- Author: Lanie Keystone
One traditionally greets springtime with great joy as the season of renewal and a time to look forward to planting a summer garden. But, as we sadly pick our last succulent tomatoes, let's remember that fall can be just as promising a time to plant and enjoy a very different vegetable garden.
Just think of all those wonderful winter vegetables to be enjoyed when the days become shorter, darker, and cooler. And, September is the perfect time to plan and plant that fall and winter garden, while the days continue to be hot and the soil is still warm.
There are so many delicious reasons to plant a fall vegetable garden, especially when we think of creating new and nutritious recipes from our winter bounty. Among the most successful to plant and cultivate are cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collards, and kale. They each come under the heading of either dark green or colored veggies that have long been considered some of the most healthy and nutritious. One can also add mustards, radishes, and turnips to make the fall and winter table a bouquet of striking color.
Each of these cool-season vegetables can be transplanted directly into the garden as seedlings or starts. They grow, produce, and thrive best when the days turn a bit cooler between 55 and 75 degrees. Before fall planting, amend tired soil with compost or other amendments. And remember mulch after planting with straw, dried leaves, or dried grass clippings.
If you need a bit of poetic inspiration to motivate you to create your fall garden, just listen to Albert Camus: “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”