Planning to Establish a Garden Late in the Year? Plant These Seeds in the Soil Immediately
With the arrival of late summer, gardeners can still enjoy a productive garden by planting fast-maturing crops that thrive in cooler weather. These crops, which include radishes, lettuce, beets, arugula, bush beans, cucumbers, zucchini, and scallions, can be direct-sown and harvested before the first frost.
Radishes, among the fastest maturing, are ready to harvest in as few as 20 to 22 days. They thrive with consistent moisture and prefer lean soil. Succession planting every week or two is possible for a steady fall harvest.
Lettuce, such as the heat-resistant varieties like Jericho, Muir, or Buttercrunch, can be direct-sown in midsummer. Growing them in partial shade helps during hot days, and they mature quickly enough to be harvested before frost if planted by July or early August.
Beets, both the greens and roots, are edible and mature in about 50 to 60 days. They can be direct-sown 6 to 8 weeks before the first frost and do best in loose, well-drained soil with good organic content. Beets sweeten as temperatures cool.
Arugula, a fast-growing leafy green, is suitable for direct sowing, especially in cooler climates. It can mature quickly enough for harvest before the first frost in late summer or early fall.
Bush beans, with a growing period of roughly 50 to 60 days, are a good choice for direct sowing in July to harvest before frost, particularly in cooler climates.
Cucumbers and zucchini, warm-season crops, grow fast and can be direct-sown in warm soil for harvest before frost in suitable climates.
Scallions, known for their tidiness and fast growth, can be treated like a cut-and-come-again crop, trimming the tops and letting the base keep growing. They are surprisingly cold-tolerant and can be harvested in about 30 to 45 days.
Pak choi, a versatile leafy vegetable, thrives in various growing conditions, including beds, pots, or small garden patches. It matures in under 30 days and prefers the conditions of late summer and early fall. Pak choi's crisp stalks and dark green leaves hold up well in stir-fries, soups, or raw in slaws.
Spinach, which can be harvested in as little as 25 days, has the magical ability to overwinter in many regions. It performs better when the days start getting shorter and prefers cooler temperatures.
In general, the best candidates for direct sowing late in the season are fast-maturing, cold-tolerant crops that can complete their growth cycle in 20 to 60 days. Typical planting windows for these crops for fall harvest are about 6 to 8 weeks before the expected first frost.
| Crop | Days to Harvest | Notes | |-------------|-----------------|----------------------------------------| | Radishes | 20-22 | Very fast, suitable for succession planting | | Lettuce | 30-60 | Use heat-tolerant varieties, partial shade recommended | | Beets | 50-60 | Harvest greens earlier, roots sweeter with cool weather | | Arugula | ~30 | Fast-growing leafy green, cold-hardy | | Bush Beans | 50-60 | Warm-season, direct sow in warm soil | | Cucumbers | ~50 | Warm-season, direct sow in warm soil | | Zucchini | ~50 | Warm-season, harvest before frost | | Scallions | 30-45 | Cold-tolerant, tidy, and endlessly useful | | Pak choi | <30 | Versatile, thrives in various conditions | | Spinach | 25 | Cold-hardy, performs better with shorter days |
These crops can be successfully direct-sown in midsummer to early fall for harvest before the first frost, focusing on fast growth and some cold tolerance. Happy planting!
- Gardeners can still enjoy a productive garden in late summer by planting fast-maturing crops like radishes, lettuce, beets, arugula, bush beans, cucumbers, zucchini, scallions, pak choi, and spinach.
- Radishes, one of the fastest maturing crops, are ready to harvest in as few as 20 to 22 days and thrive with consistent moisture in lean soil.
- Lettuce varieties such as Jericho, Muir, or Buttercrunch can be direct-sown in midsummer and mature quickly enough for harvest before frost when grown in partial shade.
- Beets, both the greens and roots, are edible and mature in about 50 to 60 days, doing best in loose, well-drained soil with good organic content.
- Arugula is a fast-growing leafy green suitable for direct sowing, especially in cooler climates, and can be harvested before the first frost in late summer or early fall.
- Bush beans have a growing period of roughly 50 to 60 days and are a good choice for direct sowing in July to harvest before frost, particularly in cooler climates.
- Cucumbers and zucchini, warm-season crops, can be direct-sown in warm soil for harvest before frost in suitable climates.
- Scallions are surprisingly cold-tolerant, endlessly useful, and can be harvested in about 30 to 45 days, making them suitable for a late summer and early fall garden.
- Pak choi and spinach maturate quickly and thrive in the conditions of late summer and early fall, providing a harvest of crisp stalks and dark green leaves before the first frost, ideal for stir-fries, soups, or raw in slaws.
