What to plant this week in Madison, WI
Madison gardeners are racing against the clock this week as average first frost hits on Oct 15, meaning your last harvest window for warmth-loving crops is narrow. While soil temperatures have cooled enough to consider garlic planting in some spots, the immediate priority is harvesting your final crop of squash and beans before the ground freezes.
The next 7 days
Madison, WIGrowing in Madison right now
- Hailstorms are a common late-season risk in Dane County; cover tender melons and zucchini with floating row covers or bring them indoors immediately if thunder threatens.
- Madison's heavy clay-loam retains moisture well, so ensure you have drainage holes open on your raised beds before adding fall compost to prevent root rot during the wet October weekends.
- The transition from summer heat to crisp autumn air happens rapidly here; harden off any late-planted edibles like nasturtiums or marigolds by gradually reducing water over a week if keeping them in containers for winter display.
- Watch for early snow accumulation in low-lying areas of the city which can crush unprotected tall crops like sunflowers and pole beans before their final harvest.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
42 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Nasturtium
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Mulch around transplanted squash and melons to retain moisture as summer heat builds up.
- Succession sow pole beans or sweet corn every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout July.
- Pinch back tips on basil, celery, and marigolds to encourage bushier growth before the end of the season.
Pest & disease watch
- Late-season squash vine borers may still be active on zucchini and pumpkins, causing sudden wilting even as temperatures drop; check stems for frass immediately.
- Spider mites often surge in late September when humidity drops but plants are still stressed by heat; mist leaves early morning to deter them before frost.
- Root maggots can persist into October in the cool Madison soil, particularly around parsnips and carrots, so inspect root crops before digging.
Watering this week
Water deeply at soil level in the morning to keep roots cool and reduce evaporation during hot days.
Harvest zucchini and yellow summer squash early in the day when they are most tender and flavorful.
Madison gardening questions
3Can I plant garlic now for a fall harvest this year?
Garlic is typically planted in late October or early November here to establish roots over winter; planting it this week in Madison would be too early as the soil may freeze before cloves can root, though you can prepare your beds with compost.
Is now a good time to sow cosmos seeds directly outdoors?
While some warm-season Cosmos varieties are listed for harvest soon, sowing new seeds now is risky given the Oct 15 frost date; it is better to start them indoors in late September or wait until spring unless using very cold-tolerant winter-annual varieties.
How do I protect my container dahlias from the upcoming freeze?
Dig up your Dahlia tubers carefully before the first hard freeze, brush off excess soil, and cure them in a dry, frost-free location like an unheated garage for several weeks before storing in peat moss.
Other cities in zone 5b
8See the full zone 5b guide → · Plan your Madison garden in SproutGuide →