What can you plant in autumn? | 14 types of vegetables

There are also some types of vegetables for autumn that like it cooler to cold and can therefore be enjoyed fresh even in winter. As soon as the season for the summer vegetables is over, the autumn vegetables can be planted or sown. Whether outdoors, in a raised bed or better protected in a greenhouse also depends on the variety. A list of the most popular fall vegetables has been compiled in the following article.

Autumn or winter vegetables

Even in autumn and winter there is no need to do without fresh greenery. There are many types of vegetables that like it cooler and are therefore only cultivated in late summer, only to be harvested in autumn and winter and brought to the table at home. In the compiled list, the vegetables were listed by possible location as follows:

  • Autumn vegetables for the raised bed
  • Vegetables cultivated in the greenhouse
  • Winter vegetables ideal for the field
Idea: You can also vary a raised bed with a greenhouse by placing a plant box over the raised bed outdoors. In this way, the types of vegetables cultivated here are additionally protected in autumn and winter.

raised bed

A high bed is a good alternative to a flat garden bed. Since this consists of many different layers of compost and soil and is therefore particularly rich in nutrients, it is particularly well suited for the growth of vegetables. Added to this is the heat in the earth that is generated by the rotting of the garden waste used. This means that frost does not reach the roots of the plants cultivated here so quickly, even in autumn and winter. The following types of vegetables are particularly suitable for a raised bed:

Blumenkohl (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)

  • susceptible to pests in summer
  • therefore cultivation in autumn is recommended
  • Crop yields more extensive
  • Prepare seeds in August
  • Plant out seedlings in September
  • the harvest then takes place in October
  • can be blanched or frozen raw
  • otherwise consume immediately after harvest

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica)

  • no shelf life
  • can be blanched and frozen
  • Use fall or winter broccoli
  • cultivate together
  • Sow in the pot in summer
  • Planting in beds in August and September
  • Autumn broccoli ready to harvest after ten weeks
  • Winter broccoli later into May

Pak Choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)

  • popular type of cabbage from Asian cuisine
  • fine, fresh cabbage taste
  • can be eaten raw or steamed
  • does not tolerate hot temperatures
  • then shoot quickly
  • Ideal for autumn cultivation
  • Sow in August or September
  • ready for harvest six to eight weeks later
  • not storable
  • consume immediately after harvest

Radieschen (Raphanus sativus subsp. sativus)

  • sow until September
  • choose a fast-growing variety for the fall
  • can be harvested after just four weeks
  • choose a sunny spot in autumn
  • should be eaten fresh
  • are not storable
  • remove before the first frost
  • if frost hits, the tubers become soft

Topinambur (Helianthus tuberosus)

  • requires root barrier
  • therefore ideal for raised beds
  • old tuber vegetable
  • rediscovered
  • frosty temperatures are well tolerated
  • multiplies like potatoes
  • therefore only need to be planted once
  • above-ground part up to two meters high
  • use only tubers in kitchen
  • no storage possible
Note: Jerusalem artichoke is ready to harvest when the leaves change color in autumn, which is the case for this vegetable from October. The tubers can then be harvested throughout the winter as needed.

Glasshouse

In a greenhouse that is not heated, you can cultivate vegetables in a sheltered manner in autumn and winter. Too much cold, too much winter sun, wind, rain, snow and frost does not get here and the plants are still protected in winter. If it is a vegetable that is cultivated in autumn because it can withstand colder temperatures, then planted here it can be harvested long into winter. So you can cultivate the following types of vegetables and especially many types of lettuce in the greenhouse:

Karotten (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)

  • also known as carrots
  • known as a spring or summer vegetable
  • can be grown all year round
  • sow in August for fall and winter harvest
  • late carrots taste sweeter than early ones
  • when it is cold, the starch is converted into sugar
  • Blanch or freeze raw
  • also together with other varieties as “soup vegetables”
Idea: If the carrots are frozen raw, you should cut them into small pieces beforehand. Because if the carrots are thawed in their entirety, they can become very soft.

Rote Beete (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)

  • known from grandma’s kitchen
  • versatile
  • boiled or pickled
  • Sow until mid-August
  • Beets are ripe when leaves start to blotch
  • harvest before the first frost
  • longer ready for harvest in the greenhouse
  • Store the tuber raw over the winter
  • without leaves in box in cool, dark place

Different types of lettuce

  • different varieties suitable for autumn
  • especially in the shelter of a greenhouse
  • sow until the end of August
  • can even go outdoors in autumn
  • Endiviensalat (Cichorium endivia)
  • Lamb’s lettuce (Valerian)
  • Frisée lettuce or curly endive (Cichorium endivia)
  • Kopfsalat (Lactuca sativa var. Capitata)
  • cannot be stored
  • eat fresh immediately
Tip: Even if lettuce is actually a summer lettuce, cultivating it in the fall has a major advantage. Because if it’s not that warm, the lettuce doesn’t shoot as quickly, so it doesn’t start to bloom and thus becomes inedible.

outdoor

In the garden bed outdoors, all types of vegetables are cultivated that tolerate it very cold and need additional frost in order to really ripen and taste good, as is the case with kale, for example. The garden bed is completely unprotected and exposed to rain, wind and the onset of frosty nights without protection. The following fall vegetables are suitable for growing outdoors. But they could also find a place in a high bed:

Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica)

  • very frost resistant
  • Flavor unfolds properly when there is frost
  • Bitter substances are reduced by the cold
  • can stay outside all winter
  • Harvesting also takes place throughout the winter
  • robust and not susceptible to diseases
  • sow in August at the latest
  • contains a lot of vitamin C

Mangold (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)

  • tolerates light to medium frost
  • can overwinter with a layer of mulch in mild climates
  • ready to harvest again in spring
  • Sow in early August
  • Plants well developed until winter
  • Successive crop of beans or peas
  • Swiss chard ready for harvest after ten to twelve weeks
  • Leaf chard ready to harvest after just eight weeks
  • can be blanched and frozen
  • or frozen like creamed spinach
Tip: Swiss chard is a good alternative to spinach. The taste of spinach is often too bitter, especially for children, and they don’t like this vegetable. Swiss chard can be prepared like spinach, but tastes softer and more tender.

Pastinaken (Pastinaca sativa subsp. sativa)

  • related to carrots
  • popular vegetable in the Roman Empire
  • rediscovered in today’s kitchens
  • tolerates frost well
  • cultivate over the winter
  • this enhances the taste
  • sow in March
  • first recognizable formation of the beets only in July
  • Harvest shoots and leaves in summer for seasoning

Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)

  • important winter vegetable
  • hardier than other head-forming cabbages
  • nutty-sweet taste only develops after the winter
  • in winter, when temperatures are cold, glucose is formed
  • contain even more vitamin C than kale
  • in frost, the upper leaves protect the roses
  • Sow in pots in spring
  • Put the plants in the bed at the end of May
  • Harvest over the winter
  • always choose the thickest roses
Tip: Brussels sprouts can be blanched immediately after harvesting or frozen raw. So you always have the vegetables at hand, even in summer.

Spinat (Spinacia oleracea)

  • Spinach plants do not tolerate heat
  • ideal autumn vegetable for the field
  • Sow from late August to October
  • first harvest of leaves after six to eight weeks
  • very tolerant of frost
  • can therefore continue to be harvested over the winter
  • blanched freezing possible
  • also prepared as creamed spinach

Steckrüben (Brassica napus supsp. rapifera)

  • Autumn vegetable classic
  • is nevertheless often forgotten
  • tolerates frosty temperatures down to -6°Celsius
  • very hardy vegetables
  • Sow at least eight weeks before the first frost
  • ideally in August
  • Harvest from September
Note: Swedes can remain in the bed until the first long frost period begins. Then all the beets should be removed from the bed and processed further.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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