Once you finish your summer harvest, it may seem like the garden is done for the season. Don’t stop! Many people mistakenly think the arrival of fall means you have to stop growing. Really, it is the perfect “second spring.” As summer temperatures prepare to cool, you can plant another round of cool-season vegetables and quick-to-mature annual flowers. Many of the most successful fall-planted vegetables are root veggies that can also be stored well into the winter months. Nothing beats a fall stew made with fresh vegetables from the garden. Not a fan of freezing vegetables? Try your hand at a fermentation garden. Cool-season crops like cabbage and carrots can be used for homemade fermented vegetable mixes with ease.

Best Fall Garden Vegetables

Root vegetables like carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips are some of the best for fall gardens. They can tolerate cool temperatures up to your first frost date. Some even sweeten with a light frost. Take advantage of the entire growing season for your biggest harvest yet. In addition to root vegetables, leafy greens are perfect for a complete fall-planted garden. Many are quick to mature within 1-2 months and perform better with the cooling temperatures. Don’t forget to pair your vegetables and leafy greens with an assortment of herbs. I suggest growing your herbs in containers that can also be brought indoors to be added as a perfect flare to your holiday cooking.

14 Variety Fall & Winter Vegetable Collection

A full collection of seeds for fall sowing. Each variety will mature in time for a late fall to winter harvest. Hand-picked by our friend Rick with Stoney Acres Gardening. A simple cold frame or hoop house can extend your harvest into the winter months. Includes: Beet, Carrot, Kale, Leaf Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Corn Salad (Mache), Mustard, Turnip, Cabbage, Pak Choi, and Romaine Lettuce.

Growing Flowers In The Fall

Several different types of flowers can be grown during the fall season. Quick-to-maturate annuals are the easiest for quick color. Look for flowers that mature in approximately 60-90 days or less. The fall season is also the perfect time to plan ahead and sow fall bulbs that will produce spring color. Popular blooms, including Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Bearded Irises, Peonies, Calla Lilies, Anemones, Crocus, and Alliums, are all great for fall sowing. These flowers usually signal the arrival of spring and require little effort or care.

Other fall bulbs include Easter Lilies and Amaryllis, which are perfect for growing indoors for holiday blooms. Besides bulbs, you can get a jump start on your spring garden by sowing wildflower seeds. It is best to sow them after your first frost but before the ground freezes. These seeds will stay dormant until the weather naturally warms in the spring. Melting snow and spring showers will naturally signal the seeds to begin germination. Plus, the natural cold period often aids in the germination of wildflower seeds.

Late Summer - Fall Planted Flowers

Some of our favorite fall-sown flower seeds include sunflowers, marigolds, hardy perennials, and sunflowers. Fall isn’t just for bulbs. Take advantage of the comfortable and cool fall evenings in your garden. To get ahead of the game with spring blooms, consider growing a wildflower mix. Wildflowers are some of the best for supporting pollinator populations and standing up to tough summer temperatures.