Early to late summer is the best time to plant crops for a fall garden.
While you’re excited to get those tomatoes, zucchini and beans in the ground, early to late summer is also the perfect time to get your crops sown for a fall harvest. Some fall harvest crops grow quickly and don’t need to be sown until closer to the end of summer once the weather begins to cool. Many however take 80-100 days and need to be planted early to mid-summer for a fall harvest.
What are the best Crops to Plant for a Fall Garden? In this post I’ve listed the crops, let you know when to plant them and made notes of certain varieties ( * indicate better cold tolerance).
Most of these fall and winter crops can handle light frosts (and even taste better!)
Crops to Plant for a Fall Garden
Here are the crops to plant in your fall and winter garden.
Crops to sow early summer that take 90-120 days
- Parsnips
- Celeriac
- Winter Cabbage (January King*, Kalibos, Danish Ballhead, Deadon*)
- Carrots (some varieties take 90 days like Autumn King*, may take less)
- Leeks (some varieties take less)
- Brussel Sprouts
- Winter Squash & Pumpkins (learn how to harvest & cure)
- Rutabaga
Crops that take 60-80 days before harvesting
- Beets (Cylindra, Golden, Winterkeeper Lutz*)
- Turnips (Milan, Purple Top*, Navet)
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower (Purple Cape*, Galleon*, most varieties don’t tolerate frosts).
- Fall Cabbage
- Carrots (Napoli*)
- Radicchio
- Endive
- Winter radishes* (Green Luobo, Black Spanish, Watermelon, China Rose, Daikon)
- Kale
- Collards
- Peas
- Kohl Rabi
- Swiss Chard
- Scallions
Crops that grow fast & are sown towards the end of summer
(that take 30-50 days)
- Fall radishes
- Spinach
- Arugula
- Meslcun greens
- Lettuce (Winter Density*)
- Mache
- Mustards
- Pac Choi
Conclusion
While most people focus their garden efforts for summer harvesting extending the season into the fall and even the winter months is a great way to increase the yields from your garden.
Learn more about fall & winter gardening
- Grow 365 Days a Year
- How to Plant your Fall & Winter Garden
- Crops that can Handle Frosts and Snow
- Growing food year-round in a greenhouse
- Unheated Winter Greenhouse Growing
My name is Isis Loran, creator of the Family Food Garden. I’ve been gardening for over 10 years now and push the limits of our zone 5 climates. I love growing heirlooms & experimenting with hundreds of varieties, season extending, crunchy homesteading and permaculture.
Thanks for a great article. I found it very helpful as a reminder I needed to start seeding soon!!!
You’re welcome!
This was an excellent reminder article as I often forget to plant Parsnips (among others) until it’s too late. So, thanks for writing it.
I’m in Zone 8b (NW AZ at an elevation of 3750′) and can grow many Fall and Winter crops outdoors year round with only occasional covering of my low hoop houses to prevent frost/freeze damage. Therefore I’d add bush type beans to your 60-80 day maturity list and I’ve had really good crops of Pole Beans that were planted around 8/15. Of course it stays pretty warm here through Sept and Oct so even cucumbers do well when planted that late. We often have tomatoes producing into late November in spite of our average first frost date being November 15.
Great article. Just what needed to read to keep me motivated. I always love reading how other people are supplying their family with good produce in the fall season.
Thank you Patricia!