Autumn begins a second growing season here. It's a bonus for gardeners, perhaps consolation for the torturous summer.

As the weather cools down, it's time to plant salad greens like lettuce, kale and spinach; cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and similar vegetables as well.

It's also time to put in root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and radishes.

Some of the things planted at this time can be harvested as they mature, and the heat loving plants of summer will be ready as well.

Most of the harvest from things planted at this time will occur in the spring as you make room for your spring planting.

Reduce watering from a summer schedule. Hopefully early in the season you refreshed your garden beds with organic matter. Makes a difference!

Autumn is great to plant cool season vegetables, and to coax a few more tomatoes out of the plants that survived summer.  Garlic, peas, and Artichokes thrive when planted in October. 

Hopefully the heat of summer is gone, and even better, the soil is cooler.  Check the U of A garden calendar and you will see a great variety of plants that can be started.  This is also an ideal time to plant citrus trees.  There are many choices that do well in the Phoenix area.