Planning A Fall Vegetable Garden

In many ways, planning a fall vegetable garden can be the most exciting garden planning of the year. For me, in Zone 7, it is a hefty chance to right the wrongs of the summer garden. Plants with harvest times in the 30-90 day range are perfect for the fall garden. Lower temperatures and an abundance of rain boost your crop production and help you reach those sustainable food production goals.

Planning a fall vegetable garden is a great way to extend your growing season and enjoy fresh produce well into cooler months. Just like any time of year it takes the right preparation and plant selection. And with a little planning you can have a productive garden during the fall.

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. 

Determine Your Frost Date and Growing Zone

• Frost Date: Knowing your area’s first expected frost date is crucial for planning a fall vegetable garden. Most fall crops need to be planted early enough to mature and be harvested before the frost sets in. If they have a longer growing season they need to be frost-tolerant. The Farmers Almanac has a fair track record on predicting the first frost.
• USDA Growing Zone: Find your USDA Hardiness Zone, which gives you a better understanding of what crops grow well in your area during cooler weather. You can check your zone here.
• Zone 7 (me): Because I’ve been gardening a long time, I know that my first frost date is going to be mid-October. I consider this a warning frost. It is rarely heavy enough to kill anything, even tomatoes. From experience, I know that D-date is going to be sometime in mid December. For hearty, cold tolerant crops like cabbage, kale, brussels, and onions, I count back from December to determine when I need to plant. If you are nervous, count back from your first frost date. I also utilize a number of different tools like low tunnels and a high tunnel to mitigate cold weather.

Choose Fall-Friendly Crops

You have started planning a fall vegetable garden by checking your Zone and first frost date. Now is the exciting part, choosing your crops. At this stage, I am always going for production. This is the last chance to fill my pantry and freezer so I go all out on the best and most prolific, varieties. Many vegetables thrive in the cooler temperatures of fall. Select crops that have shorter growing periods and are more tolerant of cold weather:

• Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, arugula, lettuce, and mustard greens grow well in cool weather and can handle light frost.
• Root Vegetables: Beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, parsnips, and onions. These vegetables grow well in the fall, and many even become sweeter after a light frost. I generally have onions last throughout the entire winter, going dormant from December-April and then regaining growth in the Spring.
• Brassicas: Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are great for cooler temperatures and can withstand light to moderate frosts.
• Legumes: Peas grow well in cooler temperatures and can be planted for a fall harvest. With temperatures on the rise these days, I plan my peas for cooler temps and forgo them in the Spring all together.
• Garlic: Garlic is usually planted in the fall for a summer harvest. You can certainly plant it in the Spring too, but I have more space in my fall garden for garlic and always plant in October.

Check Planting Times

Each vegetable has its own days-to-maturity (the time it takes from planting to harvest). Check seed packets or planting guides to determine how many days each crop takes to mature. This is crucial in planning a fall vegetable garden because some plants can be damaged by heavy frosts.

• Count backwards from your average first frost date to figure out when you need to plant each crop.
• For example, if your first frost date is October 27 and your vegetable takes 60 days to mature, plant it by mid to late August.

Prepare Your Soil

Healthy soil is essential for a successful fall garden:

• Clear Out Summer Plants: Remove any old summer crops, weeds, and debris from your garden to give fall plants space to grow.
• Add Compost or Fertilizer: Amend the soil with fresh compost or organic matter to replenish nutrients that may have been used up by summer crops. This will help fall vegetables thrive.
• Loosen the Soil: Loosen the soil with a broadfork to improve drainage and allow roots to grow deeply. Fall crops prefer well-drained soil. I do not ever recommend tilling.

Consider Planting Methods

When you are planning your fall vegetable garden, consider the various planting methods that can maximize your fall garden’s productivity:

• Succession Planting: As summer crops finish, plant fall vegetables in their place. For example, when beans or cucumbers are done, you can plant spinach or kale in the same spot. If I have the ability, I like to let the soil rest, and the microbes break down the soil in between planting.
• Interplanting: Plant fast-growing crops (like radishes or spinach) alongside slower-growing ones (like cabbage or broccoli) to make the most of your space.
• Container Gardening: If space is limited, grow fall crops in containers. Containers can be moved to warmer spots if needed or covered by low tunnels.

Start Seeds Indoors (If Necessary)

Some fall crops may need a head start indoors if your growing season is short. I generally start everything in seed trays in order to maintain tight control of watering and possible soil born illness. I use a greenhouse but if I’m planning a fall vegetable garden in the summer, I find it best to start my seeds in trays, on top of tables (or the ground is is fine too, outdoors). If you are starting seeds in trays, outdoors, you do not need to harden off seedlings (below).

• Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Cabbage: These crops often benefit from being started indoors 4-6 weeks before being transplanted into the garden.
• Harden Off Seedlings: Gradually expose your indoor seedlings to outdoor conditions before transplanting to prevent shock.

Provide Protection for Young Plants

Fall gardens can face sudden temperature drops, especially early in the season. When you are planning a fall vegetable garden, taking the eventual cold-snap into consideration can help make your garden more successful.

• Row Covers/Low Tunnels: Use row covers or low tunnels, or fabric to protect seedlings from light frost or cooler nighttime temperatures.
• Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around plants to insulate the soil and help retain moisture as temperatures drop. My best advice: Mulch, mulch, mulch all the time. Soil, by nature, wants to be covered. Uncovered, it will grow weeds, heavily, in an attempt to cover itself. Mulch can be made of a number of different materials, wood mulch chips, straw, leaf mulch, or composted grass clippings (not my favorite).
• Cold Frames: Consider using cold frames or mini-greenhouses to extend the growing season, especially if frost arrives earlier than expected. Cold frames are a really pretty way to cover raised beds. If you aren’t able to afford cold frames, the low tunnels I mentioned above are very affordable.

Watering in Cooler Weather

While cooler temperatures mean less evaporation, it’s still important to maintain proper moisture levels for your fall crops:

• Water Early in the Day: Water in the morning to give plants time to absorb moisture before the cooler night sets in.
• Avoid Overwatering: Check the soil before watering to ensure it’s not overly saturated, as cooler weather reduces the need for frequent watering.
• Amount of Water Fall Vegetables Need: When planning a fall vegetable garden, remember that vegetables need about an inch of water per week to produce sufficiently. This is the same throughout all of the seasons. What’s different in the colder months is the amount of evaporation that occurs throughout the day. In the Spring and Summer when the air is warm (warm air holds more moisture), evaporation will occur rapidly. In Fall and Winter when the air is cool, evaporation will occur slowly. This means that the plants still need the same amount of watering, but the frequency will change. I would plan to water once a week on average, and make sure to get a rain gauge so that you aren’t overwatering or wasting your water resources.

Monitor and Manage Pests

Fall gardens may face fewer pest problems than summer gardens, but those pesky squash bugs will probably still be around.

• Aphids, Cabbage Worms, and Slugs: Common fall pests that can damage leafy greens and brassicas.
• Natural Pest Control: Use companion planting, hand-picking pests, or introducing beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings to keep pests at bay. Handpicking Cabbage Worms is extremely effective, and little helpers make efficient work. Once we pick them off, I usually feed them to my chickens for a little extra protein.

Plan for a Continuous Harvest Or Harvest All at once

When you are planning a fall vegetable garden, consider whether you want to harvest continuously throughout the season or all at once.

• Quick Growing Crops: Radishes, lettuce, and spinach can be harvested early and replanted for successive crops.
• Harvest All At Once: This method has it’s pro’s and con’s. On one hand, harvesting all at once allows your to get a head start on preserving your harvest whether by canning, freezing, or dehydrating. If you don’t need to preserve your food supply, harvesting a little bit here and there, as needed is perfect.
• Cold Tolerance: Kale, Brussels sprouts, and leeks are particularly frost-tolerant and can continue growing into winter. Be sure to plant these crops in a location that gets the most sun throughout the short days, or they will survive but go dormant.

Harvesting Your Fall Garden

Be mindful of the harvest times:

• Leafy Greens: Harvest as soon as leaves are large enough to eat. Cut and come again methods can be used for greens like kale and Swiss chard, allowing continuous production.
• Root Vegetables: Harvest root crops like carrots, turnips, and beets when they reach their desired size all at once. Alternatively, leave them in the ground and mulch over them to protect them from frost. Keeping them in the garden or “overwintering”, can save you some space in your refrigerator as well. They will stay happy and healthy in the ground and you can pick as needed.

Extend the Season

With a little planning, you can extend your growing season even further:

• Cold Frames and Greenhouses: Use cold frames, hoop houses, or a greenhouse to protect fall crops from frost and keep growing well into winter.
• Row Covers/ Low Tunnels: Lightweight row covers can protect crops from frost while still allowing light and water to penetrate.
• High Tunnels: A high tunnel, like a greenhouse can be used to protect crops from the beginning and offer continual protection throughout the season. While I have a greenhouse, I added a 10′ x 20′ high tunnel on my property this year for added growing power.

Conclusion

Planning a fall vegetable garden is exciting but requires timing, proper crop selection, and soil preparation. By focusing on cool-weather crops, protecting young plants from frost, and using season-extending techniques, you will be harvesting produce well into the winter creating a sustainable, low cost, source of food. If you want to know more about Preserving Food at home, you can find more posts on the Preserving The Harvest page.