7 Veggies You Must Grow in Your Fall Garden

Even though it just turned summer (officially), it is time to think about a fall garden! To have a great fall garden, you have to start planning right now. The first step is to think about vegetables for a fall garden. There are quite a few that grow well.

Before you make your selection, you have to think about what veggies your family eats the most. My family isn’t a huge fan of kale or mustard greens. I don’t plant much or any at all, but your family might LOVE them!

Another consideration is what veggies may have not done so well in your spring and summer garden. Many of those can grow again in the fall, giving you an extra chance to harvest more produce.

What to Plant in Your Fall Garden

The first question to think about is what vegetables do you want to plant. There are three types of crops you could plant.

• Veggies that you plant in mid-to-late summer that you will harvest before the killing frosts in fall and early winter. Options include peas, radishes, and broccoli.
  
• Veggies that you plant in late summer or fall to enjoy throughout the winter. Spinach and kale are great picks.
  
• Veggies that you plant in late summer or fall that remain in the ground throughout winter to harvest in early spring. You can late-sow lettuce, onions, and garlic!

7 Veggie Plants to Grow in Your Fall Garden

Most of these plants do very well, even if you experience a light frost. If you need to take extra precautions against frosting, I noted that for you.

1. Broccoli

While broccoli might need some precautions against frost, it is one of the top choices for a fall garden. It is important that you start broccoli seeds at the end of June, in preparation for a July/August planting.

2. Carrots

I might be biased, but I feel as if you can never have enough carrots. They freeze so well. We dice and flash freeze our carrots for easy soup making.

Most carrot varieties need 10 to 12 weeks to grow. Count back from your first frost date to discover when you need to sow the seeds for a fall harvest.

3. Brussel Sprouts

Many people think brussel sprouts are gross, but they couldn’t be further from wrong. When grown and cooked correctly, brussel sprouts are tender and delicious. It is one of our favorite veggies.

Like broccoli, you must start your brussel sprout seeds inside if you intend to have a fall harvest. You should count back 12 to 14 weeks from your first frost date to discover when to start the seeds.

4. Radishes

If you are a lover of radishes, you can grow them right into the fall. Depending on the variety you select, you may be able to grow them directly through the entire growing season. I sow a new planting of radishes each month because the variety I use matures in 18 to 20 days.

5. Lettuce

In the right conditions, you may be able to have a year-round supply of fresh lettuce. Lettuce is an ideal choice for a fall garden.

You should directly sow the lettuce 10 to 12 weeks before your first frost. You can also plan to sow lettuce 8 to 10 weeks and 6 to 8 weeks prior to the frost, ensuring you have a great supply leading up to cold weather.

6. Spinach

One of the best fall crops is spinach. All you need to do is directly sow it in the ground 8 to 10 weeks before your first frost. You could also start spinach inside a few weeks earlier. I tend to have better luck with spinach when I start it inside.

7. Peas

Typically, peas are planted two weeks prior to the last frost, during the spring. Peas also make a fantastic choice for a fall vegetable.

You will want to make sure it is an earlier variety. I pick an heirloom pea variety that produces within 60 days. Plant peas 10 to 12 weeks before the first hard frost.

Starting a Fall Garden

Fall gardening is a great way to extend your harvest, along with succession planting. While there are plenty of other choices for veggie crops, these seven are my absolute favorite. If this is your first time having a fall garden, you can guarantee success with these seven crops.

Do you have a favorite fall veggie for your garden? Let me know in the comments.