🍂 Fall 2026 — Zone 5a Planting Guide
Here's everything you can plant during Fall 2026 in USDA Zone 5a. With a last frost around April 25 and first frost around October 8, you have a 166-day growing season to work with.
There are 65 planting activities across September, October, November.
Harvest This Fall
| Plant | Type | When | Days to Maturity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acorn Squash | Vegetable | 80–100 | |
| Alpine Strawberries | Fruit | 90–180 | |
| Amaranth | Vegetable | 90–120 | |
| Anise | Herb | 90–120 | |
| Basil | Herb | 50–75 | |
| Bee Balm | Herb | 90–120 | |
| Belgian Endive | Vegetable | 110–150 | |
| Black Beans | Vegetable | 90–120 | |
| Brussels Sprouts | Vegetable | 90–130 | |
| Butternut Squash | Vegetable | 85–110 | |
| Calabash | Vegetable | 80–120 | |
| Catnip | Herb | 60–80 | |
| Celeriac | Vegetable | 100–120 | |
| Celery | Vegetable | 80–120 | |
| Chives | Herb | 60–90 | |
| Christmas Lima Beans | Vegetable | 80–100 | |
| Comfrey | Herb | 60–90 | |
| Crosne | Vegetable | 150–200 | |
| Cumin | Herb | 100–120 | |
| Delicata Squash | Vegetable | 80–100 | |
| Echinacea | Herb | 120–180 | |
| Eggplant | Vegetable | 65–85 | |
| Feverfew | Herb | 90–120 | |
| Garlic Chives | Herb | 60–90 | |
| Ground Cherry | Fruit | 65–80 | |
| Honeydew | Fruit | 80–110 | |
| Horehound | Herb | 75–90 | |
| Horseradish | Vegetable | 120–180 | |
| Hot Peppers | Vegetable | 70–120 | |
| Hubbard Squash | Vegetable | 100–120 | |
| Hyssop | Herb | 70–90 | |
| Kabocha | Vegetable | 85–100 | |
| Kidney Beans | Vegetable | 85–110 | |
| Lavender | Herb | 90–200 | |
| Leeks | Vegetable | 90–150 | |
| Lemon Thyme | Herb | 70–90 | |
| Lovage | Herb | 70–90 | |
| Melon | Vegetable | 70–100 | |
| Mint | Herb | 60–90 | |
| Onion | Vegetable | 90–120 | |
| Oregano | Herb | 60–90 | |
| Parsnip | Vegetable | 100–130 | |
| Peppers | Vegetable | 60–90 | |
| Potatoes | Vegetable | 70–120 | |
| Pumpkin | Vegetable | 85–120 | |
| Rue | Herb | 70–90 | |
| Sage | Herb | 75–90 | |
| Salsify | Vegetable | 100–130 | |
| Shallot | Vegetable | 90–120 | |
| Soybeans | Vegetable | 80–120 | |
| Spaghetti Squash | Vegetable | 85–100 | |
| Squash (Winter) | Vegetable | 80–120 | |
| Strawberries | Fruit | 90–365 | |
| Sunchoke | Vegetable | 110–150 | |
| Sunflower | Vegetable | 70–100 | |
| Sweet Potatoes | Vegetable | 90–120 | |
| Tarragon | Herb | 60–90 | |
| Thai Basil | Herb | 50–75 | |
| Thyme | Herb | 70–90 | |
| Tomatillo | Vegetable | 60–85 | |
| Tomatoes | Vegetable | 60–85 | |
| Valerian | Herb | 120–180 | |
| Watermelon | Vegetable | 70–100 | |
| Winter Melon | Vegetable | 90–120 | |
| Yarrow | Herb | 90–120 |
Your Zone 5a Garden Planner — Free
A 24-page printable planner tailored to Zone 5a. Planting dates, monthly task lists, harvest log, seed inventory, and succession charts — everything you need to plan a full season.