Fall gardening in Georgia brings unique opportunities and challenges. As temperatures cool and days shorten, what you choose to plant now will shape your garden’s success months from now.
Making smart planting choices during autumn can save Georgia gardeners time, money, and frustration when spring arrives.
1. Warm-Season Vegetables Like Tomatoes
Tomato plants simply can’t handle Georgia’s fall temperatures. Once nighttime readings dip below 50°F, these summer favorites start struggling and eventually die with the first frost.
Many eager gardeners waste good plants hoping for a late harvest, but you’re better off removing spent tomato plants and preparing that space for cool-season crops instead. Save your tomato dreams for next spring when conditions will support proper growth.
2. Tender Perennial Herbs Like Basil
Basil absolutely hates cold weather. The first light frost will turn those fragrant leaves black overnight, ending your herb harvest abruptly.
Rather than fighting nature’s timeline, harvest your existing basil before temperatures drop and preserve it by drying or freezing. Georgia gardeners can switch to cold-tolerant herbs like rosemary or thyme for fall planting success.
3. Summer-Flowering Bulbs
Gladiolus, dahlias, and caladiums need months of warm weather to develop properly. Planting these summer-flowering bulbs in fall means they’ll rot in Georgia’s cool, moist winter soil before they ever get a chance to grow.
Fall is actually when you should be digging up these tender bulbs for winter storage, not putting them in the ground. Save these beauties for spring planting when soil temperatures consistently stay above 60°F.
4. Tropical Plants and Palms
Palm trees and tropical beauties need time to establish strong root systems before facing winter’s challenges. Fall-planted tropicals rarely develop enough roots to survive their first Georgia winter.
The combination of cooling soil and shorter days signals these plants to slow growth just when they need to be establishing themselves. Wait until late spring after the last frost date when these sun-lovers can focus energy on root development instead of just surviving.
5. Warm-Season Grasses
Bermuda, zoysia, and centipede grass seed need soil temperatures above 65°F for proper germination. Fall planting in Georgia means throwing away good money as seeds sit dormant or rot in cooling soil.
These grasses establish best when planted in late spring through early summer. For fall lawn projects, consider overseeding with temporary ryegrass instead, which thrives in cooler weather while your permanent lawn goes dormant.
6. Heat-Loving Annual Flowers
Zinnias, marigolds, and petunias thrive in Georgia’s summer heat but turn to mush when temperatures drop. Planting these in fall wastes both money and garden space.
Even if these flowers survive a few weeks, they’ll never reach their full blooming potential before frost hits. Direct your flower budget toward cool-season bloomers like pansies and snapdragons that actually prefer Georgia’s mild winters.
7. Most Varieties of Bamboo
Bamboo needs a full growing season to establish before facing winter challenges. Fall-planted bamboo in Georgia often suffers significant dieback or complete failure during winter months.
The plant’s energy gets diverted to survival rather than establishing a strong root system. If you’re determined to add bamboo to your landscape, wait until spring when it can put down roots during the long growing season ahead.
8. Citrus Trees
Young citrus trees lack the hardiness to survive a Georgia winter when planted in fall. Their tender stems and leaves easily succumb to frost damage before they’ve had time to acclimate.
Even cold-hardy varieties like kumquats and satsumas need to be well-established before facing winter challenges. For success with citrus, plant in early spring after the danger of frost has passed, giving trees a full growing season to prepare for their first winter.
9. Tender Succulents
Echeverias, aloes, and other soft succulents can’t handle Georgia’s wet fall and winter conditions. Their tissues absorb excess moisture and then rupture when temperatures drop below freezing.
These plants evolved for dry conditions with minimal temperature fluctuations. Save your succulent collection for container gardening where you can move them indoors during cold months, or focus on hardy varieties like certain sedums and sempervivums that can withstand Georgia winters.
10. Warm-Season Vines
Morning glories, black-eyed Susan vines, and moonflowers hate Georgia’s cooling fall soil. They simply sit and sulk instead of climbing and spreading as they would in spring.
Fall-planted vines rarely establish enough roots to survive winter. Their growth remains stunted, making them susceptible to disease and cold damage. For vertical interest in fall gardens, try planting evergreen climbers like certain clematis varieties or Carolina jessamine instead.