By George Atchley and Lynsey Ruml

As summer turns to fall, time in the garden just keeps getting better in many parts of the United States. Depending on your USDA grow zone, there are several varieties that thrive during this time of year.

What to plant in a fall garden

Here are five varieties to try in your fall garden.

1. Root vegetables – Beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, rutabaga and turnips are all good choices for a fall garden. Tuberous vegetables prefer to mature in cool weather and even taste better after sugar-inducing frosts. Quick-maturing root vegetables like radishes continue to offer gratifying harvests after the garden slows down. 

2. Leafy greens – Lettuces, spinach, kale, Asian greens and Swiss chard can give a fall garden plenty of color. Colorful cultivars like Purple Lady bok choy, King Tut peas and pink minuza add beauty to the winter garden and dinner table! 

3. Alliums – Chives, garlic, leeks, onions and shallots are strong, savory vegetables that also help deter pests from your garden. Sowing and transplanting alliums in fall allows strong root systems to develop before the frost and short days inhibit growth. 

4. Peas – Garden peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas do well in many fall gardens. Provide a sturdy trellis for them to climb, and harvest often to encourage more pea production.

5. Brassicas – Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale and kohlrabi provide beautiful harvests. They also respond to cold temperatures by hoarding sugar in their leaves, which helps protect them from frostbite and results in tastier harvests as the temperatures drop.

In most areas of the country, fall temperatures make gardening a pleasant experience and now is a perfect time to germinate seeds and establish transplants into nutrient-rich soil!

Amend your soil for best results

Although cooler temperatures make fall gardening a pleasant experience for people, they also carry the risk of unexpected cold snaps and unpredictable rainfall. ClimateGard™ is developed specifically to help plants overcome these challenges and thrive despite environmental stressors. In addition to its ethically-derived 4-4-4 NPK package, ClimateGard also contains mycorrhizal fungi, probiotic bacteria and a special type of amorphous silica proven to increase resilience to extreme weather.

Conclusion

We hope these tips ensure a bountiful fall harvest for you and your family. As always, we wish you the best of luck, and happy gardening!