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A well-planned fall vegetable garden can keep your season going well into the cooler months. Depending on your location and the tools you use, your garden could last right up through December!
The key to a successful fall garden is good planning. You need to know what to plant at what time and create open spaces for those veggies. We do this through succession planting. We plant crops that we know will be cleared out by mid-summer in specific sections. We can then re-plant those sections of our garden later in the summer for harvested veggies in the fall.
Vegetables you can plant for a fall harvest will have two important characteristics: a shorter growing cycle and short-day tolerance (in other words, they will grow in a shorter number of days and continue to grow as days get shorter).
Here’s what’s being planted this fall in the vegetable garden.
Beets
Now is a great time to sow beets directly into spaces vacated by early summer crops. Water well until the heat of summer subsides, and you’ll be harvesting beets from late fall onwards.
Broccoli
Start broccoli seeds in modules now, transplanting seedlings during fall while soil temperatures remain warm. This will allow the plants to become well established before winter, ready to produce a bountiful yield next spring.
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Cauliflower
Like broccoli, start cauliflower seeds in modules now and transplant the seedlings in the fall while the soil is still warm. This gives the plants time to establish themselves before winter arrives, ensuring they are ready to produce a plentiful harvest next spring.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are one of the few mid-winter vegetable crops. Aim to get seedlings planted out by mid-fall for a seasonal holiday harvest.
Cabbages
Cabbages are a great all-year-round crop. Start fast-growing varieties now for fall harvests and slower-growing cabbages that will be ready to pick in winter and early spring.
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Lettuce
Although we often think of lettuce as a summer salad crop, it is actually easier to grow in the cooler temperatures of fall. Seeds can be sown directly or started in modules for transplanting. In milder climates, lettuce can be harvested throughout winter.
Kale
Kale thrives in colder weather, producing a steady yield of nutritious green leaves throughout the winter. Start seeds in modules now and transplant seedlings into their final growing position once the first true leaves appear.
Peas
Peas are one of my favorite fall harvests, producing sweet, juicy pods packed with the taste of sunshine! Sow seeds in clumps of two or three in their final growing position, providing support such as canes or twigs for them to cling onto as they grow upward.
Radishes
If you get frustrated by radishes that bolt before they reach a decent size, try sowing a row or two now. The cooler night temperatures will encourage these fast-growing plants to produce a crisp, delicious bulb within just a few weeks, ideal for late summer salads.
Spinach
Direct-sown spinach will mature rapidly in the mild fall temperatures, quickly producing leafy greens for your dinner table.
Swiss Chard
Much like spinach, Swiss chard grows quickly when direct-sown in the mild fall temperatures, providing fresh leafy greens for your meals in no time. This frost-hardy vegetable can be harvested late into winter, making it a reliable addition to your garden.
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