The Best Fall Vegetables to Plant in Your Garden This Autumn

As the leaves begin to change, so too do the plants that you can grow in your garden. Gone are the days of summer-loving tomatoes and bell peppers — it’s time to cultivate some cooler fall vegetables.

Finding plants that thrive in chillier weather will keep your garden productive, even as the temperatures drop and the days get shorter. Although many of these crops will be ready for harvest before the weather gets too frigid, some are tough enough to continue to grow throughout the winter.

Here are 6 delicious and nutritious vegetables to plant in your garden this fall!

Cruciferous Fall Vegetables to Crunch On

A tasty addition to any meal, cruciferous veggies infuse your breakfast, lunch, and dinner with rich vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, their high-fiber, low-calorie composition will leave you feeling satisfied without overeating.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are hearty and delicious. Roasting them along with something sweet as well as something savory will yield a mouth-watering side dish.

In order to produce the best Brussels sprouts, try to get them in the ground 6 to 10 weeks before your first frost. With plenty of sunlight and consistent watering, you’ll have ripe sprouts in about 1 to 2 months!

Broccoli

This tree-like crop is one of the most nutritious fall vegetables, and it’s ridiculously easy to prepare. You can throw it on a baking sheet and roast it with other veggies, you can steam it — self-venting microwave broccoli is great during the week — or you could add it to a pasta dish.

Aim to plant broccoli about 12 weeks ahead of the first frost. If you still have fairly warm weather in the early fall, it may be a good idea to start your broccoli inside and then move it to your garden when the weather cools.

Tough & Tasty Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are an easy way to add a variety of nutrients to virtually any meal or snack. They’re also relatively easy to grow, so if you prefer low-maintenance fall vegetables, leafy greens are for you.

Spinach

By far, spinach has to be one of the most versatile fall vegetables out there. A few leaves can instantly upgrade your sandwich, omelet, or smoothie. Its dark leaves will give a boost of vitamin A to whatever it’s paired with.

For some top-tier spinach, try to plant it about 8 weeks before the first fall frost. Make sure it has plenty of sunlight, and you’ll have a bountiful harvest of spinach in roughly 8 to 10 weeks!

Kale

A nutrient-rich superfood, kale thrives in the cool weather. In fact, it’s the lower temperatures that bring out this leafy green’s sweet and nutty flavors.

Similar to other greens, look to plant kale around 6 to 8 weeks prior to the first expected frost. With kale, keeping it cool is vital because it won’t grow in warmer weather. Mulch can keep the soil cool as well as stave off weeds — it’s definitely a win-win.

Fall Root Vegetables to Furnish Your Garden

Root vegetables make it simple and delicious to improve your meals with added nutrients. They’re also rich in powerful antioxidants while staying low in calories.

Radishes

Whether you pickle them, drop some onto a taco, or just eat them raw, radishes are a nutritious, crunchy veggie that will spice up any dish. The possibilities are endless!

Radishes are unique in that they can be planted later than other fall vegetables. Planting radishes within 4 to 6 weeks of the first frost will still give you a wholesome harvest — as long as you water them evenly and consistently.

Beets

Robust and nutrient-dense veggies, beets can be sliced thinly and tossed into a salad, roasted in the oven, and anything in between. Beets are also rich in nitric oxide, which has been shown to fight inflammation, manage blood pressure, and even boost athletic performance.

Aim to get your beets in the ground about 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost. As long as they get water and sunlight, they’ll be ready to harvest in about 6 to 8 weeks. Furthermore, beets are very low-maintenance — they’re rarely affected by pests and don’t require any pruning.

Which Vegetables Will You Plant this Fall?

There are so many great fall vegetables to cultivate in your garden. In fact, there are so many out there that it can be hard to pick just a few.

Choose plants that grow well together and you can minimize any veggie-induced headaches down the line. As a result, you can focus on having fun and eating tasty homegrown food. Happy gardening!

To learn more about green thumbs and green living, follow us on social media!