How to Plant a Fall Vegetable Garden
Plan early., Research when to expect your first frost., Choose cool-weather vegetables., Determine how much time each one needs to grow., Plan a calendar around your frost date.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Plan early.
Keep in mind that the “fall” in “fall vegetables” usually refers to when they are harvested, not planted.
Expect most of these veggies to require planting between the middle and end of summer in order to grow to full maturity before winter.Give your garden the best chance at success by forming a plan well before then.
Two exceptions to the rule are onions and garlic.
These are planted shortly after the summer months and then grow over the winter for a spring or summer harvest. -
Step 2: Research when to expect your first frost.
Expect your garden to stop growing once nighttime temperatures fall below freezing.
Find out when your area typically experiences its first frost of the season.
Gain a firmer idea of how long your growing season will last.Helpful resources include online almanacs, such as http://www.almanac.com/.
Additionally, you could ask staff at local co-ops, nurseries, and farmers markets. , Understand that some vegetables require more heat than others in order to grow into a healthy harvest.
Ensure your fall garden’s success by sticking to vegetables that thrive in cooler temperatures.
Pick crops that only require average daytime temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 29 degrees Celsius).Such crops include arugula, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mizuna, mustard, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, tatsoi, and turnips. , Expect some vegetables to take longer to mature than others.
Once you decide on which to grow, find out how long each one takes before they are ready to harvest.
Know which to plant right away so they have ample time, and which to delay so they don’t suffer from too much summer heat in the beginning.
From longest to shortest, the estimated number of days needed for each vegetable are:
Cabbage: 95 Brussels sprouts: 90 Broccoli and carrots: 80 Cauliflower and rutabagas: 75 Beets, kale, and kohlrabi: 60 Chard: 55 Lettuce and turnips: 50 Spinach, mizuna, and tatsoi: 45 Arugula and mustard greens: 40 Radishes: 30 , For each vegetable, choose a planting date that will allow enough time for it to grow before your first expected frost.
To play it safe, allow for the possibility of an early frost.
Add an extra week or two to each vegetable’s growing time just in case colder weather comes early this year.You can also use the frost date and growing times to determine which vegetables to grow.
For instance, if you want to grow as many veggies as you possibly can in a limited space, consider growing multiple harvests of crops that need less time, one after the other. -
Step 3: Choose cool-weather vegetables.
-
Step 4: Determine how much time each one needs to grow.
-
Step 5: Plan a calendar around your frost date.
Detailed Guide
Keep in mind that the “fall” in “fall vegetables” usually refers to when they are harvested, not planted.
Expect most of these veggies to require planting between the middle and end of summer in order to grow to full maturity before winter.Give your garden the best chance at success by forming a plan well before then.
Two exceptions to the rule are onions and garlic.
These are planted shortly after the summer months and then grow over the winter for a spring or summer harvest.
Expect your garden to stop growing once nighttime temperatures fall below freezing.
Find out when your area typically experiences its first frost of the season.
Gain a firmer idea of how long your growing season will last.Helpful resources include online almanacs, such as http://www.almanac.com/.
Additionally, you could ask staff at local co-ops, nurseries, and farmers markets. , Understand that some vegetables require more heat than others in order to grow into a healthy harvest.
Ensure your fall garden’s success by sticking to vegetables that thrive in cooler temperatures.
Pick crops that only require average daytime temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 29 degrees Celsius).Such crops include arugula, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mizuna, mustard, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, tatsoi, and turnips. , Expect some vegetables to take longer to mature than others.
Once you decide on which to grow, find out how long each one takes before they are ready to harvest.
Know which to plant right away so they have ample time, and which to delay so they don’t suffer from too much summer heat in the beginning.
From longest to shortest, the estimated number of days needed for each vegetable are:
Cabbage: 95 Brussels sprouts: 90 Broccoli and carrots: 80 Cauliflower and rutabagas: 75 Beets, kale, and kohlrabi: 60 Chard: 55 Lettuce and turnips: 50 Spinach, mizuna, and tatsoi: 45 Arugula and mustard greens: 40 Radishes: 30 , For each vegetable, choose a planting date that will allow enough time for it to grow before your first expected frost.
To play it safe, allow for the possibility of an early frost.
Add an extra week or two to each vegetable’s growing time just in case colder weather comes early this year.You can also use the frost date and growing times to determine which vegetables to grow.
For instance, if you want to grow as many veggies as you possibly can in a limited space, consider growing multiple harvests of crops that need less time, one after the other.
About the Author
Danielle Burns
Brings years of experience writing about pet care and related subjects.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: