August is one of the best times of year for most gardeners. It’s when the majority of your garden is maturing and harvest season is well on it’s way. It is also a time when you need to be finding time and space to plant your fall garden.
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By now most of your early season crops are dying back from the summer heat and you probably have some empty areas in your garden to fill. Instead of preparing your garden beds for next year, why not use the space and plant some more to keep things going.
What Is A Fall Garden?
A fall garden is when you plant vegetables to be harvested at the end of the year before winter sets in. What you can plant and when you need to plant it varies greatly depending on what growing zone you are in.
These 4 vegetables I am about to mention can be planted in August in zone 5 (our zone) or higher.
Lets get right into it. The first one is:
Fall Garden Pick #1: Lettuce
Lettuce is a leafy green that’s easy to grow and is packed with nutrients. Whether you want to add some greens to your salad or make a sandwich, lettuce is a perfect choice. Starting lettuce from seed is a simple process that you can easily do at home.
For us, having lettuce in our fall garden is better than our spring garden. If you plant your lettuce in the middle of August by the middle of September when all your tomatoes and cucumbers are ripe you can make some great salads with everything from your own garden.
Lettuce typically takes 45 days of growth before it can be harvested. It does well in cool temperatures and can withstand some mild frost. Which makes it perfect for your fall garden well into October.
Next on our fall garden list is:
Fall Garden Pick #2: Spinach
Spinach is one that I always make sure to give plenty of space in my fall garden. It does well in cool weather so I set aside a large portion of my garden to grow spinach in both the spring and the fall. I have found spinach does better during the fall than the spring.
Spinach grows so quickly I can harvest it once or twice a week for all of September and some of October. It will continue to grow through minor frosts but will stop growing after a hard frost. And it only takes about 45 days before you can start harvesting it so planting in August give you plenty of time.
What we don’t eat fresh, we like to freeze for use in soups and sauces. We cook it until it wilts, then freeze it in 1/2 cup quantities in a silicon muffin pan. Once frozen we transfer it into freezer bags for storage and use it all winter long.
Up third on our list is another vegetable that we like to grow a lot of to preserve for the winter. And that is:
Fall Garden Pick #3: Carrots
Carrots are the vegetable that takes the longest to grow out of our list here. When you are planning your fall garden you’ll want to make sure these get planted first. Carrots typically are ready to be harvested after about 70 days.
Carrots grow well in cool weather and can withstand frost with ease since they are mostly underground. There are even ways you can keep your carrots in the ground into winter so you can harvest them when you want them.
With our fall garden carrots we like to harvest all of them before winter comes. We wash and dice them into small cubes. Blanch them and sort them into freezer bags for storage.
Fall Garden Pick #4: Peas
Peas are an easy vegetable to grow for home gardeners. They germinate quickly, grow fast, and have a large harvest. They can be eaten whole or left for the peas to grow and be shucked.
Peas take 60 days before they are ready to be harvested and will grow more peas the more they are harvested. Unlike in the summer you won’t need to worry about it getting to hot and the peas dying. They can withstand light frosts but a hard frost will kill the plant.
We like to harvest peas when they are young and tender and eat the whole pod. Normally we let them grow out and shuck the peas during the spring harvest. The whole pods or just the peas both freeze well and are great added to hardy winter soups and stews, or our favourite, a good shepherds pie.
FAQ: Planting a Fall Garden
1. What vegetables are best to plant in a fall garden?
Some of the easiest and most reliable vegetables for fall gardens include lettuce, spinach, carrots, and peas. These crops thrive in cooler weather and are more frost-tolerant than many summer vegetables.
2. When should I start planting for a fall garden?
The best time to plant depends on your growing zone. In Zone 5 or higher, August is ideal for most fall crops. You should always check the maturity dates for the vegetables you’re planting and count backwards from your area’s average first frost date.
3. Can fall gardens survive frost?
Yes! Many fall vegetables like carrots, spinach, and peas can tolerate light frosts. In fact, some crops (like carrots) even get sweeter after a few frosts. However, a hard freeze may stop or kill some plants, so plan accordingly.
4. Do I need to prepare my soil differently for fall planting?
Not necessarily. Fall vegetables thrive in the same rich, well-drained soil as your spring and summer crops. Just make sure to amend with compost if your summer harvest has depleted nutrients.
5. Is a fall garden worth it if I already had a summer garden?
Absolutely! Planting a fall garden extends your harvest season, fills in empty space left by early summer crops, and gives you fresh food heading into the colder months. It’s also a great way to preserve extra vegetables for winter storage.
Conclusion
Planting a fall garden is a simple and rewarding way to make the most of your growing season. By choosing hardy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, carrots, and peas, you can enjoy fresh harvests well into the cooler months and even preserve plenty for winter use. Fall gardening not only fills in the gaps after summer but also gives you a head start on next year by keeping your soil active and productive.
Whether this is your very first garden or you’ve been growing vegetables for years, extending your harvest into fall is one of the easiest ways to get more from your space. Start small, learn what works in your zone, and before long, you’ll have fresh greens and roots ready for the table long after the heat of summer has passed.
If you’re just beginning, check out our growing guides for step-by-step tips on starting your favorite vegetables. And for those who are thinking ahead, don’t miss our seed saving guides to carry your garden into next year. Gardening is a journey toward self-sufficiency, and a fall garden is a perfect next step.
