Fall is almost here and I’ve begun planning my fall vegetable garden! It can be difficult to decide what kinds of fall gardening seeds to use, especially if you live in an especially cold area. You don’t want the weather to kill your seeds before you have a chance to actually enjoy them! Over the next six or so weeks, really start to think about your fall vegetable garden, and if you’re stuck, plant one of these fall gardening seeds:
Beets
For a fall crop, plant beets now, about 10-12 weeks before the first frost. Seeds should be kept moist, so many gardeners recommend covering your seeds with a 1/2 inch layer of mulch. For best-tasting vegetables, soil should be extremely moist. Dry soil will result in cracked, dry vegetable. Grow seeds 12” apart.
Broccoli
Plant Broccoli 85-100 days before the first frost of your region in small holes that are only a half inch deep. Plants should be spaced a minimum of 12 inches apart and like to be watered frequently for best-tasting veggies. Harvest the veggies before the blooms flower, about 100 days after the seeds have been sown. However, Broccoli seeds for a fall harvest can be sown much later than my previously mentioned deadline; Broccoli can grow as long as soil temps stay above 40 degrees.
Green Onions
Green onions can be harvested in as little as 4 weeks after sowing seeds. Additionally, they can survive throughout the winter if you would like to keep a continuous harvest. Plant green onions in the middle of September for a mid-October, early November harvest. Remember to keep onions moist and watch out for signs of overdrying!
Lettuce
Lettuce is actually a vegetable that prefers cooler temperatures of 45-65 degrees. Many varieties are ready for harvest in only 45 days, so you can squeeze in a quick crop for Fall as soon as mid-September hits. You’ll taste the home-grown difference!
Collard Greens
Plant Collard Greens about 6-8 weeks before the first frost in your area, they’ll be ready to eat in only 65 days time. Collards should be watered thoroughly, especially if the heat your area is lingering, Collards will not grow well otherwise. Seeds should be spaced around 18-24 inches apart from each other.
Turnips
As soon as you have harvested your other crops like corn, squash, or beans, you can go ahead and plant your turnip seeds. They do best in areas of full sun, and shouldn’t be covered with more than a half inch of soil when sowing. Turnips need a simple inch of water per week and can be harvested 5 weeks after sowing. Just in time for a Fall soup!
Peas
Peas are a gardeners favorite…in both spring and fall! Seeds will germinate in conditions up to 50 degrees, and only take 75 days to begin producing veggies. If planted as soon as soil temperatures cool to 75 degrees, you could have fresh crops of beans up until Thanksgiving!
Parsnips
If you like Parnsips, you’ll want to get them in the ground as soon as your soil hits 75 degrees. They take a while to grow, but they are totally worth the wait. When planting, soil should be well worked and rock free. These are a root vegetable, so make it easy for them to grow! They are ready for harvest in around 100 days..but they can survive and thrive in-ground throughout the winter if your conditions allow for it.
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