Have you ever thought to yourself, “How did people survive the winter several years ago without a refrigeration system and modern canning technology?” Aside from various preservation methods including fermentation and root cellars, there were also fall gardens.

Did you know that different types of vegetables are better suited for particular times of year? There is a reason your lettuce is bitter when temperatures creep over 80 degrees f and squash dies after a frost.

There are cold tolerant or frost tolerant vegetables and there are heat tolerant vegetables.

What I find even more interesting about growing your own food and growing different things at different times is that often times those vegetables and fruits coincide with the vitamins and minerals our bodies need based on what is happening with our environment!

Dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower), and citrus are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need for a strong immune system and support.

On the contrary, melons, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers are full of water and electrolytes that replenish what our bodies lose in the summer heat.

Neat how that works, don’t ya think?

With that being said, I wanted to compile a list of exactly what I’m growing in my fall garden and I’m telling you this now because it’s planting time!

Fall Garden Grow List

• Carrots: Denver 126 for cold storage
• Irish Potatoes
• Summer squash and zucchini (For harvesting just before the frost)
• Spaghetti squash (for storage)
• Pumpkins
• Mini gourds
• Sunflowers
• Zinnias
• Bush beans
• Southern peas
• Radishes (for picking)
• Kale, Spinach, and Mizuna

Most of what I listed I hope to harvest from just before the first frost hits. However, I hope to leave the carrots to over winter in my raised beds for storage.

As for the greens, I plan to place rebar on each corner on each side of my raised bed and cover the plants. They will withstand the cooler temperatures where I live so long as they aren’t directly contacted by a hard frost. I’m hoping to grow enough to freeze dry and turn into a powder for smoothies and soups.

This will be my first official fall garden and I am hoping it is a success. If it is a complete failure, there is always next year.

Happy fall gardening!