Photos by Christine Rae Miller (Location: Zone 7a - Heartland of the US)

It's Fall! And it's your next chance to grow your own fresh veggies!

September was scorching this year. But the temperatures are finally dropping and rain is returning. With the milder days and cool, crisp nights, leafy greens will steal the show. So far, I’ve been starting most of mine in the house, and they’ve been germinating in under a week. As the sun continues to get less intense, I’ll begin direct seeding in the garden, as well.

The leafy greens I’m sharing with you in this article are great choices to try when you take the Seed Starting Quick Course with me. They’re perfect for beginner and experienced gardeners alike, not to mention chef-gardeners! The plants will need a location with at least partial sun. Plant them in the ground or in your favorite container.

A Few Things I’ve Already Started This Fall

Tokinashi Turnips

Bright white round salad turnips with vivid green leaves — ***Tokinashi Turnips***
*by Christine Rae Miller*

Salad turnips, such as Tokinashi, take around 50 days. If they don't fully mature before cold weather hits, you can still enjoy the greens. The crisp and juicy roots have a sweet, mild flavor. I usually harvest mine fresh and use them raw. But they can also be pickled and, with proper care, can be a storage crop.

Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard can not only provide leaves this fall, but with winter protection, will still be producing next spring. The variety I have started right now is Five Color Silverbeet. It has brilliant colors of pink, yellow, orange, red, and white. Swiss Chard is the same species as beets, so the leaves carry a touch of that earthy flavor. They can be celebrated in their own way or used in recipes to replace spinach.

Asian Greens

White stems with flared green leaves on Chinese Cabbage in the foreground and light green leaves fringed and splashed with burgundy on Mustard leaves in the background — ***Late Nagasaki Chinese Cabbage and Giant Red Mustard***
*by Christine Rae Miller*

Asian greens such as Bok Choy and Chijimisai like the cool fall temps. For Chinese cabbage, I've found golden varieties to mature the quickest. And spicy mustards are a fast cool-weather win. Growing in my seed rack right now are Purple Lady Bok Choy, Chijimisai, Golden Beauty Chinese Cabbage, and Giant Red Mustard. So many uses for the leaves! Use them fresh in salads. Sauté, steam, or add to soups. And they can be fermented, especially the Chinese Cabbage. Ready for some kimchi?

Lettuce

Lettuce that found the summer too hot will make a fresh appearance. Plant close together for fast leaf lettuce. For larger lettuce, plan to provide frost protection later. Lettuce plants are shallow-rooted, so they’re great to fill in under warm-weather plants that are still in the garden. Growing your own means opportunities for more than just green. Right now, I have planted red Lunix and spotted Flashy Butter Gem. Since I use mini-greenhouses through the winter, I’ll still be planting series of lettuce throughout the entire month of October.

If you'd like some help starting your own seeds, it would be an honor to have you join me in the course I made for you.

Help me start some seeds, please

Hear about and view seedlings of these veggies in this YouTube Short.

by Christine Rae Miller, founder of The Imagined Garden

It’s Fall! Plant these Veggies for Fresh Fall Fare