Plant fall vegetables now so that you can enjoy fresh and tasty vegetable dishes before the real weather hits. Nobody enjoys a cold winter where they can’t prepare hearty lentils and vegetable soups or stews. We encourage you to eat more plant-based food but to do that you need to have the proper advice. Get planting now before it’s too late. What’s more organic than home-grown vegetables?
We often get side-tracked by the fact that the air is getting cooler and the vegetable gardens are looking sadder. Don’t let this put you off. Just because it’s not all sunshine and beach parties, doesn’t mean you should give up home-grown veggies. What do you do on those really freezing evenings when you need a hot chickpea and vegetable curry? We’ve been so busy doing our summer harvesting picking, tomatoes, zucchinis, and basil that we’ve forgotten about all the other plants we can plant and eat later on.
Better yet, if your gardening during summer doesn’t go according to plan, then think of me telling you to ‘plant fall vegetables’ as a second chance. More importantly, the chill in the air doesn’t mean abandoning the beautiful gardens you’ve created. It just means some extra dedication, time, and innovation. Yes, it can be trickier to get things growing when the crisp air of fall sets in. However, that’s why I am sharing some of the many vegetables you can plant now that’ll thrive.
You will just need to be a little more diligent about taking care of your veggies and patient too.
Plant Fall Vegetables Despite The Chill
Another thing to consider when you plant fall vegetables is light exposure. Photosynthesis will be slower because plants receive less daylight the further we head into fall. However, in most temperate growing zones, crops you plant during the fall are most likely ready for harvest in September and October. Apparently, in very mild climates like the Pacific Northwest, many fall crops can survive through the winter.
What does this mean? Well, anything you do decide to plant during the fall will require a lot of tender love and care in the gloomiest months of the year.
This means that the earlier you plant fall vegetables the better. Don’t waste another moment. The very first suggestion is to start early. I do hope this article reaches you in time because most people only start thinking about growing fall vegetables when it’s far too late. If you want to create a successful and healthy garden harvest then you need to start many of your late-season crops at the peak of summer.
What does this mean? Well, we’re just in time! August is the prime time for you to plant fall vegetables because there is still enough heat to provide optimal growing conditions. You will get some fast-growing fall crops like lettuce and radishes that can be planted during late September, but many desirable fall crops like broccoli and carrots need several months of prime-growing conditions to mature before frost and low light levels set in.
Therefore, you are safer starting the process earlier rather than later.
What Vegetables Should You Plant During Fall?
Plant fall vegetables that guarantee you a successful harvest. Don’t fool yourself by trying to plant any old thing and then expect glorious growth.
1. Baby Spinach
The best thing about planting baby spinach is that it doesn’t require much space. You don’t need a massive fancy garden. Your balcony garden or kitchen window container will do just perfectly. 1 Million Women recommends Giant Noble baby spinach because of its thick and juicy leaves.
2. Snow Peas
Plant fall snow peas. They’re really simple to grow because they’re quite resilient and have very tasty yellow pods that you can snack on raw.
3. Radishes
It’s been said that these are the quickest and easiest vegetables to plant during the fall. They grow almost hassle-free, and it’s highly satisfying to pull them out of the soil after only six weeks. Expert gardeners recommend trying French Heirloom or Cherry Belle (Champion).
4. Garlic
Although it might be a little late to start planting garlic now, it is a fantastic option. You might get lucky if you plant it now. I hear that March is the optimal time to start planting these. You never know!
5. Pak Choi
If you’re into Asian food, then lucky for you, Asian plants and greens grow fantastically during the fall. For something a bit different, try growing one of the purple varieties and enjoy some Asian-style cuisine.
6. Kale
I think it’s pretty clear that kale is a powerful vegetable, and luckily we can grow copious amounts of it during the fall. Plant fall vegetables that you are staples of and nothing will ever go to waste. It’s also fantastic as a repeat harvest vegetable. You should give Nero Di Toscana, Siberian, and Borecole Red kale a try.
7. Broccoli and Cauliflower
I can’t survive without these two vegetables. They’re extremely satisfying when you prepare them with your meals and are super healthy for us all. There’s also quite a bit of diversity within the broccoli and cauliflower family. You can even grow your very own purple cauliflower. Now that’s something you won’t be able to find easily at your local fresh supermarket.
Plant fall broccoli and cauliflower and watch the buds develop quicker than you can imagine.
8. Beetroot
This beautifully red fall vegetable also grows well as a baby vegetable, baby green, or microgreens.
10. Carrots
You can never go a winter without carrots. They’re very versatile and amazing to add to soups, curries, and stews. If you have a balcony garden try growing some baby carrots in a container. Just remember to thin them out early on.
11. Onions
Just a tip. Next time you want to cook onions, try slicing them up and roasting them on a tray with some of your other veggies. Trust me, there’s nothing better than crispy, roasted onions!
Don’t stress if you don’t have a big garden either. You can plant fall shallots which are a great addition to your balcony garden. In fact, you can even often plant some together then plant others in mixed plantings. If you are feeling adventurous try growing some Egyptian walking onions.
12. Strawberries
Why not plant fall berries too? Strawberries and blueberries are also fantastic options.
Plant Fall Vegetables Knowing the Time Period
It helps to know the amount of time it will take for each vegetable you plant to reach the harvesting size.
The lifespan of the crop is usually defined by the phrase ‘days to maturity’ which will be listed on the seed package or plant tag. Days to maturity do vary a bit due to environmental conditions, but these numbers should be fairly accurate.
However, on the whole, you should plan your planting so that the crops have time to reach maturity before the first frost.
Plant Fall Vegetables, They Last Longer
Now obviously the weather is cooler during fall, which means crops are able to hold longer in the garden once they reach maturity. Crops like broccoli, cabbage, and kale can live for months in the garden after they reach maturity. Better yet, even fast-growing crops like spinach, cilantro, and lettuce will hold their quality for much longer when planted for the fall harvest. If you plan properly, you may be able to harvest from the garden all through the cold season and into the early spring.
There you have it. Now you know what kinds of vegetables you can plant during the fall and that you’ll have fresher vegetables to harvest during fall. Sometimes cooler conditions are an added benefit. So let’s plant fall vegetables and enjoy more organic plant-based meals.
Want to know more?
Children born into today’s world are automatically exposed to a ton of worldwide problems. We often forget to think about how this is affecting them and what it must feel like to be born into a world like this.
