Extend Your Harvest with a Fall Vegetable Garden

Mid-Summer Planting for Autumn Abundance

After a bountiful spring harvest (squash, cucumbers, lettuce, peas, potatoes, beans, onions, herbs), clear spent crops—bolt lettuce, dried pea vines—and replant cool-season vegetables in the opened space.

What to Plant for Fall

Spinach, lettuce, peas, beets, kale, cabbage, and even a second round of tomatoes and squash can mature before hard frost. Use leftover onion sets, start cabbage transplants, and direct-sow seeds.

Keys to Success

• Mulch deeply (straw) to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
• Water consistently if rainfall is lacking.
• Consult local extension offices and experienced gardeners for variety selection and timing.

Plan for Winter, Too

With a fall garden established, you’re already on track for winter crops under protection. The growing season doesn’t have to end with the first frost.