There’s a reason why so many people love fall — temperatures are getting cooler and there are corn mazes, pumpkin harvests, and warm colors to enjoy. At GreenStalk we look forward to planting cool-season veggies like kale, broccoli, and lettuce. By the time summer harvest is over, we are ready for a change.

Even though you might be more focused on all the fun things that fall has to offer, try planting a garden – you won’t regret it! There’s so much hype about spring planting that oftentimes fall gets left out. Even if you’re growing in cold climates, there’s still time to plant.

Why garden in the fall?

There are some major benefits to gardening in the fall! Here are a few of them:

• Explore new flavors — there are SO MANY cool weather crops that are delicious and easy to grow.
• It’s enjoyable to be outside again — cooler weather is great for the plants and the gardener. There’s no need to worry about sunburns, heat stroke, or sweat.
• The sun isn’t as intense — in Knoxville where we are, the summer weather can be so miserable that our plants growing in partial shade actually do better than the ones planted in full sun. However, in the fall, the sun and heat aren’t as intense so you can easily grow vegetables in full sun without problems.
• You can water less — this is a huge benefit to starting a garden after the summer. Because your plants aren’t stressed or soaking up as much water, you can go longer between watering sessions. And if you have a GreenStalk, you can water even easier!

What can I grow in the fall?

Start your fall garden late in the summer by choosing starter plant varieties that are quick producers or growing frost-tolerant veggies. Fun fact — did you know kale actually tastes better after a couple of frosts? Visit your local garden center to find out what grows best in your area at this time of year or you can always look up your local Master Gardener Extension’s planting guide. Either source is a wealth of knowledge!

To give you some ideas of what can grow well in the fall, here’s a list:

• Carrots – are usually frost tolerant too
• Radishes – are great for any climate because they mature so quickly
• Broccoli – just make sure you’re getting a variety that produces early
• Beets – they love cool weather
• Spinach – spinach is a great cut and come again crop
• Lettuce – we love salads from fresh garden-harvested lettuce
• Kale – really hardy and pretty in the garden

Those are a few of our favorites, but there’s also kohlrabi, bok choy, swiss chard, mustard greens, cilantro, and more. If you’re worried about frost killing your tender vegetable plants, we have a GreenStalk Frost Protection Cover available in our online store.

If you don’t want to grow vegetables this fall, you can always fill your GreenStalk with flowers or plants that have colorful foliage for a beautiful display! We love planting some pansies, poinsettias, mums, and coleus in our GreenStalks.

Don’t neglect your soil

No matter what you plant, make sure that you re-condition your soil in between growing seasons. Your summer crops will have used all the nutrients from your soil, so it’s important to add them back in for your new crops. You can add organic fertilizers like Tomato Tone, add compost, or replace your soil completely.