Peter Huttinger, community garden program director at Turner Farm in Indian Hill, gets down to the roots on five cool-weather crops you can plant in your garden at home.
Photograph by valya82/stock.adobe.com
Lettuce and Leafy Greens
Lettuce varieties that do well in the fall include Black-Seeded Simpson, Buttercrunch, and Oakleaf. If there is going to be an early freeze, harvest as small, tender leaves for salads and sautéing.
Beans
Sow seeds in early August in a sunny spot. Bush beans are low growing, and runner beans need a trellis. Varieties are available in different colors and sizes, making them a lovely edible ornamental.
Root Crops
Radishes, carrots, beets, and turnips make good cool-weather crops. Radishes mature in 25–30 days; carrots in 60–80 days; and beets and turnips in 45–70 days. Their greens liven up a salad or stir fry.
Cabbage
First-time gardeners should go with cabbage; if there is an early hard freeze, the young leaves are very tasty. Transplant seedlings (do not sow seed) in late July and early August.
Garlic
Plant individual cloves from seed garlic in late September and in October. They will begin to grow in the fall, go dormant over the winter, then come back in early spring and be ready to harvest by late June.
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