My summary goes here.

A fall garden gives you another opportunity to grow vegetables and herbs for your family, extending food production several more months, even year-round in warm climates. There are advantages to growing in fall. Soil temperatures are still warm for fast germination, but the air temperature will be cooling down. There is usually less weed competition and fewer insect problems. Crops which tend to bolt are less likely to do so at this time of year. Depending on what part of the country you live in, a fall vegetable garden may be started in late summer to harvest in the fall, or you may start in the fall to harvest even into the winter. The former is probably true of most regions while areas with warmer climates need a later start for cool season crops. 

Seed packet information and planting calendars for your hardiness zone can help you decide what and when to plant for a fall vegetable and herb garden. The following chart shows vegetable planting information for the major growing zones in the U.S.,  hardiness zones 4 to 10. Information such as daily sun and fertilizer needs are included since this information is often not available all together. Factors such as climate and soil type can affect a plant’s fertilizer needs, and in some situations plant requirements may be less. The family designation is included to assist with crop rotation in successive years.

Vegetables for Fall Planting 

Plant

Family

Zones

Sun Needs

Fert Needs

Arugula

Brassicaceae

6,7,8,9,10

4+ hours

Light

Beans

Fabaceae

6,7,8,9,10

6+ hours*

Moderate

Beets

Chenopodiaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10

6+ hours

Moderate

Broccoli

Brassicaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10

4+ hours

Heavy

Brussel Sprouts

Brassicaceae

8,9,10

4+ hours

Heavy

Cabbage

Brassicaceae

7,8,9,10

4+ hours

Heavy

Carrots

Apiaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10     

6+ hours

Moderate

Cauliflower

Brassicaceae

7,8,9,10

4+ hours

Heavy

Celery

Apiaceae

8,9,10     

6+ hours

Heavy

Collards

Brassicaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10     

4+ hours

Light

Corn

Poaceae

10

Full Sun

Heavy

Cucumber

Cucurbitaceae

7,8,9,10     

Full Sun

Heavy

Eggplant

Solanaceae

9,10

Full Sun

Heavy

Kale

Brassicaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10     

4+ hours

Heavy

Kohlrabi

Brassicaceae

7,8,9,10     

6+ hours

Heavy

Lettuce

Asteraceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10     

4+ hours

Moderate

Mustard

Brassicaceae

7,8,9,10     

4+ hours

Light

Onion, bunching

Liliaceae

7,8,9,10     

6+ hours*

Moderate

Peas

Fabaceae

5,6,7,8,9,10     

6+ hours*

Light

Peppers, bell

Solanaceae

9,10

Full Sun

Heavy

Potato, Irish

Solanaceae

7,8,9,10     

Full Sun

Moderate

Pumpkin

Cucurbitaceae

9,10

Full Sun

Heavy

Radish

Brassicaceae

7,8,9,10     

6+ hours*

Moderate

Rutabaga

Brassicaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10     

Full Sun

Moderate

Spinach

Chenopodiaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10     

6+ hours*

Heavy

Squash

Cucurbitaceae

7,8,9,10     

Full Sun

Heavy

Strawberry

Rosaceae

8,9,10

Full Sun

Heavy

Swiss Chard

Chenopodiaceae

6,7,8,9

6+ hours*

Light

Tomato

Solanaceae

9,10

Full Sun

Heavy

Turnips

Brassicaceae

4,5,6,7,8,9,10     

6+ hours

Light

*These plants have been found by some gardeners to grow with considerably less sun.

Add Herbs to Your Fall Garden 

There are also many herbs that can be grown in the fall - in fact, the majority of them. Some can survive even extreme cold and many are perennial. Herbs with some of the best cold tolerance include:

  • Chives
  • Fennel
  • Lemon Balm
  • Lovage
  • Mint
  • Oregano
  • Parsley
  • Sage
  • Salad Burnet
  • Tarragon
  • Thyme
  • Winter Savory

Herbs generally have a low demand for fertilizer, and many can get by with only 4 hours of sun daily. With all the abundant possibilities for fall gardening, you can continue to enjoy gardening while making a substantial healthy and tasty contribution to your food needs.