Fall planting in cool areas is pretty much restricted to greens and root crops which can tolerate temperature down into the low 20's. The growth rate does slow down as daylenght decreases. Most of them have to be planted early enough in the summer that they are reaching maturity at first frost. Kale and collards tolerate the lowest temperatures. Parsnips, if grown by ground freeze will stand and can be dug during the late fall and winter when the ground is thawed enough. Turnips, mustards,cabbage etc will go down with the first hard freeze. In my climate these are early wintyer vegetables, but you will have to back up your planting to make they are grown before temps dip into the teens.

Last year I planted green beans and peas in August and they done awesome! I just loved to pick those beans when it was a nice cool 60. Its all about the soil temp. in the spring your fighting cool weather, in the fall the soil is already warm creating a quicker germ rate. I own a landscape business and do a lot of seeding. I always get better results in the fall than the spring. There are guidelines to what to plant certain times of year. In my area we have a horticulture college "Purdue University" They have last seed dates and what to plant when.

I will be planting more beans, peas, greens, lettuces,beets, broccoli,cauliflower and various root vegtables. I do have minihoops that I can put over my raised beds to extend the season. Look at your first frost date and count back from days to maturity on your seeds and that should tell you what you can plant. Keep in mind that some crops can also be harvested at the *baby stage* or earlier that full maturity. Some crops are just so much better in the cooler temps. Somtimes just a covering at night with plastic or a sheet can protect them enough to get through the last few days of maturity.

I felt silly asking but I do feel more "enlightened" and confident with three short answer. It's amazing when you try to educate yourself about fall planting but don't ever come across statements like "... I do a lot of seeding. I always get better results in the fall than the spring". Or "... The growth rate does slow down as daylenght decreases".

Well thank you all for answering!

I know i'm not anywhere near your cold climate, but I did go to a
fall planting class, and learned that the soil has to be warm enough to germinate the seeds, early enough to grow a plant!
I'm just guessing, but for you in zone 4, this means starting seeds whenever they will start! Possibly in the spring? Otherwise grow from starts?
I don't know how you guys get tomatoes and such with such short growing seasons!
I don't know! I'm in CA, and still can't grow some stuff!
Good luck and happy (brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr) winter!

If you like dill in some of your meals like I do, Fall is when I freeze much of that herb. By accident, some years back, I just let the dill plants that I planted in the Spring, grow until the seed tops go brown. I usually collected some in envelopes for the following season. Anyway, most of the seeds just dropped to the ground, and in a short time were growing very densely. So I just thinned to a couple inches apart, and let them grow. In a few weeks, I just went out with a scissors and sandwich bags, and filled quite a lot. They are growing so closely, and are about 6 or 7 inches high, you can grab a bunch and do like a haircut. In another two weeks they'll be ready again.

Excellent (on the dill)! I have to refresh one kind of dill that the BFs were on (they didn't seem to like the other kind, or maybe they got eaten before they had a chance to GET to the other kind...nuther story).
I'll plant another batch, and see if I can get some more cats in there.