Home gardeners who assume the growing season has ended with the arrival of autumn may be overlooking two productive options. A farm manager at the University of Maryland points to Swiss chard and garlic as particularly sound selections for fall cultivation, according to reporting published by NPR on September 27, 2026.
The guidance carries practical weight for local residents who maintain backyard plots, community garden beds, or container plantings. Fall planting allows growers to extend their harvest into the cooler months and, in the case of garlic, to prepare for a crop that matures the following season.
Swiss chard, a leafy green known for its tolerance of temperature swings, offers a dependable source of fresh produce when many summer crops have finished. Garlic, meanwhile, is typically planted in the fall so that bulbs can establish roots before winter dormancy.
The segment featuring the University of Maryland farm manager aired on September 27, 2026, at 5:14 PM ET. NPR notes that it does not offer or accept money for coverage or interviews, and that anyone making such an offer or request is not an NPR employee and does not represent the organization.
For local gardeners weighing whether to invest time in a fall plot, the takeaway is straightforward: the planting season has not closed. With the right crop choices, the coming weeks remain a viable window for putting seeds and starts into the ground.
