If you’re looking for fall vegetables to plant in your fall vegetable garden we’ve got you covered. There are plenty of fall and winter vegetables that will provide you with homegrown vegetables long after the summer is over. You can find our full list of fall vegetables in the following article.
Fall Vegetables to Plant
Beets
Beets (Buy Seeds Online) can be planted 8 to 12 weeks before the first frost in your area for a fall harvest. You can start the seeds later in zones that tend to have mild winters. Beet seeds will sprout in 3 to 5 days and they prefer growing in cooler climates. They also have a better flavor when they are grown in cooler conditions, as long as you harvest them before they get larger than 2.5-inches
Broccoli
You can sow Broccoli (Buy Seeds Online) in late summer or early fall depending on the date of your first frost. Starting broccoli early will allow enough time for the plant to produce a large head, but even if you plant it a little late you’ll still get some tasty florets. Broccoli also becomes much sweeter after a light frost, so you’ll want to make sure to leave some broccoli plants out in your garden in the early part of the winter.
Brussels sprouts
You can start Brussels Sprouts (Buy Seeds Online) in the late summer or early fall to ensure you get sprouts before the end of the growing season. Brussels Sprouts seeds need slightly warmer soil temperatures to germinate (74-78 degrees), so you’ll want to sow the seeds before it gets too cold. Brussels Sprouts will also taste better after a light frost since the frost gives them a sweeter flavor.
Cabbage
Cabbage (Buy Seeds Online) can be sown in the garden in late summer or in early fall. The seeds will sprout in about six days, and they can tolerate germinating in cool soil. You’ll want to get a late-season variety that produces a small head to ensure you get a harvest before the end of the season. Cabbage plants aren’t as frost tolerant as other brassicas, but in warmer regions, they might overwinter.
Carrots
Carrots (Buy Seeds Online) are a classic fall crop that thrives in the cool fall season. You can sow carrots 8 to 10 weeks before the first frost, and make sure to plant lots of seeds since carrots are notorious for spotty germination. The cooler soil conditions in fall will also encourage the carrots to produce more sugar, which will give you some of the sweetest carrots you’ve ever tasted.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower (Buy Seeds Online) is a little more delicate than broccoli, but you can sow it in the late summer or early fall. If you have early frosts in your area then you’ll want to sow cauliflower in mid-august. Cauliflower heads are frost sensitive so you’ll want to make sure your harvest your crop before the first freeze in your area.
Chinese Cabbage
Chinese Cabbage (Buy Seeds Online) is a fast-growing leafy green that’s more resilient than regular cabbage. You can sow Chinese Cabbage eight-weeks before the first frost in your area. The loose leaves can be picked throughout the fall for a perpetual harvest. It’s also less susceptible to insect damage if you have problems with cabbage moths in your area.
Garlic
Garlic (Buy Cloves Online) is one of the few crops that you plant in fall for a summer harvest. It’s very easy to grow garlic since all you need to do is drop the cloves into the soil, and then they’ll pretty much take care of themselves. They are also very easy to harvest, and you can break off the tiny cloves and plant them to start your garlic patch anew each season.
Kale
Kale (Buy Seeds Online) is a hardy plant that thrives in a fall vegetable garden. You can plant kale in late summer or early fall. Some variates of kale will even survive light frosts, and after a freeze, the kale will taste less bitter. Kale also makes a lovely ornamental plant, and it can even overwinter in fall vegetable garden zone 8 conditions.
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi (Buy Seeds Online) is one of the more interesting looking plants you can grow in a fall vegetable garden. It’s actually related to cabbage and broccoli, but it’s grown for its bulbous stem instead of its leaves or florets. Kohlrabi is a fast grower and it can be sown one month before the first frost in your area. It’s even able to survive during the early parts of winter, and you can even “store” kohlrabi in your garden for an early winter harvest.
Lettuce
Lettuce (Buy Seeds Online) is well suited to a fall vegetable garden since it prefers to grow in cooler climatic conditions. You can plant lettuce 4 to 6 weeks before your first frost, and you can keep sowing lettuce every two weeks for a perpetual fall harvest. However, lettuce doesn’t have a high frost tolerance, so be sure to harvest it all before the winter.
Onions
Onions (Buy Online) are one of the few vegetables you plant in fall for a spring harvest. They are very easy to grow and they aren’t that picky about soil conditions. There are two different types of onions Long-Day and Short-Day, which need to be selected based on the length of your growing season. For more information, you can read about growing onions at this link.
Peas
Peas (Buy Seeds Online) can be planted in late summer or early fall in most areas. The seeds will germinate in about 10 to 14 days, but they can take longer to sprout in cooler conditions. Peas are perfect for gardens with limited space since you can grow them on a trellis. You can also grow snow peas that thrive in cooler climates, and they taste great raw, or when added to a stir fry recipe.
Radishes
Radishes (Buy Seeds Online) are one of the fastest-growing fall and winter vegetables. They reach full maturity and they are ready to harvest in about 30 days. You can even eat the greens before the plant fully matures, and they have a spicy flavor that adds a zing to any salad.
Spinach
Spinach (Buy Seeds Online) is a cool-weather crop that thrives in an autumn garden. The seeds germinate fast and they can handle cooler soil temperatures. You can start harvesting the leaves after a few weeks, but just make sure to harvest the older leaves first, and leave the younger leaves alone to prolong your harvest. Spinach can suffer frost damage, so be sure to harvest your crop before a hard frost, or you can cover spinach with a light row cover for frost protection.
Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard (Buy Seeds Online) is a beautiful plant that adds a touch of color to a fall garden.. You can sow Swiss Chard 8 to 10 weeks before the first frost, and it is very cold tolerant so it will overwinter in most areas. That means even if it dies back totally don’t count it out because it should spring back to life again next season.
Arugula
Arugula (Buy Seeds Online) is a leafy green that likes to grow in cool fall weather. The seeds are also very easy to germinate in lower temperature soil. You can expect arugula to emerge about a week after planting. Arugula can be harvested throughout the fall, and in some areas, it will survive into the early winter. Arugula can be used fresh or prepared, and it has a spicy flavor that really makes it stand out in salads.
