Do you think you’ve reached the finale for your garden? Think again. You’re just entering the third act! Autumn is a wonderful time of year to plant and grow vegetables; you just have to be strategic about which seeds you choose.
With the weather turning and temperatures dropping, you can still enjoy a bounty of fresh produce from your garden. In fact, some plants enjoy the cooler weather and do much better than in the heat of the summer. Consider these seed options based on your needs and enjoy impressive yields over the next several months.
Fast-Growing Plants
With just a few months to go from seed to yield, you want to select plant varieties that grow quickly. Here are some ideal for autumn that will provide tasty produce in as little as one month:
Baby carrots: Harvest in 30 days
Spinach: Harvest in 45 days
Bush beans: Harvest in 45-65 days
Plants that Survive Light Frost
You know winter is coming when you wake up to the first morning frost. Don’t fret! This doesn’t signal the end of your garden when you plant certain crops. If you experience light frost earlier in fall, try planting:
Turnips: 30-60 days
Kohlrabi: Harvest in 50-60 days
Leaf lettuce: Harvest in 30 days
Plants that Survive Hard Frost
Many plants can’t survive hard frost, but not all plants. Some superstars can take the chill and continue to provide you with green goodies to supplement your grocery needs.
These plants can survive evening dips into the high 20s Fahrenheit:
Beets: Harvest in 30-60 days
Green onions: Harvest in 60-70 days
Peas: Harvest in 70-80 days
Can you say hardy? These plants can survive evening dips into the low 20s Fahrenheit:
Kale: Harvest in 30-60 days
Cabbage: Harvest in 50-90 days
Collard greens: Harvest in 40-65 days
Kale: Harvest in 40-65 days
Radishes: Harvest in 30-60 days
Armed with this list, you can plan your autumn garden and feel confident you’ll get amazing results, even when you start from seed. If you have any questions, a Homestead Gardens expert is always available to help.