11 Vegetables to Plant This Month for Fall Harvests

If you still haven’t planted your fall garden, you’re in luck! While many long-season vegetables need to go in the ground earlier in the year, September is the perfect time to sow quick-growing greens and roots.

Planting these crops in September gives them time to mature before short days lead to slow plant growth. Plus, their cold-hardiness allows them to survive into the late fall and winter, becoming sweeter with each frost.

I’ll introduce some vegetables you can plant for fall harvests and share whether they grow best from direct sowing or transplanting. You’ll also learn some basic care tips, including how to protect the crops from common fall pests and cold temperatures.

Bok Choy Choko

Our Rating

Bok Choy Choko Seeds

View at Epic Gardening

French Breakfast Radish

Our Rating

French Breakfast Radish Seeds

View at Epic Gardening

Turnip White Lady

Our Rating

Turnip White Lady Seeds

View at Epic Gardening

Bok Choy

	botanical name Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6-20″
	hardiness zones 2-11

Also known as pac choi, this Asian green features thick, crunchy midribs and tender leaves. You can enjoy baby bok choy heads whole in soups and stir fries, or chop up large heads for noodle dishes and ferments.

All types of bok choy grow exceptionally well in cooler weather, so now is the ideal time to plant these vegetables for fall harvests. Direct sowing the seeds works well, but you can also start the seeds in trays and transplant the seedlings into your garden three to four weeks later.

Be aware that there are many direct bok choy varieties. If you hope to enjoy smaller heads, look for baby varieties like ‘Toy Choy’ that remain short at maturity. These smaller varieties are also quick to mature, so they’re the best option if you’re planting at the end of September or live in an area that experiences frost early in the fall.

Bok choy is a brassica, so it’s susceptible to many pests. Covering the plants with a piece of row cover will protect them from cabbage worms, harlequin bugs, flea beetles, and other unwanted visitors. If you leave your plants uncovered, check for pests at least every other day and remove them by hand.

Radishes

	botanical name Raphanus sativus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-18″
	hardiness zones 2-11

Radishes can grow throughout much of the year, but September is a prime month to direct sow small salad varieties like ‘Cherry Belle’ as well as storage types like ‘Mantanghong Watermelon.’ Since the storage varieties take longer to mature, try to sow these vegetables for fall harvests at the beginning of the month.

Sowing a line of seeds is the easiest planting method. If you’re planting by hand, dig a furrow that’s about a quarter of an inch deep, place the seeds in the furrow, then cover with soil. Plant smaller varieties two to three inches apart, and leave four to five inches between cultivars with larger roots.

After the green tops emerge, keep watch for slugs, snails, cabbage worms, and other pests that may eat the leaves. Covering the seeds after planting protects the plants from pests and eliminates the need to turn to pesticides.

Some people find it tricky to know when to harvest radishes, but you can use a few simple tips to guide you. First, look at the days to maturity of the variety you planted and use it to calculate when your radishes will mature. Since autumn brings shortening days, you may need to add a week or two onto the predicted harvest day. Pulling a test radish is another easy way to determine if your crop is ready to harvest.

Turnips

	botanical name Brassica rapa subsp. rapa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 8-24″
	hardiness zones 2-11

My customers and I love tender salad turnips like ‘Hakurei’ and ‘Market Express’ that are perfect for slicing into salads, quickly sauteeing, or roasting. However, now is the opportune time to plant classic storage vegetables for fall harvests like ‘Purple Top.’ These larger turnips get super sweet after the weather cools and store well throughout the winter.

Since turnips are root vegetables, you should directly sow the seeds in your garden. The seeds are tiny, so just barely cover them with soil. Leave one to two inches between each seed, then thin inch-tall seedlings to three to four inches apart.

You harvest the turnips at any size, but salad turnips are best when they’re between one and two inches in diameter, and storage varieties are optimum at three to four inches. Remove the greens after harvest to help the roots stay crisp, but don’t miss out on cooking the tops for a hearty side dish.

Spinach

	botanical name Spinacia oleracea
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-12″
	hardiness zones 2-11

If you sow one vegetable in September for fall harvests, make it spinach. This quick-growing green thrives in cooler weather and develops a sweetness that’s difficult to find in spring-sown crops. It continues to produce new leaves throughout the fall and into the winter, allowing you to enjoy fresh greens even when it’s cold outside.

You can grow spinach by direct sowing or transplanting, but the first option is easier and involves fewer steps. Start by preparing your soil by adding compost and/or a balanced fertilizer. Next, sow your seeds in rows spaced six to ten inches apart, placing the seeds one to two inches apart within the rows.

You can begin harvesting the largest leaves about one month after planting. Use your fingers or a knife to cut the stems of the outer leaves while allowing the interior leaves to mature.

Lettuce

	botanical name Lactuca sativa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-12″
	hardiness zones 2-11

September is the optimal time to plant fall lettuce in much of the United States. Baby lettuce greens, dense heads of romaine, and tender butter lettuce all thrive in the cooler days.

Transplanting is an excellent option for head lettuce like ‘Vivian Romaine’ and ‘Ice Queen.’ Most of these larger varieties take around two months to grow from seedling to mature head, so transplanting in early September means you can enjoy salads in November. If you can’t access seedlings or are planting later in the month, directly sow mixed greens like ‘Market Day Lettuce Mesclun’ that you can harvest a month later.

Lettuce isn’t bothered by harlequin bugs, flea beetles, and many of the other pests that plague fall brassicas. Still, watch out for slugs and snails munching on the leaves and aphids sucking the plants’ juices. Covering your lettuce with row cover when temperatures fall below freezing will help the plants survive into late fall and even early winter.

Carrots

	botanical name Daucus carota subsp. sativus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 10-18″
	hardiness zones 2-11

In zones five and below, September is too late to sow these vegetables for a fall harvest. However, growers in zones six and above can plant quick-growing varieties like ‘Mokum’ and ‘Little Finger’ and enjoy them later in the season.

Carrots grow best in loose and well-drained soil, so aerate compacted ground with a digging fork before planting. Avoid applying too much nitrogen fertilizer since this can lead to small and/or oddly shaped roots.

Once your soil is ready, make a shallow furrow, then sprinkle the seed so there are about one to three seeds per inch. Cover the seeds with a quarter inch of soil and water well. Carrots take one to two weeks to germinate in September, and it’s crucial that the soil remains moist during this time. Watering well, then covering the seeds with a piece of row cover, burlap, or landscape fabric, will trap moisture and eliminate the need to water every day.

Remove the covering as soon as the plants germinate and keep the soil moist. You can eat carrots at any size, but expect to wait two months after seeding to harvest. These plants are frost-tolerant and become sweeter after they experience cold weather, so don’t be afraid to leave them in the ground after your first frost.

Beets

	botanical name Beta vulgaris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 8-24″
	hardiness zones 2-11

Beets take about two months from seeding to maturity, so plant them in early September if you want them to grow into large roots before short days lead to stagnant growth. You can plant beets later in the month, but they’ll likely only reach baby size this fall. Fortunately, beets are edible at any size.

Direct sowing beet seeds is the easiest way to plant them. While each spiky capsule looks like a single seed, it actually contains multiple seeds! So, expect to thin the seedlings after planting.

Sow seeds one inch apart and cover with a quarter inch of soil. You should see the seedlings emerge within a week. Armyworms, grasshoppers, and slugs are the major threats to young seedlings, so watch for these pests and remove them from the plants.

Kale

	botanical name Brassica oleracea subsp. acephala
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6-24″
	hardiness zones 2-11

Kale is one of the most popular cool-weather crops, and it’s a prime vegetable to sow now for fall harvests. Transplanting kale seedlings during this month will allow you to harvest full-sized leaves starting in October or November and continuing into the winter. You can also direct sow kale seeds just an inch apart to enjoy baby kale.

When it comes time to choose a variety, you have lots of options. ‘Red Russian’ produces tender leaves that make it one of the most popular varieties for baby leaves. ‘Dazzling Blue’ and ‘Redbor’ have more robust leaves that work well when picked large.

Be aware that this popular fall green is a favorite of many pests. Cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, armyworms, and other caterpillars feed on the foliage, causing both small and large holes. You can pick these pests off by hand or spray your kale with Bt to kill the caterpillars. You can also cover your plants with row covers to exclude these pests, along with harlequin bugs and flea beetles.

Tatsoi

	botanical name Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-10″
	hardiness zones 2-11

A close relative of bok choy, tatsoi has a similar flavor but thinner stems and smaller leaves. You can plant this Asian green eight to ten inches apart and allow the plants to grow into a mature head. Another option is spacing the seeds an inch apart in the row and harvesting the small leaves as baby greens.

Tatsoi is extremely cold-hardy and can withstand frosts unprotected. However, you should cover the plants with row cover if you expect the temperatures to drop below 25°.

If you plant these vegetables for fall harvests, keep an eye out for pests. Tiny flea beetles love to chew small holes in the tender leaves, and caterpillars often chew on the leaves and stems. Covering your tatsoi at planting time will exclude these pests.

Arugula

	botanical name Eruca sativa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-8″
	hardiness zones 2-11

A fast-growing green, arugula is a great option if you want to sneak in a fall vegetable before the days turn short and cold. The leaves have a slightly peppery punch, making them an exciting addition to salads, pastas, and more.

Direct sowing the tiny arugula seeds is the easiest way to plant this fall green. Sprinkle the seeds in a row, placing a few per inch. Lightly cover with soil, then water well. If you’re planting multiple rows, leave two to five inches between each row.

You can harvest arugula at any time, but the baby greens are ideal when they’re three to four inches tall. In the fall, expect to wait about a month between seeding and harvest. Use a sharp knife or pair of scissors to cut the greens about an inch above the ground. The greens will regrow as long as their smaller leaves remain intact.

Cilantro

	botanical name Coriandrum sativum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-10″
	hardiness zones 3-9

Gardeners categorize cilantro as an herb rather than a vegetable, but the plant’s ability to grow quickly and thrive in cold temperatures makes it deserve a spot on this list of vegetables for fall harvests. We often think of cilantro as a warm-weather herb since it pairs well with tomatoes and cucumbers, but it actually grows best in cool temperatures.