What to Plant Now for a Fall Vegetable Garden
Aug 15th 2024
Planting a fall vegetable garden is an excellent way to add a fresh, homegrown taste to your meals. Many vegetables thrive in the cooler fall temperatures, even though most gardeners only think of planting crops in the spring and summer. It is said that fall is the second spring, and crops usually perform better during this season due to cooler weather and warmer soil. In this growing season, you can grow various cool-season vegetables without worrying about pest and disease problems that come with summer. Also, seasonal rains reduce the plant's need for frequent watering.
Carrots, squash, cabbage, broccoli, beets, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and other cool-weather vegetables can be grown in the fall, but the perfect time to start sowing is late summer. Depending on your zone and the first frost date in your area, the plants will mature and begin producing fruit in September, October, and possibly November and December.
Here is the list of what to plant for your fall vegetable garden so you can pick and enjoy fresh veggies before the snow flies.
1. Squash
Growing Zones: 3 to 10
Plant Spacing: 4 to 6 inches apart in the mound
Days to Maturity: 60 to 110 days
Growing Requirements: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily, moisture-retentive soil
Squash is a popular and everyone's favorite fall vegetable that peaks from September through November, depending on your living zone. If you live in warmer climates like Florida or California, squash can be available all year round. Winter squashes are easy to store and maintain their vitamin content for several months when kept in cool temperatures. Some recommended squash varieties for fall garden are spaghetti, buttercup, acorn, Hubbard, and butternut squashes. No matter your climate, you can enjoy its nutritional benefits and varied flavors in all seasons.
Learn More: Zucchini and Squash Growing Guide
2. Carrots
Growing Zones: 3 to 9
Plant Spacing: 2-3 inches
Days to Maturity: 60 to 80 days
Growing Requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil
Carrots are an excellent and popular cool-weather crop that should be sown directly in the ground once the soil is workable. Planting carrots in raised beds is recommended to improve root structure and increase soil depth. The warmer soil and cooler temperatures in the fall promote carrot growth and enhance their sweetness. There are plenty of carrot varieties available to create a colorful fall garden. Carrots can withstand light to moderate frosts, so you don't need to worry about your crop reaching maturity before the first frost. In milder climates, carrot harvesting season usually goes from autumn to early January.
3. Beets
Growing Zones: 3 to 9
Plant Spacing: 30 cm
Days to Maturity: 55 to 70 days
Growing Requirements: At least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily, moist but well-draining soil
Beet is a versatile, easy-to-grow, cool-weather crop that provides delicious and nutritious produce. Beets are grown best from seed in cooler temperatures and can tolerate temperatures closer to freezing. Late summer to early fall is the ideal time to start succession planting beets at two-to three-week intervals. Beets can grow well in summer, but they become bitter and woody. Beetroot bulbs can handle slight frost and will continue to develop until a hard freeze. They generally reach maturity stage 7-8 weeks after being planted.
4. Beans
Growing Zones: 3 to 11
Plant Spacing: 10 to 15 cm
Days to Maturity: 45 to 60 days
Growing Requirements: Full sun, well-drained and loamy soil
Beans grow quickly and produce abundant harvests until the first frost. They are perfect for succession planting, which means planting at different intervals throughout the growing season. You can start beans in summer. Sow seeds outside directly in the soil. For growing pole beans, use a trellis for support. No support is required to grow bush varieties. The beans are sensitive to frost. So, if there's a threat of early frost, cover the crops with a protective covering. Bush beans are easier to grow than pole varieties. They grow quickly in mild, cooler weather and start producing in 45-60 days. Beans offer numerous nitrogen-boosting benefits, so plant them in areas were soil lacks nitrogen.
Read More: Fall Gardening Tips and Ideas for Your Home
5. Lettuce
Growing Zones: 2 to 11
Plant Spacing: 4-12 inches
Days to Maturity: 40 to 50 days
Sun Exposure: Full sun, well-drained and moist soil
Lettuce is another popular vegetable to plant in your fall garden. Many types of lettuce are available, so make sure to choose the one that can survive cold weather. Plant different types to enjoy a crisp and colorful combination of leafy greens in your salad. Planting and harvesting lettuce is an amazing experience because you can start picking leaves when they grow a little. Once mature, you can harvest them every one or two weeks. Some common types of lettuce that can handle cold weather are romaine, iceberg, endive, radicchio, and leaf lettuce. You can plant multiple lettuce successions throughout the season.
6. Kale
Growing Zones: 3 to 9
Plant Spacing: 12-24 inches
Days to Maturity: 40 to 65 days
Growing Requirements: Full sun, nutrient-rich soil
Kale is a nutrient-rich, easy-to-grow, and frost-tolerant autumn crop. Many varieties of kale are grown for their gorgeous ornamental leaves, which come in beautiful red, blue, pink, lavender, and white interiors. Consider growing Red Russian Heirloom kale for an excellent edible option, as it produces dense heads of soft and sweet oak leaf-cut leaves. Kale is used in many dishes, including soups, salads, and stir-fries. You can eat it raw, steamed, or sautéed. For a nutritious boost, add young kale leaves to green smoothies. Cover the kale crop with floating row covers to protect it from cold temperatures, and it will continue growing throughout the winter.
7. Broccoli
Growing Zones: 3 to 9
Plant Spacing: 18 to 24 inches
Days to Maturity: 50 to 60 days
Growing Requirements: Full sun, moist soil
Broccoli is another ideal fall crop that prefers cooler temperatures. This cool season veggie is packed with amazing flavor and nutrients. Roasted and charred broccoli is a staple of every fall dinner table. Its smokey taste goes well with lots of fall recipes. Grow broccoli in your autumn garden alongside cauliflower for a bright and colorful crop combination. This versatile vegetable will always add a unique flavor and texture to your dishes. Sow the broccoli seeds directly or transplant seedlings in the ground once they have a few true leaves. Keep an eye on small flower buds comprising the broccoli head as it grows. Pick the broccoli when these buds are firmly closed and green. If broccoli turns yellow, it means it is past its best and won't taste as good.
Read More: Fall Gardening for Beginners
8. Brussels Sprouts
Growing Zones: 2 to 11
Plant Spacing: 3 to 4 inches
Days to Maturity: 80 to 90 days
Growing Requirements: Full sun, well-drained loamy soil
Growing Brussels sprouts in your garden during the autumn and winter is a great idea because they are one of the hardiest and most frost-resistant vegetables that continue to grow as the temperature cools. Each plant can produce up to 100 sprouts in six to eight weeks, providing you with an abundant crop to enjoy all season long. You can enjoy their greatest flavor by roasting them till crispy, sautéing them with some bacon and garlic, or even adding them in a sweet and tangy sauce. There are numerous ways to prepare them so they will become one of your favorite fall and winter vegetables.
The Bottom Line
Planting all these vegetables will fill your table with an abundance of delicious homegrown goodness long after the heat of summer, add color to your fall garden, and extend the growing season. Fall is a perfect growing time for cool-season crops. These vegetables can tolerate cold weather, allowing you to continue growing throughout the autumn and winter. Start planning now and cultivate a variety of fall crops to enjoy fresh produce for longer and keep your vegetable garden going even in winter.
Visit our Garden Blog for more fall gardening tips and tricks!