20 Vegetables to Sow Mid-Summer for Fall (Seed Sowing Plan)

There are plenty of vegetable seeds to sow mid-summer. The fast-growing ones will be ready to harvest in 4 to 8 weeks. The slower-growing cool-tolerant crops can continue in the garden all winter long with some weather protection.

For more, see the Fall Garden Checklist with tips on sowing, growing, and creative autumn projects.

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Growing Vegetables in Fall and Winter

If you’ve been reading this site for a while, you know I’m on a mission to dispel the myth that the gardening season—specifically food growing—ends as summer fades out.

Several years ago I read Niki Jabbour’s book, The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener, and it totally changed my gardening life. I had no idea you can grow vegetables right through the fall and into the winter. 

But you have to get the plants started mid-summer for it to work.

The beauty of cool-tolerant crops is they do not require pollinators and there are edible parts throughout the growth cycle.

And that means lots of fresh food between now and first frosts.

If you do decide to keep going for the winter, you’ll need some sort of cover like tarps, polytunnels, frost cloths, or cold frames. And this list of 10 vegetables to grow in winter will help get you started.

Either way, the first step is getting your seeds ready so you don’t miss out.

Getting Started

Even if you don’t want a big fall or winter garden, it is worthwhile to grow one bed or some containers of essentials like leafy salad greens and learn as you go.

You can grow until frosts set in or keep going with covers.

For my first few years, as winter set in, I just placed tarps over tall, raised beds and that was sufficient for our winter lows ( -10C | 14F).

Start Your Fall Seeds in Mid-Summer

1. Make a sowing plan (see mine for help).
2. Get your seeds ordered.
3. Start the slowest-growing crops first.

Step 1 is to make a plan (see my free plan, below) and then get your seeds ordered here. Botanical Interests has a fall vegetable seed collection here (US shipping only).

Start sowing mid-summer to allow enough time for the plants to get established. I sow the slow-growers like broccoli and cauliflower indoors away from the summer heat. The fast-growers are sown directly outdoors in a part-shade garden bed.

For winter vegetables, keep in mind that growth slows or stops in the colder months so the usual days to maturity do not apply. For example, broccoli started mid-summer will gradually stop growing as fall turns to winter and the light diminishes. The plant will essentially go dormant under its winter covers and resume growing in spring when light, and warmth returns.

A wonderful thing about cool crops is that many of these vegetables including beets, carrots, and parsnips become sweeter-tasting after exposure to frost as their starches convert to sugars.

Related: 17 Flowers Seeds to Sow Mid-Summer

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Seed Sowing Plan

1Sow Indoors Mid-Summer Under Grow Lights

These are the slow-growers that need to be established before frosts but deal with winter cold just fine with some protection.

I start this group indoors under normal fluorescent lights and transplant them outdoors in late summer. You can see my indoor seed starting setup here.

Seed catalogs often have suggestions for specific varieties that do nicely in cooler weather—or need it to avoid bolting (going to seed prematurely). There are hundreds of options!

Group 1

Botanical Interests has a selection of frost-tolerant seeds here:

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2Sow Outdoors Mid-Summer

This group is both fast and slow growing, depending on which part of the plant you want to eat.

If you want the mature crops (root veggies), start mid-summer.

Otherwise, plant them with Group 3 (late summer) and enjoy the baby leaves, shoots, and tiny fruits and roots.

Select a slightly cool or shady location to prevent bolting if you get late summer and fall heat waves like we do.

Group 2

3Sow Outdoors Late Summer

• Many of these plants take just 20-30 days to mature and you can eat them as they grow.
• Sow in the ground or containers—whatever works for your growing space.
• You can also sow seeds on a weekly basis for a continuous harvest.
• To keep it simple, look for variety seed packs sold as ‘mesclun mix’.
• To continue beyond frosts, add protective covers.

Group 3

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4Herbs to Grow Late-Summer

As mentioned, all of these are suggestions and results will depend on your growing zone and conditions. Check the “days to maturity” to get an idea of the time required.

It is also possible to grow some of these herbs indoors through the winter if you have adequate light. See How to Grow Herbs Indoors for tips.

Herbs

Related: How to Winter Sow Outdoors in Milk Jugs

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Free Printable

This two-page list shares vegetable and herb seeds to sow in mid or late summer for cool weather growing.

Keep in mind that different varieties of the same vegetable can grow at very different paces, so be sure to check your seed packets to allow enough time from seed to harvest. I’ve listed a suggested schedule in the file.

Let’s keep the gardening going all year-round!

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛