You might be finishing up picking the last tomatoes off of your plants or harvesting the rest of your summer vegetables to store for winter. Maybe spring came and you weren’t ready to start your prepper garden, so you’re dejected and waiting for the next go around. No matter the case, now is the perfect opportunity to start thinking about what kind of fall produce you are going to want to plant.
Get your mulch, shovel and gardening gloves ready for a fruitful fall production.
Tips on fall planting
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For the best chance of your fall prepper garden to succeed, you are going to want to start planting in August. This is so your plants will have enough time to fully mature before the first frost arrives.
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Plant seeds deeper into the ground for fall than you did for spring. Seeds like cool and moist environments, but the top soil in the fall can be a little warm. By going a little bit deeper than package instructions, your seeds are more likely to thrive.
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Try and choose plant varieties that mature quickly, so you can get as much produce from them as possible.
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Transplants may be your best gardening option because they handle temperature fluctuations better than seedlings.
What to plant
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Beets: Beets are best grown from seeds because once their roots start to grow they do not like to be disturbed. The bulb will keep growing until a hard freeze and even the tops can handle a little frost.
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Broccoli: Broccoli takes a long time to mature, so transplants are usually recommended during a fall planting. Broccolis prefer cooler weather, but it can be sensitive to frost. The best option is to cover them and protect the buds in case of an early cold front.
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Onions: You can plant onions two to four weeks before the average last frost date. They thrive in the warmer soil and establish solid roots before the frost takes over. They then lie dormant for winter and start regrowing in spring and because of their pre-established roots, they grow quickly.
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Carrots: Carrots are not known as the quickest growers, but there are some varieties that can be found that mature in 50 days time. They are a hearty root vegetable that stores well and would be perfect for your prepper garden. Plus, carrots are a fall plant that you can do in a windowsill pot as well, this way they are close on hand and away from any pests.
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Lettuce: Normal green leafy lettuce, kale and even spinach are all great options for your fall prepper garden. Lettuce and kale mature in less than 50 days and you can do multiple successions of them both. Many people prefer their kale and lettuce varieties to be grown in fall because it makes their leaves almost sweeter.
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