Cold-Weather Crops for a Cool Vegetable Garden This Fall

Last Updated on May 17, 2020 by Ellen Christian

Are you looking for cold-weather crops? While most crops grow in the summer, it is still possible to have a cool vegetable garden when the temperature drops. There are a lot of crops that grow better in the spring or fall than in the summer.

Cold-Weather Crops for a Cool Vegetable Garden

There are quite a few cold-weather cops you can add to your cool vegetable garden. So, a lot will depend on what you and your family like to eat. It makes no sense to plant vegetables that no one will eat.

Sometimes summer gets away from me and I don’t get around to planting everything I wanted to. If a fall garden is something you would like to try, look below at seven cold weather crops to grow in your cool vegetable garden. These vegetables are ideal for growing in cooler climates and can produce a harvest well into October. So, what crops can you grow in cold weather?

Brussels sprouts

You might have turned your nose up at Brussels sprouts as a child, but today there are all sorts of grown-up ways to enjoy this healthy vegetable. Brussel sprouts can be planted late summer and harvested in mid to late fall. Feel free to pan sear them with bacon and a little olive oil for some excellent flavor. This is one of my favorite cold-weather crops.

Carrots

Carrots are rich in nutrients and so easy to grow during the fall months. You can plant a crop mid to late summer and enjoy them well into the autumn months. Carrots can be served in salads, used in fall desserts such as carrot cake, or you can even can them for the winter months. This is an easy vegetable to grow in your cool vegetable garden.

Kale and greens for cold-weather crops

Kale is no doubt a superfood. Rich in vitamins and minerals it can add a much-needed boost to your diet. Kale will produce all autumn long and can even be easily grown in containers or window boxes. The leafy greens don’t take long to mature, and in no time you can be harvesting kale for salads, smoothies, and kale chips.

Broccoli

Broccoli salads aren’t just for summer. You can plant many varieties of broccoli in the late summer and harvest them in the fall. The crop does well in cooler temperatures which means you can be enjoying fresh food even in October. Plant some broccoli so you can enjoy steamed vegetables rich in iron even once the weather turns cold.

Turnips

Turnips are an under-appreciated root vegetable that does well in cooler weather and is so easy to grow. You can plant a row or two of turnips in late summer and enjoy a crop even as the warm temperatures make their way out. Turnips are excellent roasted and can be used in a variety of fall and winter soup recipes. This is one of those cold-weather crops that not all families enjoy. But, it is one of my favorites.

Radishes

Colorful and tangy, radishes are an excellent addition to your salads and marinades. They can be grown in containers, so even if you are short on space you don’t have to worry. Plant a row or two (or container) of radishes now so when the cooler months come in you are harvesting the benefits.  I can’t leave these out of my cold-weather crops list since they are my daughter’s favorite.

Beets

You can pickle and can beets or enjoy them in a variety of soup and salad recipes. This root vegetable also tolerates cooler temperatures, so it makes an excellent addition to your fall garden. If you live in an area where the typical summer growing season is short, try planting beets.

Cold-weather crops options

As you can see, you have options when it comes to planting your cool-weather garden. Give these cold-weather crops you can grow in the fall a try, and see what a great addition they can make to your fall garden. You will find that these vegetables are quite tolerant of cooler temperatures and fewer hours of sun, plus most of them can be grown in containers. Gardening in cold weather is definitely something to consider.

So, if you love gardening why not take a look at a few ways to keep rodents out of your garden naturally. And, here are a few tips for transitioning to fall gardening.

There is no reason to not enjoy fresh produce during the fall months. So, which one of these cold-weather crops do you think you’ll try? Here are a few more options to consider from I Am Countryside. And, don’t forget that now is the time to plant spring-blooming bulbs.