You're close to my zone so I'd be thinking of get some legumes like peas in the soil. They do wonderful things for the soil and starve some of the bad bugs below. Right now I've got major wireworm problem but will plant peas on top of the bed as soon as I get them. Other cold weather crops can grow in the fall as well such as broccoli, cauliflower etc.

Why clear it for grass seed? are you going to select another spot to grow? To me grass seed is a major attractant of wireworms, beetle larvae and other root eating pests. I don't even think I'll grow winter rye but instead just give the beds a rest and rotate legumes with beds that grew root crops. I should add I'm going to cheat with greenhouses and instead of planting grass in the spring I'll be trying to plant potatoes in late winter. Legumes are your friends.

I'll be seeding with grass because we'll be moving in the Spring. This was our first garden, and nothing is bordered or pretty, so a green lawn will be a more sellable trait for the home.

Thanks for the suggestions. I may just get started on those soon. Although, I don't know at what point the rest of the garden will be emptying out to make space for these fall crops. Anybody that might know that?

I guess I can go ahead and grow some seedlings elsewhere while I wait for everything else to finish up? But still, when do you zone 6ers empty out the summer crop? This newbie wants to know.

Depends on what you're moving out. Tomatoes and Peppers will stick until the killing frost which is long after it's too late for a cool weather crop.

I've got some corn growing with beans growing up it and pumpkins about and they're kind of in the way. I may still try to squeeze something in there. Things like potatoes are starting to clear out now.

Gardening is difficult without several beds to rotate things. I have several beds but am still out of sync. City gardening I think is very difficult beyond some tomatoes and peppers and give it a rest. I wont stop trying though.

I've got late corn growing right now and it needs nitrogen so I'll be planting beans again right next to them. I've got some late cucumbers in another bed with space in between so I'll be sneaking some cool weather crops in between. I'll find some more area for some other things. I understand the lawn thing but for me it's garden beds everywhere. I'll swing the mattock soon enough.

Most summer crops don't stop until they either disease and die, you kill them or the frost does.

Can you grow potatoes in the fall and winter? Could I get any harvest out of them?

Hopefully, I'll have several beds in the next place. Not so here, though. I wonder what else I'm missing. Peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onions. What else am I missing?

Beets, carrots, chard, mustard greens, lettuce.

Lettuces, turnips, beets, cauliflower, winter squash and greens like kale, mustard, collard, spinach are all on my list to try this year. Have fun and good luck. I hear fall gardens are easier than summer so I am looking forward to that.
luvncannin

Oooh! Luvncannin, I so hope you are right!

Would love to not do battle with the bugs this fall! Wouldn't that be great?

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll be planting some today.

With regard to your questions about when to pull out summer crops. My experience says that it is more important to think about when your fall crops MUSt be in the ground in order to produce. I am in zone 8, so that won't be alot of help to you, but I can say that I have pulled all my spring planted tomato plants and cucumbers this week. There were green tomatoes on the plants and some baby cucs still on the vines, however, I have learned that this is meaningless. The plants are spent. The tomato foliage is dying, the vines look old and spent. The tomatoes they are making will be few and inferior. The cucs are tired too. They are developing mildew and production has slowed dramatically. So I cut my losses and planted okra, cowpeas, and fall tomatoes. I started my fall/winter crops in 4" pots last week. They are germinating nicely and will be ready to start setting in the ground in September or October, depending on the crop. So, the point I am trying to make here is yes, your summer crops will hang on and produce a little, but if you wait too long, you won't have time for the fresh, highly productive crops you want for cool weather. Google "Planting Guide for (your state or region)". Then use it as a guide as to when your fall plants need to be planted. If summer stuff is in the way, pull it out.

I'm definitely not ready to pull things up yet. The cukes and squash are still raring to go, and I've yet to get a good harvest from the tomatoes. I've probably gotten 4 good, red tomatoes total all season from my 9 plants. The rest are just holding out on staying green. The melons haven't had a single ripe one, and the peppers are still hard at work. The winter squash is just finally growing baby squash, and I saw the first female flower on the pumpkin. So, no. Definitely not ready to fold yet. I did, however plant some seed in containers, and, since I don't know how long it will take, I'll make some room when they look like they'll be ready. This is definitely helping me realize that I need to plant much earlier if I want to get full use out of the soil before it's time to plant the fall veggies. Thanks!

Don't plan on garlic. Fall planted garlic won't be ready until next July.

Am I misunderstanding your intent? You mention that things need to be out of the ground by February. I am not aware of anything that can be harvested November through February where the ground freezes. If you were in the south that would be a different matter.

I think that what you harvest this fall (anything now growing, or new things like lettuce, peas, bok choi, spinach, beets, etc. that can still be planted for a fall harvest, as posted above) will be the last for you at this address.

wolverine, because I'm new at this, I wasn't really sure if there was anything at all that might survive through the winter. That's why I was asking for help and suggestions. Just seeded peas, carrots, onion, spinach, radish, and lots of lettuces, some in containers and some in a small lasagna bed I pieced together since the garden is so overrun right now. So here's to learning about fall gardens this year too.

Sconticut, thanks for the word on garlic. I didn't know that. We won't be growing it now until we move to the new place. Good call. Thanks!

We got lucky with our lettuce and spinach last fall. With the mild winter, both overwintered and came up early this spring. We had greens way before anyone else. I expect that we'll try that again this year. All we've got invested is a little seed.