While warm summer months give way to cool, crisp days of autumn, many gardeners assume it is time to shut down their vegetable gardens until spring. In reality, though, fall can be among the best times of the year for vegetables, offering an array of cool-season crops that are actually improved in flavor with a light frost. In this, we will discuss five of the best vegetables you can plant in autumn to have a late produce continue with great nutrient-rich food well into the season.

1. Kale: The Cold-Hardy Superfood

Kale was bred for cool climates and was one of the staple vegetables of a fall garden for a reason: this leafy green actually prefers cool weather and can even get sweeter after the first frost. Its tough leaves can stand up well against chilly weather; hence, it’s a crop you can rely on during late harvesting seasons. Whether you grow Curly Kale or Lacinato varieties, it is a nutritional powerhouse of vitamins A, C, and K. Plant it in late summer so that throughout fall and into winter, you’re able to harvest in plenty.

Growing Tips:

• Direct sow seeds into the ground or transplant seedlings in early fall.

• If it has been dry, water your plot. Keep the soil moist to keep up constant growth.

• Outer leaves can be harvested at any time, but after picking, the center is left to keep producing.

2. Broccoli: Nutrient-Packed and Resilient to Frost

It is one of those vegetables that do very well in cool conditions. Its head will be more solid and flavorful as the months of autumn approach. But most of the time, late planting into summer allows it to mature well ahead of the first hard frost. Generally, fall broccoli is sweeter and more tender than those plants grown during spring. It can also be used in soups, stir-fries, or as a roasted vegetable.

Growing Tips:

• Sow seed indoors in midsummer; move seedlings outside at the end of August or first of September.

• Broccoli prefers rich, well-drained soil and even water.

• Protect young seedlings from pests, like cabbage worms, with row covers.

3. Carrots: A Sweet Fall Treat

Carrots are some of the best vegetables to grow in fall. The cooler the temperature, the sweeter and richer their flavors. Such orange beauties are easy to grow and store well, too. Carrots are one of the most ideal vegetables for carrying your garden’s productivity well into late fall and winter.

Growing Tips:

• Sow directly into the garden in early fall. 

• Thin seedlings to the appropriate spacing to allow for root development.

• Harvest following a light frost when flavor is sweetest, and overwinter in the ground with heavy mulching if winter temperatures remain above single digits.

4. Spinach: Tender Greens for Cool Days

The leaves will be tender and great for salads, smoothies, and cooking. It does not tend to bolt into flowers in the cooler temperatures of fall like its spring crop does, and therefore keeps on growing well throughout the fall season. Being one of the hardiest greens, it will survive light frosts and provide fresh greens well into late autumn.

Growing Tips:

• Direct seed spinach for a fall crop in early September.

• Keep the soil consistently moist and harvest regularly to encourage prolonged production. 

• Mulch between plants to maintain even moisture levels and to provide protection to the roots from cool nighttime temperatures.

5. Radishes: Fast Growing and Easy to Harvest

Radishes can be grown really fast-just in a weeks of planting. The reason they are so permissible in salads and roasted dishes is because of their firmness combined with a peppery taste. Because radishes love cool fall soil, the succession planting will allow for continual harvests by taking advantage of their fast growth cycle.

Growing Tips:

• Sow seeds every two weeks for a successive supply of roots.

• Radishes do best in well-drained soil and should be thinned to prevent crowding.

• Harvest at the proper time for the variety. Radishes are ready any time after they form a usable root of any size, usually in as little as 3-4 weeks after planting.

Getting the Most Out of Your Fall Garden

To fully take advantage of your fall garden, advance preparation of soil with compost or organic matter will retain moisture, as well as provide the necessary nutrients for your crops. The use of row covers or cold frames will protect plants against unexpected frosts and prolong your growing season.

With a little foresight in planning and vegetable selection, fall can continue to reap fresh garden goodies long after summer has left its welcome, affording you the opportunity to taste homegrown goodness well into the cooler months. From leafy greens to root vegetables to cold-hardy crops, here are five vegetables that will keep your garden going well into the late harvest season.