If you’re new to veggie gardening and live in a more mild climate where you can continue to garden into the cooler months, fall is prime time for planting those edible plants that simply don’t do well in the hot months. Your local garden center or County Extension Office can guide you as to what you can grow and when you should plant in your area, but here’s a quick rundown by plant type Which ones do you want to grow?
Salad Crops
Each year in the fall, my fingers start itching to get my salad crops in the ground. There are so many, and they provide ample and endless combinations for winter salads, green smoothies, stir-frys, and juicing.
Look for:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Asian Greens
- Dandelion Greens
- Beet Greens
- Mustard Greens
- Arugula
- A variety of lettuces
Be sure to read the accompanying plant tag for specific information on spacing and days to harvest — with some, you can harvest just weeks after planting!
Common Salad Crop Pests & Diseases:
- Aphids
- Leaf Miners
- Beetles
- Cutworms
- Hornworms
- Downy Mildew
- Damping Off
Employ good gardening practices like proper watering techniques and plant spacing, but be sure to have some organic controls (neem, Bt, etc.) on hand if the need arises.
Root Crops
Root veggies are the basis of every delectable soup or stew that I make during the fall and winter.
But be sure that your soil is deep enough for these root veggies to develop. If you have shallow or rocky soil, plan to create raised beds to give them adequate room to grow down.
Look Out For Root Veggie Pests
Root veggies are targets for both soil insect pests as well as foliar (leaf) pests like:
- Carrot Weevil
- Grubs
- Nematodes
- Flea Beetles
- Mites
- Aphids
Root Veggie Diseases to Watch Out For
- Leaf Blight
- Damping Off
- Powdery Mildew
- Southern Blight
Consider crop rotation and attention to proper watering as well as judicious use of row covers to prevent these problems.
Brassicas. This is a large group of plants that are also called cruciferous plants or cole crops, and they include:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Turnips
- Mustard
- Kale
Brassicas can be susceptible to a number of pests and diseases like
- Cabbage Worms
- Cabbage Aphids
- Cabbage Looper Moth Larvae
- Black Rot
- Blackleg
- Fusarium Wilt
Crop rotation helps, but because many of these pest and disease issues attack young plants, be prepared to become a Helicopter Plant Parent in the first couple of weeks.
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Very interesting article thank you for posting it
Hi Michael, we’re pleased to hear you enjoyed it. Happy gardening!
I’ve been looking for something like this for quite some time thank you.
Hi Randy, we’re so pleased to hear this! If you’re looking for more fall garden ideas check out this post on fall vegetables to grow, https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/fall-vegetables/. Happy gardening!
Enjoyed the article!!
Is it possible to have a hard copy of your guide? I like to turn pages as apposed to holding my phone.
Hi Cassie, unfortunately, we only offer digital versions of our guides. If you’d like a physical copy we suggest downloading the guide and printing it out. Happy gardening!
What planting mix do you recommend for broccoli seeds? Should I start them indoors? The temps in Southern California are still in the 90’s where I live.
Hi Nancie, it’s best practice to start your seeds in a mixture of potting soil and seed starting soil. This is light enough for the plant to be able to push through but also retains enough moisture. If you think it’s too hot, then you may want to start indoors, but be sure to use a grow light. If you start them outdoors, place them in bright, filtered light. We recommend that you use shade cloth or place your seeds in a shady area to provide protection from the sun and heat. You may find these videos to be helpful, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfQhg_f668A and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiReL9nkUiMWe hope this helps!
To: kelloggarden Thank you so much for the seed starting tips and videos. Exactly the help I needed!