Fall · September 8, 2026

Nashville, Tennessee

Central Hardwoods & Interior Plateaus·Hardiness zone 7b

Now

33°C · Clear

Today

34° / 23°

Soil 6 cm

28°C

First frost

~62 days (Nov 9)

Gardening in Nashville

AI field guide · refreshed weekly

Nashville Garden Guide: Early Fall Planting & Harvest — September 8–14

Zone 7b with first frost expected November 9 — you have 62 days to grow cool-season crops. Soil at 28°C (82°F) is still warm but dropping; perfect for fall seed germination. Spring frost (April 5) was 156 days ago, so summer crops are finishing. Overnight lows now dip into the high teens Celsius (mid-60s°F), signaling the transition.

Sow outdoors now

  • Lettuce & Arugula

    Direct-sow 'Buttercrunch', 'Oakleaf', or 'Roquette' now; they'll mature in 45–55 days before hard frost. Space 15 cm (6 in) apart in partial shade to slow bolting in residual heat.

  • Spinach

    Sow 'Space' or 'Bloomsdale' directly; germinates reliably in 28°C soil and tolerates light frosts. Thin to 10 cm (4 in) spacing.

  • Radishes

    Plant 'Cherry Belle' or 'French Breakfast' for a quick 25–30 day harvest before November. Succession-sow every 10 days through late September.

  • Kale & Collards

    Direct-sow 'Lacinato' kale or 'Georgia Southern' collards; they thrive in cool weather and sweeten after light frost. Thin to 30 cm (12 in).

  • Turnips & Rutabagas

    Sow 'Purple Top' turnips or 'Laurentian' rutabagas now for root and greens harvest; both tolerate hard frost and store well.

Start indoors now

  • Brassica Transplants

    Start 'Broccoli Raab', 'Calabrese', and 'Napa' cabbage indoors in seed trays; transplant out in 3–4 weeks (early October) for November harvest.

  • Onion Sets & Garlic

    Begin hardening off garlic cloves indoors in small pots; plant directly outdoors by late September for spring harvest. Onion sets go straight in the ground.

  • Asian Greens

    Start 'Mizuna', 'Tatsoi', and 'Bok Choy' in trays for transplanting in 2–3 weeks; they mature quickly in cool fall weather.

Harvest now

  • Tomatoes & Peppers

    Pick all remaining fruit before frost; green tomatoes ripen indoors in 2–3 weeks at room temperature. Peppers store 2–3 weeks in the crisper.

  • Beans & Summer Squash

    Final harvests this week as plants slow in cooling nights. Pick regularly to encourage last flushes.

  • Herbs

    Cut basil, cilantro, and parsley heavily before frost kills them; dry or freeze for winter use.

  • Eggplant

    Harvest all fruit; plants decline rapidly as temperatures drop below 20°C (68°F) at night.

Tasks this week

  • Clear spent summer crops and add debris to compost; this opens beds for fall plantings.
  • Water newly sown seeds daily until germination (3–5 days in warm soil); mulch lightly to retain moisture.
  • Stake or trellis transplanted brassicas to protect from wind (16–19 km/h forecast).
  • Scout for late-season pests: cabbage moths, spider mites, and Japanese beetles on remaining foliage.
  • Top-dress beds with compost or aged manure before planting; cool-season crops benefit from nitrogen boost.

Watch out for

  • Dry spell ahead: no rain forecast through September 13. Water deeply 2–3 times this week, especially newly seeded beds.
  • Warm days (up to 36°C / 97°F) with cool nights stress transplants; shade cloth helps for the first week.
  • Early frost risk is still 62 days away, but a surprise cold snap in late September can catch tender plants—monitor forecasts after September 20.

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