It’s Time To Plant Fall Vegetables

Growing your own food can be an exciting task, but it is often difficult to know when or how to get started. Knowing how and when to plant before you begin will lead you to a more successful harvest come time.

More experienced gardeners may start their own seeds, but if you are a beginner to growing a vegetable garden, it is more beneficial to give yourself a head start with cool-season crops that are already sprouting.

Sprouted vegetables will have some preestablished roots and can have a higher success rate for growing. You do not have to worry about seeds being duds and not sprouting, you just have to provide your sprouts with the right growing conditions.

Here at Patuxent Nursery, we have many options for cool-season vegetables this time of year. Grab a few of your favorites, or try out some new hardy vegetables. We have market packs available for:

• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Collards

• Kale
• Lettuce
• Mustard
• Pak Choi
• Swiss Chard

Now is the time to get all your cool weather plants in the ground, even though it’s August and the cold weather has not arrived yet. Both spring and fall are the best seasons to plant these vegetables (once cooler temperatures have arrived).

In Maryland, it’s a lot easier to grow leafy greens like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, and spinach in the fall than it is in the early spring. Here, spring can be a little unpredictable and is usually a much shorter time frame than fall. Most of the plants listed above can tolerate a light frost; in fact, they taste better and a little sweeter afterward.

It’s a good idea to amend your soil before transplanting. Having nutrient-rich soil will help your plants grow, so check out our available amendments while you are picking up your veggies.

A granular, slow-release organic fertilizer would work well in this case, like Espoma Organic BioTone or Espoma Organic GardenTone, or even leaf compost would work well to add soil nutrients for the plants. Simply follow the directions on the back of the bag and mix the fertilizer or compost with the existing soil.

After you have mixed your soil, gently flip the starts upside down and massage the roots a little. Place your loose sprouting in a small hole where the soil level matches the soil level in the old container. Try to firm the soil near the plant so that the roots make good contact with the soil.

Once you transplant them into the ground or a large container, remember to water them thoroughly. You do not want your vegetables to dry out or dry freeze (once cooler weather comes along).

Spacing depends on the type of plant, but for the bigger ones listed (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and collards), try to give them 12”-18” from the center of one plant to the center of the next. 

The smaller plants (lettuce and kale) can be spaced closer together, about 6”-8” apart. Keep in mind that this doesn’t have to be in a straight line; you will be able to fit more plants in if you alternate them or zigzag.

Stop by our nursery today and check out our full selection of cold-season vegetables we have available. Speak with our plant experts about any care questions you may have!