By the end of August most of us start to lose our enthusiasm with gardening. The sun is scorching and there hasn’t been much rain at all in the last couple months. That doesn’t seem to stop the weeds and garden pests from thriving. I have canned all the green beans and tomatoes I want to. The cucumbers died a long time ago and the vine borers annihilated my squash plants. I am ready for a fresh start with planting a fall garden.
There are a lot of benefits to planting a fall garden. The weather starts to cool off and the garden doesn’t need to be watered as often. Once it’s cooler, there is less pest pressure and weeds slow down. As the days start to get a little shorter, gardening maybe the incentive you need to get outside in the sunlight.
Having fresh produce in your backyard will encourage healthy eating but, there are many other health benefit. Being out in the sun gardening along with the feeling of accomplishment it brings, can alleviate the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Vegetables To Plant from Seed in The Garden
Starting a fall garden can be very simple. There are a lot of vegetables that can be direct sown. It’s a very affordable way to garden. Some example of direct sown fall crops are:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Radish
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Kale, Collards, and Swiss Chard
- Turnips
Some fall vegetables that will do better to purchase as a young plant. Most garden centers will have a selection of fall starts to choose from. They will likely include:
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Lettuce (do well from seed, but are available as plants)
- Kale, Collards and other greens (same as lettuce)
Grow a Flower Garden This Fall
Did you know there are some flowers that can sown in the fall as well? Here are a few flowers can be direct sown in my area, Zone 7b
- Snapdragons
- Sweet Peas
- Bachelor Buttons
- Larkspur
- Poppies (including Oriental Poppies which are a perennial)
- Lupines (Lupines don’t always have a great germination rate, but they are a perennial. If just one plant survived, it would still be worth. A pot of Lupines was selling for around $15 at Lowe’s.
How lovely would it be to pick Snapdragons to brighten up your home on a chilly day? A warming bowl of vegetable soup using vegetables freshly picked from your garden with some crusty bread sounds delicious.
A fall garden can be anything you want it to be. If the kids are back in school and you don’t have time for a garden, try planting a few plants in a container. Just plant enough near your house that it will be easy to keep up with. You have worked hard all summer and now is the time to slow done a little. Plant what will bring you joy and brighten up those gloomy evenings.
