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How to Start a Fall Vegetable Garden

Check out these gardening tips to get your Fall vegetable garden started in time for the autumn.

© sarsmis | Dollar Photo Club

Fall is coming up, and for many people that means the end of gardening.

Don’t let the cooler weather make you think you can’t grow some wonderful vegetables during the fall though! One of my favourite things to do is harvest fall vegetables to make delicious soups like this Spicy Barley and Vegetable Soup.

Check out these gardening tips to get your fall vegetable garden started in time for the autumn. 

Plan it out

Just like with any garden, you should plan it before you do it.

Where will it go? What will go in it?

But remember, with Fall gardens you must plan the growing and harvesting in reverse to beat the frost.

Start by determining when the frost generally happens in your area. From there, go back however many weeks it will take you to plant, grow, and harvest the plants you want in your fall garden. 

Add about three extra weeks to that because fall plants tend to grow slower once the weather cools down. For most Fall plants, this means you need to start planting them during the late summer. 

 

Ready your space

If you already have a garden, harvest the crops and rip up the plants that are falling back because of the weather.

You need the space for your new plants and you can’t have them shoved in the same space.

If you choose a different space for your Fall garden, pull any weeds in the space and till the ground.

Lay down compost for a day or two, then till again before planting. This will infuse the ground with nutrients and ensures proper moisture retention.

 

Plant seeds

Planting vegetable seeds is the cheapest way to go as many places put their seeds on sale in the later growing seasons.

Start them in smaller containers for best results, like old tin cans or potting pods, and then transplant them in the ground.

Be sure to space plants as instructed for best growth results. 

 

Planting established plants

If you are planting established plants, follow all instructions for planting.

Wet the ground before placing the plants in, then after they’re in.

Note that all plants that are newly planted will wilt and droop a bit at first. This is normal, and doesn’t mean you need to water or feed them more. Overdoing that can kill them.

 

Care for the plants

Water and feed them properly, prune them as instructed, and keep an eye out for critters that will want to eat them.

If frost comes earlier than expected, be sure to cover them to protect them from the cold.

 

Fall garden plants

These are some of the best plants for a Fall garden. 
 
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Lettuce
Radish
Lettuce

 

These survive frost well, but you should still take precautions to protect them from the cold. 

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Kale
Lettuce
Turnips
Leeks
Beets
Collards
Kohlrabi
Rutabagas
Brussels sprouts

 What is your favourite Fall Vegetable?

 

Sunil Sharma

Sunday 8th of October 2017

Hi, fantastic article, I have a small terrace garden. This is the very favorable weather for most vegetables, which you have shared in your article, the Fall Gardening Tips is definitely worthwhile. Thank you.

Worx Aerocart

Thursday 15th of September 2016

We love fresh vegetables from our garden, in all season, that`s why I don`t stop in the fall, I keep harvest in the winter too. I love the way carrots grow in winter, they are more soft, but broccoli is definitely my favorites one. Have a great day!

mrdisco

Tuesday 8th of September 2015

nothing like home grown fresh vegetables

mrdisco

Wednesday 2nd of September 2015

this is a really great idea!

Stephanie LaPlante

Monday 31st of August 2015

Broccoli is definitely my favorite fall vegetable.