Are you planning a fall garden in Zone 7b? Learn about the types of vegetables and herbs to start indoors, direct sow, or look for at garden centers. You'll get to enjoy a whole extra season out of your garden with these cool-weather plants.
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Here in New Jersey (zone 7b), our summer vegetable garden has really taken off. We're now getting daily harvests of fresh fruits and vegetables. So it may seem like it's too early to start thinking about fall gardening. But it's actually the perfect time to make your plans, buy seeds, and even start planting.
Many cool season vegetables take several weeks to mature before the first frost. If you plan your fall garden now, you'll get to enjoy a second harvest of crisp lettuces, peppery radishes, crunchy broccoli, and sweet root vegetables like beets and turnips. Just because the seasons change doesn't mean you can't keep your garden producing into the autumn months.
A fall garden is a great way to stretch your harvest. As the temps begin to cool down, some vegetables actually grow better than they do in the heat of the summer. In fact, we've had tomatoes and peppers well into September and October.
Before you start planting your fall garden, it's best to make a plan. Decided which summer crops will finish first and can be removed. Then, figure out what fall plants you want to grow and where you will plant them. Research which plants you'll need to start indoors and what can be direct sown. Then, prepare your garden beds by removing any spent plants and refresh the soil with compost.
What to Plant Now for a Fall Garden
I've already started planning this year's fall garden, and some of those plans are already underway. A few vegetables are being started indoors, so they'll be transplanted once the seasons shift and space opens up in the garden. Others will be direct sown within the next few weeks. I'm even looking ahead to next spring's garden by planning a few crops that can overwinter in the ground.
Here is my current fall planting list:
- Lettuce Greens: I've already started a couple varieties of lettuces indoors to be transplanted. I have some heat tolerant varieties growing outside at the moment. Once those are spent, we'll have a new variety to snip for salads and more.
- Broccoli: I'm also starting broccoli indoors now so it'll be ready to transplant later in the summer.
- Turnips: I'm really excited to plant turnips again. The cooler temps actually help them become sweeter and more tender. They've become one of my favorite root vegetables to roast.
- Onions: I also plan on overwintering red and white onion seeds so they can get established before winter and be ready for new growth in the spring.
What Else to Plant for a Fall Garden
If you're still deciding what to add to your fall garden, there are plenty of cool-weather crops that can be planted over the next several weeks. Here are some quick options to help you decide what to grow for a plentiful fall garden.
What to Start Indoors
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Brussels sprouts
What to Direct Sow Now
- Carrots
- Beets
- Bush beans
- Turnips
- Swiss chard
- Radishes
What to Direct Sow in August
- Lettuce greens: leaf lettuce, spinach, Romaine, arugula, mustard greens, escarole
- Peas
- Cold-weather herbs: cilantro, dill, parsley
Later in the fall, we'll be planting garlic to harvest early next summer (yes, it takes that long to grow!). I also just purchased escarole seeds to add because homemade escarole soup - yum! I love getting another round of fresh vegetables with fall gardening. It also adds a bit more seasonal variety to what we eat.
