Fall Vegetables You Can Grow in Small Spaces

When it’s time to transition small gardens to fall crops, choosing the right plants is the first key step. Dozens of veggies can flourish in cooler weather, but not all of them are well-suited to tiny gardens and containers.

Fortunately, many fall vegetables grow well in small spaces. Crunchy roots that last into winter and fresh greens that liven up autumn plates are just a few plants you can tuck into compact growing areas.

I’ll share a few fall vegetables for small spaces that you can add to your garden, raised bed, or any other growing area you have available.

Warrior Bunching Onion

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French Breakfast Radish

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Mokum Carrot

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Radish

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

Crunchy, bright, and a little bit peppery, radishes are some of the best fall vegetables for small spaces. Their roots thrive in cooler temperatures and last long into the season.

You can grow a wide variety of radishes in the fall, including small varieties like ‘Easter Egg Blend’ and larger storage varieties like ‘Miyashige White Daikon’ and ‘Round Black Radish.’ All types of radishes grow best when you directly sow the seeds, so you don’t have to worry about starting seedlings.

Smaller radish varieties take up less space, so you can sow the seeds about two inches apart in rows four to six inches apart. Space larger varieties four to six inches apart with eight to ten inches between each row.

Some people find it difficult to determine when it’s time to harvest the underground roots. I recommend using the crop’s days to maturity as a guide, then checking the size of the roots. Brush soil from the tops of the roots to see if they’ve hit the size you like. Remove the tops after harvesting, and store the roots for up to a month.

Arugula

	botanical name Eruca sativa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-8”
	hardiness zones 6-9

Arugula is one of my favorite greens to toss into a salad. The tender leaves have a slightly peppery bite that adds extra flavor without being overwhelming. Plus, the quick-growing fall vegetables are perfect for small spaces.

You can direct sow arugula seeds anytime from the beginning to the middle of fall. To enjoy baby greens, sow two to three seeds per inch in rows spaced two to four inches apart. The seeds will germinate within a few days, and the leaves will reach a harvestable stage in about three weeks.

When the arugula reaches your preferred size, use a knife or pair of scissors to harvest it. Cut the greens about an inch above the base of the plant to allow the leaves to continue growing.

Turnip

	botanical name Brassica rapa var. rapa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Turnips are easy-to-grow roots that remain compact, making them great fall vegetables for small spaces. Although the greens can grow over a foot tall, they only require a few square inches of space to thrive. Keeping the greens clear of pests like flea beetles, harlequin bugs, and cabbage worms is the most challenging part of growing these roots.

You can choose from cooking turnips like ‘Purple Top White Globe’ or salad turnips like ‘White Lady.’ The latter is best when harvested at a smaller size, so it’s perfect when you’re working with limited garden space.

Turnips grow best when you directly sow the seeds in the garden. Space each seed two to four inches apart, depending on the size you plan to harvest the roots. Both the greens and roots are delicious, but it’s best to separate them after harvesting for maximum shelf life.

Lettuce Mix

	botanical name Lactuca sativa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-8”
	hardiness zones 2-11

All lettuce types grow well in autumn, but baby lettuces take up less space than the larger heads. Baby greens meant for lettuce mix also take about a month to mature, making them a great option if you’re reaching the point where limited day length stalls plant growth.

Direct sowing is the easiest and most common way to plant lettuce that you intend to harvest as salad mix. Choose a mix of varieties and plant about one seed per inch in rows three to four inches apart. Lettuce won’t reliably germinate in temperatures above 80°F (27°C), so keep the soil moist and covered if you’re planting near the end of summer.

You can harvest at any stage, but I recommend waiting until the leaves are between three and five inches tall. Grab a knife and cut the plants just above their growth point so the small leaves can continue growing. You can also hand-pick the larger outer leaves from the outside of the plant.

In the fall, you can expect to harvest your lettuce mix continuously for several months. The plants can even continue producing into the early winter if you cover them with row cover when temperatures dip below freezing.

Baby Kale

	botanical name Brassica oleracea var. sabellica
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-6”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Baby kale allows you to enjoy the flavor and nutrition of kale without sacrificing all your garden space to the large plants. Sowing many of these fall vegetables in small spaces just a few inches apart creates a lush carpet of tender kale leaves that you can harvest for salads or cooking.

Many growers like to use ‘Red Russian’ for baby kale, but you can sow any kale variety you like. Harvesting is similar to other baby greens; cut the plants a few inches above the growth point so the smaller leaves can keep growing.

These baby greens are susceptible to the same pests as the larger plants. Keep an eye out for cabbage worms, flea beetles, harlequin bugs, aphids, and other kale pests. Covering the plants at seeding physically excludes the pests and prevents them from damaging your plants.

Carrots

	botanical name Daucus carota subsp. sativus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 2-11

If there’s one root vegetable to grow in the fall, it’s carrots. The roots take on a remarkably sweet flavor as cooler temperatures cause the plants to condense their sugars to prevent cells from freezing. Plus, you can leave them in the ground during cooler weather and harvest them as needed.

Carrots take two to three months to mature, so sowing them early in the fall is a key part of enjoying a successful harvest. Planting in early to mid-September works well in most growing areas, but you can also sow the seeds earlier in the year. 

Plant the seeds about one to two inches apart, and keep them moist until they germinate one to two weeks later. You can plant multiple rows of carrots about four inches apart. This tight spacing allows you to plant a lot of these fall vegetables in small spaces.

Green Onions

	botanical name Allium fistulosum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 3-9

Also known as scallions, green onions produce small white bottoms and long green leaves. All of the plant is edible and provides a bright oniony flavor to dishes.

You can grow green onions by directly sowing the seeds or transplanting. Planting the seeds in your garden is easier and allows you to skip the extra steps involved in raising seedlings, but transplanting decreases the time to harvest. Regardless of which option you choose, you can sow a line of seeds one inch apart, or plant clusters of four to six seeds every six inches.

Green onions are ready to harvest when they’re about the width of a pencil. Grab the onion near its base and give a firm yet gentle tug to remove it from the ground.

Beets

	botanical name Beta vulgaris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Red beets like ‘Ruby Queen’ are the most popular, but you can also grow golden varieties like ‘Touchstone Gold’ and candystriped options like ‘Chioggia.’ All of these varieties grow in similar manners and require the same growing conditions and spacing.

Most gardeners grow these fall vegetables in small spaces by directly sowing the seeds in the garden. Plant a seed every one to two inches and wait for the seedlings to emerge. Once the seedlings have their first set of true leaves, thin them so they’re three to four inches apart.

You can harvest beets at any size, but allowing the roots to grow two to three inches wide provides the most veggies for your kitchen. Expect the plants to take two to three weeks to reach this size in the fall.

Spinach

	botanical name Spinacia oleracea
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-6”
	hardiness zones 2-9

Spinach is one of the most cold-tolerant fall vegetables you can grow in small spaces. Each plant requires only a few square inches to grow, and it will continue producing new leaves for multiple months. Since each plant only provides a few leaves at a time, sow multiple if you want enough spinach to use in salads or other recipes.