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July 29, 2025

This Week's Garden Gab​
​It's Almost Time to Plant Fall Vegetables

Hi Reader!

I know .. I know... summer vegetables are just now getting their game on and already it's nearly time to get Fall vegetables in the soil.

Honestly, by the time Fall arrives I am ready for a big BREAK from the work of maintaining a summer garden...but I also get VERY EXCITED about putting in cool weather crops. Yes, planting cool weather crops always wins.

What do you need to know about planting a Fall garden?

In this edition:

• What can you plant in a Fall Garden?
• When should you plant Fall vegetables?
• Tips to enhance produce production.

Education:

I love Fall vegetables more than summer vegetables. They feel hardier to my soul and tummy. So, what are Fall vegetables?

Fall vegetables are ones that do well in cooler temperatures, but they do need a bit of warm weather to germinate and get going before the cool weather arrives. These include:

🥦 Brassicas (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi)

🥬 Leafy Vegetables (collard greens, kale, swiss chard, turnips, bok choy)

🥕Root Vegetables (rutabaga, turnip, carrots, beets)

🌿Some Herbs (Parsley, Cilantro, Dill, Chives, Sage, Thyme, Mint)

Application:

So, why am I going to plant these during mid-August?

The first year that I did a Fall Garden I planted Brussel sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. It was a whole disaster. I got small results. I tried again the following year and same thing. I didn't try again after that.

This year I'm going to give it a go again because I learned something new.

I planted those vegetable seeds around mid-September because my first frost date isn't until mid-October; I thought I'd have plenty of time for the seeds to germinate and grow before it got too cold and dark. Much of my thinking was based on what a friend who lives two hours south of me shared. Temperatures are a bit warmer in her zone.

Well, I was recently watching a video last night about Fall vegetables and the gardener said that planting your Fall vegetables in early to mid-August provides soil warm enough for the seeds to germinate, and also there is still enough daylight hours for the plants to get a good root system and to a viable size before the frost and shorter days arrive.

This made total sense to me.

My plants were barely at a good size before the cold came. With Fall vegetables, even if the temperatures dip down to near freezing, they can withstand it if they've had enough time to get established.

Ahhhhh!.... Five years into gardening and I'm just learning this.

So, I'm trying again this fall.

I love beets, carrots and rutabagas but I can never get them to a nice large size. I'm not giving up though.

​

Special Considerations for Fall vegetables

Let me warn you. Your fall vegetables will be under full pest attack... especially brassicas, but there is an easy fix. Since leafy vegetables do not flower, you can protect them from the get-go with a row cloth or some kind of tulle/mesh/netting.

Here is what I do. I grow greens in bags, but I rigged these hoops over them so the cabbage worms and cabbage loopers can't get to them. So, my greens are nice and pretty!

These hoops are so easy to set up. If you want to know what I use, just send me an email at jangardener@gardenease.org. I'll write about it to let you and others know.

You can water and feed right through the tulle. It's simple to lift up a corn to feed the plants when needed.

Last, the colder your grow zone, the earlier you might need to start!

Edification:

That was a LOT of information so go have a little fun on me!

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🥬🥬GARDENING PUZZLE FUN! 🥬🥬

☝🏽Enjoy!

That's all I have for this edition. Feel free to write me at jangardener@gardenease.org if you have any questions or comments.

Forward this newsletter to anyone you think would be interested in gardening information and to SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Thank you for all the positive feedback I've received regarding this newsletter. I'm thrilled and thankful for all my subscribers and your diligent and genuine interest reading it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have big plans and exciting things to share with you in the future! God Bless You!

I'll see you in the next edition!

Jan🤗

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If you have questions, comments, praises, complaints, or ideas about gardening or about the newsletter, you can reach me at: jangardener@gardenease.org

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