Vegetables to Plant in Fall

Many Veggies Just Taste Better in Autumn

Sep 15, 2009 Robert Dailey

Snap beans become sweeter after the first cold snap. Squash becomes delectable. The list of vegetables for the fall garden is as diversified as the vegetables are tasty

Here’s a list of vegetables to plant in autumn.

Asparagus

Asparagus likes good organic soil that is well drained. Harvest the spears in late fall or spring when they have reaced four to six inches and are still tender. Plant now for spring harvest.

Leeks

Plant leeks in groups of about half a dozen seeds. The seeds should be six inches apart from each other and the groups should be a foot to a foot and a half apart. Leeks are heavy feeders, so a good organic fertilizer should be scratched into the soil

Garlic

Plant individual closes about six inches apart. Harvest the tops when they are still green and firm. Harvest the garlic roots when the tops begin to fall over. Many gardeners plat the tops together and hang the garlic garlands in a cool place for them to dry.

Carrots

Carrot seed can be planted now. Carrot seeds need light to germinate, so they should be sown on top of the soil. This root crop needs nitrogen supplements after the tops have sprouted.

Onions

Onion seeds can be planted in November. Space the seeds four to six inches apart. Onions need fertilizer so use small amounts regularly after the tops push through the ground. A slow release organic fertilizer (6-2-4 NPK) worked carefully into the top couple of inches of soil near the plants one every week or two will suffice.

Turnips

These are root crops, but the tops, known as turnip greens (or turnip tops in Britain), are edible too. The tops taste similar to mustard greens. Harvest the tender greens when they are four to six inches long.

Lettuce

Lettuce needs cool soil to germinate. Plant after the soil temperature is below 70 degrees F. Lettuce also needs light to germinate.That means the seeds should be sown on top of the ground. Refrigerating lettuce for a day or two before eating will reduce bitterness.

Cabbage

This vegetable can be planted now for harvest in about 65 days to almost 90 days. Use seedlings for cabbage. Plant them about 12 inches apart. Use a good organic fertilizer when planting, and then, when the heads are about half-grown, apply more fertilizer at the recommended amount.

Broccoli

This is a member of the cabbage family. High in vitamins A and D, broccoli loves cooler weather. Put seedlings in 18 to 24 inches apart. Use a good organic fertilizer when planting the seedlings, and then side dress with more fertilizer when the plants are half grown. A broccoli plant may reach two and a half to three feet tall.

Brussel Sprouts

Plant seedlings two to three feet apart. When the plants are about a foot tall, top dress with fertilizer. Brussel sprouts are very sensitive to dryness, so keep them watered. Brussel sprouts are also members of the cabbage family.

Cauliflower

The cabbage family is large, and cauliflowers are also members. Space the seedlings about 30 inches apart.

These are not the only vegetables that can be cultivated in the fall. Even planting a few of these vegetables will provide interesting and tasty table fare.

The copyright of the article Vegetables to Plant in Fall in Desert/Water-wise Gardens is owned by Robert Dailey. Permission to republish Vegetables to Plant in Fall in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Fall vegetables