A Cool-Season Harvest Guide

September is just the beginning of a bountiful fall garden

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Just because summer is coming to an end, doesn’t mean your vegetable garden does too. Did you know that vegetables can only become sweeter and more delicious if they go through frost? Cool-season vegetables naturally react to the cold and produce extra sugars when in contact with frost. This can make some of the more bitter tasting vegetables, taste rather sweet.

With some planning and preparation, you can grow vegetables for a fall/winter harvest or even extend well into the winter months and year-round.

Why plant vegetables in fall?

Unlike spring, when the ground is cool, the soil in your garden during fall is nice and warm, perfect for a fast sprout. Cool season vegetables grow best in temperatures averaging 15° cooler than warm season vegetables.

As the temperature goes down, there are fewer inspects pests. Cold blooded insects are entering winter dormancy and fall crops will have fewer weeds to compete with for nutrients.

As well, water does not evaporate out of the soil as quickly as it does in the summer heat. Crops do need moisture; however, cool season crop are lower maintenance where watering is less required.  

Tips for Fall Garden

  • Start small: If you are new to winter vegetable gardening, experiment with what works best in your region with just a few crops.
  • Make space: Harvest early-season crops and remove from your garden in a timely fashion to make room for the new fall plantings.
  • Plan and prepare: Each crop has a predictable lifespan and can differentiate in environmental conditions however it is a general rule to plan your planting to ensure enough time for crops to mature before the first frost falls.
  • Use protection: Tuck plants into a sheltered space such as cloches, cold frames, fabric tunnels or mini hoop tunnels to hold warmth closer to the plants as it gets colder.
  • Plant fava beans as an alternative: If you are not up to plant food in the fall, plant cover crops to keep soil intact, adding nutrients for your spring gardening endeavours.

Vegetables to Grow

Plant these vegetables before your first fall frost and enjoy in 60 days or less: