73°F) is warm enough for cool-season crops and bulb establishment. You're in the sweet spot: too early for hard frost, but daylight is shortening fast. Plant spring bulbs now so they root before winter dormancy.
Sow outdoors now
Spinach (Bloomsdale, Space, Tyee)
Direct seed now; germinates in 23°C soil, matures in 40–50 days before hard frost. Succession-sow every 10 days through mid-September for continuous harvest.
Kale (Lacinato, Winterbor)
Sow direct or transplant seedlings; improves in flavor after light frost. Needs 50–60 days; sow by Sept 15 to mature before Nov 15.
Arugula (Roquette, Astro)
Fast grower (30–40 days), tolerates cool nights. Sow now and again in early October for fall and early-winter harvest.
Radish (Cherry Belle, Watermelon)
Matures in 25–30 days; sow now for late-September harvest before soil cools further.
Mâche (Corn Salad)
Cold-hardy green, germinates slowly in warm soil but thrives as temps drop. Sow now for October–November harvest and winter survival.
Start indoors now
Brassica seedlings (Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower)
Start indoors now for transplant in 3–4 weeks; needs 60–80 days to maturity, so timing is tight but doable. Aim for transplant by early October.
Onion sets or seedlings (Walla Walla, Egyptian Walking)
Start from seed indoors for spring planting, or buy sets now to plant directly for overwintering. Sets planted now establish roots before hard freeze.
Garlic cloves (German Extra Hardy, Music)
Plant individual cloves directly outdoors in 2–3 weeks (late September) for spring harvest, but start planning beds now. Needs 4–6 weeks root growth before hard freeze.
Harvest now
Tomatoes (all types)
Pick all remaining fruit—green or ripe—before first frost. Ripen indoors on a sunny windowsill or in a paper bag with an apple.
Peppers (Bell, Hot)
Harvest mature peppers now; frost will kill plants. Green peppers ripen indoors slowly but will color if stored at 20–21°C (68–70°F).
Beans, Squash, Cucumber
Pick all edible fruit; vines will decline as nights cool. Leave no fruit on plants to encourage final flushes.
Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Parsley)
Harvest heavily or dig basil plants to pot indoors before frost. Cilantro and parsley tolerate light frost but cut now for peak flavor.
Tasks this week
- Plant spring bulbs (tulips, daffodils, crocus, alliums) 10–15 cm (4–6 in) deep in well-draining soil; soil temp is still warm enough for root establishment.
- Deadhead spent flowers on perennials to redirect energy to roots; cut back ornamental grasses only after frost.
- Divide and transplant spring-blooming perennials (daylilies, hostas, coneflowers) while soil is still warm and moisture is available.
- Sow cover crops (winter rye, hairy vetch, clover) in empty beds to prevent erosion and add nitrogen; they'll establish before frost.
- Clean up fallen fruit and debris to reduce pest and disease overwintering sites; do not compost diseased material.
Watch out for
- Rain expected Sept 9 (21.6 mm)—water-log sensitive crops like garlic and onions if drainage is poor; ensure beds slope away.
- Squash bugs, spider mites, and Japanese beetles are still active; inspect undersides of leaves and remove pests by hand or spray neem oil at dusk.
- Early blight on tomatoes accelerates in cool, wet conditions; remove lower leaves and improve air circulation before rain.
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