Note the name of 18 quick-growing Fall Vegetables to Plant in Containers for a bountiful harvest in limited space.
1. Beetroot
You can grow beets in late summer and early fall for late fall and early winter harvest. If you’re living in a moderate climate, keep growing in winters as well. Not just the roots, beet greens are also edible and tasty. Learn everything about growing beets in pots here.
2. Collard Greens
Collard greens planted in fall are more flavorful than spring harvest. You can start planting this veggie after the summer between early to mid-fall until 6-8 weeks before the expected first frost date in your region.
Also Read: Fast Growing Vegetables for Impatient Gardeners
3. Beans
You can have a bountiful harvest of green beans planted in autumn. For fall planting, select types of beans that produce early in 60-80 days, unless you live in a frost-free zone. Bush bean varieties are suitable for this.
4. Green Onions
Not just in the fall, you can grow green onions continuously, year-round. As you are harvesting them early, they are ready in about 3-4 weeks when planted from onion sets. The mild flavor makes them an excellent addition to soups, pasta, salads, omelets, and stews. Learn everything about growing green onions here.
5. Lettuce
Whether you talk about the taste or vitamin content, homegrown lettuce surpasses store-bought any day. Being a cool-season crop, it can grow in fall easily. Plant it a minimum of eight weeks before the frost for fall lettuce. It can tolerate light frost as well! Learn how to grow lettuce here.
6. Kohlrabi
It’s a descendant of wild cabbage and belongs to the same species as kale and cabbage with a flavor similar to a turnip. If you are looking for a fall crop, sow seeds in mid-summer or late summer–in July or August. In a hot climate, you can grow it in winters as well.
7. Peas
Timing is most crucial if you are looking to have a fall harvest for peas. Give peas 8-12 weeks before the first frost to grow; mid to late summer should be a good time. Check out our detailed article on growing peas here.
8. Radish
This root vegetable is easy to grow, and you can plant it in both the spring and fall. The good time to sow the seeds for fall planting is at least 4-6 weeks before the first fall frost. Radishes tend to bolt in hot weather, so make sure to plant it in moderate temperature ranges. See how to grow radish in pots here!
9. Arugula
It’s another name, “Rocket” is quite popular as well. This salad green is a member of the mustard family, which is why it has a zap of peppery flavor. For harvest in fall, plant it in late summer and early fall. The green grows quickly and is ready for picking in just 4-6 weeks salads.
10. Bok Choi
Belonging to the cabbage family, bok choy is also known as Pak Choy. It’s a cool-weather crop and can be sown in mid to late summer and early fall. The baby bok choy will be ready for harvest in 30 days, whereas large varieties take 4-6 weeks. It’s rich in nutrients and a perfect addition to any calorie-deficient diet. Learn more about growing this green vegetable here.
11. Carrot
You can get an idea about planting carrots for fall harvest with the average first frost date in your region. It takes 10-12 weeks for carrots to grow, so give them that much time. You can have some radishes along with carrots in a big container or raised bed as radishes can be pulled out earlier before carrots even mature. Don’t miss these carrot growing tips!
12. Mustard Greens
You’ll get a bit spicy and somewhat sweeter flavor from tender mustard greens when planted in autumn. One of the best fall vegetables to plant in containers, it can tolerate light frost, although not as cold hardy as spinach and kale. You’ll be surprised if it might overwinter if you’ll provide a warm microclimate in cold winter. If you live in a mild climate, keep growing it in winters with ease.
Also Read: 22 Flavorful Leafy Greens You Can Grow in Pots
13. Spinach
Plant spinach seeds in late summer in august. You can do this till September as well for late fall and winter harvest. As you’ll be growing spinach in pots, you can keep it indoors in winters on a windowsill or in a cold frame and wait for the cool days to pass and get early and mid-spring harvest again. Learn more on growing spinach here.
Also Read: 11 Vegetables You Can Grow on a Windowsill
14. Kale
In the fall harvest, kale offers a unique sweet and nutty flavor as when leaves mature in the cold, they are sweeter. Plant it around 6-8 weeks before the first frost for fall harvest. One good thing about kale is that its cold hardy than other members of the wild cabbage family.
15. Swiss Chard
Swiss chard tends to bolt when it matures in summer, so having it as a fall crop can cure this. Make sure to plant chard at least before 40 days of the expected first fall frost date. You can protect the plant from early frost easily as you’re growing it in containers.
16. Turnip
Except for the hot summer months, this cool-season crop can grow in both the spring and fall. For a more sweet and tender flavor, the autumn crop is preferred, the seeds are sown in late summer!
17. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato is the morning glory family plant known for its sweet and edible tuberous roots. You can grow it in spring and then again in late summer and early fall in a way that it must receive 100-120 frost-free days. You can keep this excellent ornamental vine as a houseplant as well.
18. Daikon
Daikon is a type of radish that is popularly grown in Asian countries. It grows best in the cool weather of fall. Start successive planting from late summer till early or mid-fall for early winter harvest. Keep growing in winters if you live in a frost-free, mild climate. Learn about other radish types here.
I’m interested in growing various types of leaves for salad. I have a terrace. I’ve no idea about soil and how to make it. Can you help n guide me?
Why don’t you go to your garden center and pick up a couple of bags of a garden soil blend, add a little fertilizer put it in your pots, add your seeds, water every day and presto you have lettuce. Its that easy. Good Luck!
I’m going to add these to my pepper collection!
Container media can be reused as long as no soilborne disease problems have occurred, such as Verticillium or Fusarium wilt, in the previous season. If disease was present, the media needs to be discarded or added to an area in the yard or garden that has resistant plants such as grasses, lilies, or ferns. When reusing container media from year to year, organic matter breaks down and decomposes, causing a decrease in the size of particles and pore space, resulting in reduced drainage and aeration. Emptying out the container mix, breaking up the material and any old roots, and re-blending keep the media from getting too compacted. Because many of the nutrients are used by plants or leached out during the previous growing season, add additional media, compost, and fertilizer.