So many options and not enough space is how I feel about my home vegetable garden. But this fall, I've planned out my plot with military precision.
My yard is mainly filled with ornamental beds, with a few hardy herbs and perennial vegetables nestled among the flowers. Much of my vegetable growing is confined to a generous raised bed, containers, and grow bags.
Though my summer vegetables are still being harvested, I have selected my fall crops so I can get planting as soon as possible. Fall is a fantastic time to grow cool-weather crops that will withstand the cold.
I have taken inspiration from yield-boosting vegetable garden ideas such as square-foot gardening to make the most of every inch. However, this year I plan to add at least one patio planter to increase my growing space.
If you are just starting a vegetable garden, then I hope my essential shopping list inspires you to get growing.
Root Vegetables
For flavor and versatility, you can't beat root vegetables. I love to grow colorful varieties that brighten up a salad plate or release their sweetness as they are roasted. The only downside is that they are hidden beneath the soil, so more patience and faith are needed as I wait for them to grow.
Carrots are such a staple ingredient in my house that I like to grow a classic variety – such as Nantes – along with something more unusual. This unique Rainbow Blend includes five different hues of carrots: 'Atomic Red', 'Cosmic Purple', 'Solar Yellow', 'Lunar White', and 'Bambino' – offering a feast for the eyes as well as a delightful mix of flavors.
My favorite way to eat beets is as tender baby vegetables, so I am going to include some as intercrops to help max out my plot. The Detroit Dark Red beet is a heritage variety and an excellent allrounder – ideal for eating fresh and for canning. I always think beets look so attractive in the vegetable garden too, with their vibrant red roots and lush leaves, which are also delicious.
If you've never grown radishes, then it's time to rectify that oversight. Radishes are quick to crop, giving results in as little as 4 weeks, and take up almost no room. I tend to sow a few radish seeds in between other slower-growing crops. Rivoli is sweet, mildly peppery, and has a lovely crunch. Its watermelon-red skin and crisp, white interior make dishes look so inviting. A hardy radish, Rivoli copes well with fluctuating weather and resists common diseases.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are some of the healthiest vegetables you can grow and often thrive in cooler weather. I prefer to harvest them as cut-and-come-again crops wherever possible, picking a fresh batch of leaves every few days.
Swiss chard is one of my favorite vegetables to grow as it looks so beautiful in the garden, and tastes great in stir-fries. Bright Lights offers a delightful color mix in vibrant yellow, pink, crimson, orange, purple, white, and green. It's ready to start harvesting just 60 days from sowing.
Kale is packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and I often include it in recipes. So, this fall, I'm eager to try growing Lacinato kale, an Italian heritage variety that's been popular since the 18th century. It's known for its hardy plants, high yields, and great flavor. The leaves grow up to two feet in length, and when harvested from the bottom the plant takes on an almost tropical palm tree form.
The last time I grew spinach, it was quickly devoured by the local slug and snail population. So this year, I'm going to set up a simple slug trap to keep them at bay, as I really want to try again. Tundra is an organic, semi-savoy spinach that I'm eager to grow for its superior taste and longer shelf life. It has an upright growth habit that keeps the leaves off the dirt and can be harvested as cut-and-come-again.
Aromatic Herbs
Herbs are an essential part of my kitchen garden. I particularly rely on them in the fall, when I start cooking roast dinners, casseroles, and soups. I usually plant low-maintenance shrubs such as rosemary, mint, and sage in the garden, and grow short-lived basil, cilantro, and parsley on the kitchen windowsill. However, I want to try growing some more in the garden.
I just love adding zesty cilantro to salads, wraps, and curries. While I have previously grown it in spring, I am going to attempt a fall harvest this year with an early September sowing of Park Seed's Marino organic cilantro seeds. The variety is known for its vigorous growth and bolt resistance, and I'm told I can begin harvesting within 55 days.
Fall is an ideal time to sow parsley seeds. The crop is cold hardy and planting at this time of year gives you the maximum chance to harvest leaves before the plants go to seed in the summer. This year I will grow Park Seed's Italian flat-leaf organic parsley to complement my passion for Italian food. It's such a versatile herb that can brighten up any plate as a garnish, or be added to countless dishes.
I have never grown thyme from seed before, but it's one of my favorite herbs, so I'm going to try these English organic thyme seeds from Park Seed. Apparently, I can sow them in August or September, to give seedlings a chance to get going before the frosts come. If it doesn't work out, I will try again in the spring as there are 100 seeds in the pack.
Tools and Accessories
When I first started growing my own produce, I didn't know what tools and products I really needed and tried to save money where I could. But over time I have learned that it's best to invest in quality, multitasking designs that will last for years to come. There are only a few truly essential gardening tools, so buy the best you can afford.
While I plan to direct sow certain seeds, others will be started in seed modules and then transplanted into the perfect positions. Rather than buy those cheap trays that quickly break, this year I am going to invest in one of Vego Garden's seedling bundles. They are much better quality and you can customize the kit to choose your preferred tray size. The lids include an irrigation chamber that gently drips water onto the seedlings, while the tray has a watering channel, so that seed starts won't dry out quickly.
I have heard so many rave reviews of Vego's hori hori knife that I am eager to try it for myself. This 10-in-1 tool has so many useful features, including a flat and serrated blade for harvesting crops, a shovel for digging down into the soil, a ruler for measuring planting depths, a nail puller, four wrenches, and even a bottle opener. It comes in a heavy-duty case that clips right to your belt.
I don't care what I look like when I'm gardening, but I do enjoy having accessories that elevate laborious tasks and make life a little bit easier. So I just love Crescent Garden's Gabrielle chic multipurpose bag, which comes in a variety of uplifting colors and is ergonomically designed for ease of carrying. You can use it in the garden to fill with tools, weeds, clippings, and even water, then rinse it out and use it for a trip to the beach or grocery store.
Vegetable Planters
I am always looking for more ways to increase my growing space, and this fall will invest in a new patio planter. These three designs have made it onto my wish list.
These herb garden beds are so charming and will be perfect for my home-grown herbs. Measuring 17 inches tall and 24 inches wide, they're the ideal size for a mix of annual herbs, or a more established single perennial shrub. Vego's beds are made from recyclable, corrosion-resistant metal that is completely food-safe. These herb beds come in a twin pack, and they would look great positioned on either side of the back door.
This stylish planter box has a slatted design inspired by classic wooden planters but with a modern edge. What particularly interests me is that it features self-watering technology, incorporating a reservoir at the base. This waters plants from the roots up, allowing them to take in just the amount of water they need to thrive and develop deep roots for healthier growth. Ideal for those busy periods when I'm finding it difficult to keep on top of watering.
My daughter is only two, but it's never too early to ignite a passion for gardening. I want to encourage her to spend time outside and to learn about where food comes from, so it would be fun to plant up this Kids' First Garden Bed. Measuring 17" tall, 2ft deep and 3.5ft wide, it is surprisingly roomy. Vego says it will accommodate 16 carrot plants in the fall, so that sounds like a good place to start. Then in the summer, it will fit 6 tomato plants. I can't wait to start planting!
This article features products available from third-party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop.
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