What Should I Plant in Summer for a Fall Harvest?
There are so many great choices for succession planting in July and August, and while the cold weather feels a long way off, now is the time to plant for a great cool-weather harvest. Remember: your fall garden starts in the summer! It takes a little bit of planning and strategy, but it's not too late to start now! You've probably started clearing out beds where you've harvested spring greens and now's the time to get ready for some more heat-tolerant crops for the summer and fall. Once you've removed bolted and tired crops, you can prepare the soil for the next round -- now's a good time dig it up and work in a little fresh compost.
Baker Creek employees working in the summer garden
Top Picks From Our Gardeners
Here are some top picks from the Baker Creek garden crew about what to plant for the fall garden, as well as some tips about keeping things cool and tidy in the heat. And if these aren't enough to choose from, check our Fall Favorites Collection for more ideas!
Yod Fah Chinese Broccoli Kale is mild and delicious, and the flowers are beautiful.
Yod Fah Chinese broccoli kale: Yod Fah is grown mainly for its tasty stems – the flavor is like a cross between asparagus and broccoli, but sweeter! This non-heading type is perfect for those who love broccoli but struggle to grow it.
Bull's Blood beet offers that sweet, earthy classic beet flavor
Bull’s Blood beet: Bull’s Blood beet is drenched in color from the tips of its leaves to the tail of its root! This is a top choice for microgreens that will add a splash of red to salads and other dishes. Bull’s Blood is the creation of renowned plant breeder Kees Sahin, who used the ancient Crapaudine beet as a parent. Antioxidant rich and sweet like a beet should be!
Bald Head mustard is unusual and delicious!
Bald Head mustard: Think of Bald Head mustard as kohlrabi with a little kick. This Chinese root vegetable is too little known in the U.S., and we’d like that to change. Used in stir fries, salads, or pickled, Bald Head mustard is packed with nutrition and flavor.
Richie Ramsey, our Jamaica Trial Farm Manager, holds an armload of Silverbeet chard.
Five Color Silverbeet chard: Chard pretty enough for the flower garden! Also known as Rainbow chard, this is one of our favorite greens to grow. Try quick pickling it for a focal point on a charcuterie board!
Tatsoi’s nickname is Vitamin Green.
Tatsoi: Packed with nutrients, this low-growing, cool weather loving green has spoon-shaped leaves that deliver crunch and flavor! Kids love them, as they are sweet and refreshing with a crisp and juicy mouthfeel.
Horticulture team member Baillie B. holds a Rober cauliflower aloft
Rober cauliflower: Rober cauliflower is one of the most productive and adaptable cauliflower we have ever grown. This reliable variety from Poland can produce 12-inch heads with tight curds, despite temperature fluctuations that would ruin many other varieties.
If you like cilantro, you'll want to plant a late crop!
Slo-Bolt cilantro: There’s plenty of season left to plant cilantro, and Slo-Bolt is one of our best for its bolt resistance and adaptable growing profile. Cilantro is a go-to ingredient for cuisines around the world.
Uzbek Golden carrots are sweet and bright yellow.
Uzbek Golden carrot: Short and stout, Uzbek Golden carrot is widely adaptable to a range of growing conditions and delivers fine-grained flesh and sweet carrot taste. We love it for cooking or snacking!
Amsterdam celery is crisp and elegant
Amsterdam celery: Amsterdam celery is an Asian type cutting celery that hails from the Netherlands. With its longer leaves and smaller stalks, it is ideal for making soups and broths. A favorite of chefs!
More Plants to Consider
We think that there's no such thing as too much basil. Pesto freezes really well!
Basil: Is your basil looking a little raggedy? Good news: There is plenty of time to succession sow a new crop of this essential culinary herb! We think the only thing better than basil ... is more basil.
Sanjana Ravindu from Sri Lanka was a MESA Steward in residence at Baker Creek in 2023-24.
He's shown holding a large bouquet of calendula flowers.
Calendula: Calendulas bring a sunny disposition to the fall garden. In the mild climate of the Mediterranean, where they originated, calendulas bloom all year long, and even in less hospitable climates, your calendula flowers will really hang in there over a long season!
Follow this link for even more varieties to choose from! >>
How to Time Your Fall Planting
Follow these easy steps to figure out when you'll want to plant and harvest your fall crops:
- Determine your area's average first frost dates. Predicting these dates is never an exact science. You can go by USDA zone averages, check your closest county extension website, or look up weather data by your zip code. Keep in mind that your own garden's local microclimate might give you a little more -- or less -- leeway than the regional averages predict. When in doubt, ask a neighbor who has had a garden in your area for years, or contact your closest local extension service.
The Old Farmer's Almanac's guide is easy to use and will give you average ranges for your region, if not pinpointed to your area. - Determine, on average, how long your crop needs to stay in the ground (days to maturity). If it's not on the seed packet, product description, or growing guide you should be able to look it up online easily. Remember that when they are planted after the June Solstice (midsummer in the northern hemisphere), they may need a week or two longer to grow as the hours of daylight start to decline. In addition, many crops (brassicas, for example) will benefit from exposure to cold and won't be threatened by an early frost.
- Mark the relevant dates on your calendar and plant accordingly!
Cyan Gettle reminds us that tatsoi does fine in the cold weather!
How to Help Your Garden Keep Its Cool
To make it to your fall dinner plate, your cool-weather-loving seedlings must survive the heat of high summer, so you’ll need to take extra care to protect them. Here are three quick ways to do that:
- Water your plants more deeply, for longer periods of time. This helps the plants establish deeper roots in the cooler soil below, making them more resilient.
- Provide a shade structure or sow in flats indoors to keep the seedlings cool, and then carefully transplant to the garden.
- Mulch generously. This will also help to keep the plants from becoming heat and drought stressed by preventing dramatic heat and moisture fluctuations in the soil.
Main Takeaways
Get ready for a bonus late harvest by succession planting after your early crops are in. Prepare your garden with deeper watering, shady spots, and generous mulch. Select items that are heat tolerant but also will benefit from (or at least won't be harmed by) some exposure to cooler weather. Schedule planting by determining your average local first freeze dates and the time you'll need to bring your crops to maturity -- keeping in mind that they will take a little longer when planted late because of reduced sunlight later in the season. And don't forget that some plants actually get better after a mild freeze!