Many gardeners pack it in after the tomatoes fade, and that is a shame. The cool half of the year grows some of the best vegetables, and a few of them taste sweeter after a frost.
Why cool-season crops are easier
Fewer pests, less watering, and no bolting in the heat. Once established, fall crops largely take care of themselves while you do less work.
What to plant for fall
Start these in late summer, while the soil is still warm enough to germinate seed but the harvest will land in cool weather:
- Kale, collards, and Swiss chard
- Broccoli and Brussels sprouts
- Carrots and beets
- Spinach and mache
Frost is a feature, not a bug
Cold weather converts starches to sugars in many crops. Carrots, kale, and parsnips all turn noticeably sweeter after a hard frost. Leave them in the ground and harvest as needed.
Extend the season with simple cover
A layer of row cover or a cold frame can buy you weeks of extra growth. Even an old bedsheet thrown over the bed on a frosty night protects tender greens.
- Mulch root crops heavily to harvest into winter
- Cover greens before the first hard freeze
- Vent any cover on sunny days so plants do not cook
Plan it in summer
The one catch is timing: fall gardens are planted in summer heat, which feels counterintuitive. Mark a reminder for mid-to-late summer so the window does not slip past while you are busy harvesting tomatoes.