Fall Container Gardening: Growing Potted Veggies In Autumn

Growing potted veggies doesn't have to be difficult, and it can be highly rewarding and productive. Indeed, a container vegetable garden planted between midsummer and fall will keep you stocked with delicious veggies long after your in-ground garden is finished for the season. What you need are cropping plants that are not only seasonally appropriate, but also happy thriving in the confines of pots. So if you are keen on container gardening and want to make your cropping projects into the fall and beyond, here are some of the key crops to try.

Best Fall Vegetables for Containers

Here are a few suggestions for potted fall vegetables and tips on successful fall container gardening. 

• Arugula: Arugula is a salad green also known as “rocket.” Plant this member of the mustard family in late summer or early fall, then harvest in four to six weeks. 
• Collards: Collards are hardy, leafy greens, perfect for container vegetable gardens. Plant seeds up to six to eight weeks before the first average frost in your region.
• Lettuce seeds: Plant lettuce seeds in a wide container at least 6 inches (15 cm.) deep or start seedlings from a nursery. Lettuce needs sun, but shade is best during hot afternoons. 
• Spinach: Spinach can withstand all but the harshest winters. Plant spinach seeds in your container vegetable garden from late August to September. 
• Bok Choy: Bok Choy is a nutrient-rich member of the cabbage family. Plant baby Bok choy between midsummer and early fall, then harvest in about a month.
• Mustard greens: Mustard greens planted in autumn can tolerate light frost and they are sweeter than those planted earlier in the season.
• Radishes: Radishes are perfect fall vegetables for containers because they grow so fast. Try to get seeds planted four to six weeks before the first frost in autumn. 
• Daikon radish: Daikon radishes perform best in the cooler days of fall. Plant seeds every couple of weeks from late summer to midfall for harvest in early winter.
• Kale: Kale thrives in all but the coldest climates, although it won’t withstand several weeks of continual frost. Plant kale seeds six to eight weeks before the first frost in autumn.
• Swiss chard: Swiss chard is an ideal fall crop because it tends to bolt when it ripens in summer. Plant seeds at least 40 days before the first expected frost in your area.
• Onion: Plant onion sets in late summer and you can use these tangy potted fall vegetables in about a month.
• Kohlrabi: Sow kohlrabi seeds in pots about six weeks before the first frost in your area, or into fall and winter if your climate is mild.
• Beets: Plant beets in late summer and early fall and they’ll grow into winter if temperatures don’t drop below about 40 degrees F. (4 C.). Plant seeds in a pot at least 10 to 12 inches (25-31 cm.) deep. Eat the nutritious beets as well as the beet tops. 
• Turnips: Turnips planted in fall tend to be sweeter and more tender than those planted earlier in the season. Use a large, deep pot to accommodate the roots.