12 Vegetables to Plant in Late Summer for a Delicious Fall Harvest

Peas

Peas (Pisum sativum or Lathyrus oleraceus) generally hold up to the cold better than beans, making them suitable for late-summer sowing. But some pea varieties mature more slowly than others, so you’ll need to shop carefully and choose seeds that will reach maturity relatively quickly.

“For peas, pick the variety with the shortest days-to-maturity that you can find,” says Annie Klodd, manager of interpretation and visitor learning at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. “Snow peas can work well for this because you can find varieties with just a 40-day time to maturity, and you can eat the pods even if the peas inside have not enlarged yet.”

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 24 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 18 inches wide (for bush or dwarf varieties) 
• Care requirements: Full sun; fertile, well-drained soil

Radishes

Known for being a fast grower, radishes (Raphanus sativus) are easy to care for and can speed from seed to harvest in about one month—sometimes even less. Plus, like most root crops, they’re generally cold-hardy. Not everybody loves radishes—the taste can be a little spicy or bitter for some people’s preference, but there’s no denying that radishes make an excellent late-summer crop.

“My favorite vegetable to plant in late summer for a fall harvest is radishes,” says Kathy Jentz, host of the GardenDC podcast. “There are certain radish varieties that do best in autumn (such as the Black Spanish radish), and these are more for using in roast vegetable dishes [rather] than eating them raw as you do with most of the spring radishes.”

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 4 to 8 inches tall x 6 to 9 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; loose soil

Beets

Beets (Beta vulgaris) are another great root crop for a fall harvest. Ever notice how apples may seem a little tart in late summer but sweeten up considerably after a light frost? Beets are the same—the sugar content increases after a dash of cold weather.

“Here in Minnesota, our fall season ends sometime in October when the first frost comes,” says Klodd. She looks for vegetables with a super-short growing season or vegetables with edible greens. “For example, we might not have long enough for a fall crop of beets, but we might plant beets anyway since we can harvest the greens,” she says.

• Zones: 2 to 10
• Size: 8 to 10 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; light soil to encourage the tubers to develop

Cilantro

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is the perfect herb for late summer planting. “My favorite crop to plant for a fall harvest is cilantro,” says Klodd. “It only takes a few weeks to get a cuttable crop of cilantro, and this is a plant that will germinate in hot weather and then thrive once the temperatures cool off. So it really makes sense for fall.”

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Carrots

Carrots (Daucus carota) grow sweeter in cold temperatures, so they will only get better with time. “With carrots it is ‘set it and forget it’—sow the seeds, wait several weeks for them to germinate, then throw a row cover over them for cold protection (if needed in your area)," says Jentz. She notes that carrots have the advantage of being able to be harvested at any stage from baby carrot to mature-sized.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 1 to 2 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; moist, well-draining soil

Kale

For super cold-toughness, kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) is a strong contender. With some varieties capable of surviving temperatures in the 20s for brief periods, you can grow kale even in northern autumns. “For brassicas, I'd say pick a brassica like kale where you can harvest the leaves in case the season gets cut short,” says Klodd.

• Zones: 2 to 8
• Size: 12 inches tall x 12 inches wide (depending on variety)
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil; prefers cool temperatures for optimum growth

Beans

Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) aren’t as frost-resistant as some of these other plants, but sometimes you need a crop that can handle late summer heat. “If you're planting when temperatures are still above 80 degrees, choose something with heat resistance so that it can germinate and grow in hot weather,” says Klodd. Try a variety of bush beans that will grow in a hurry and that you can easily cover if there’s a random cold night here and there. 

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: Depends on variety
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Broccoli

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) does fine in autumn, but the trick may be getting it through late summer’s heat. “Brassicas need to be started early, either indoors under grow lights and then transplanted out, or by directly sowing the seeds in mid-summer,” says Jentz. “During the summer heat, put a row cover (cover cloth) over them to shade them and to keep the cabbage looper moth and other pests off of them.”

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 18 inches tall x 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Leaf lettuce

In the mood for a great sandwich late in the growing season? You can do it with leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa), but you really have to hurry as lettuce isn’t cold hardy. But this is where some clever uses of cold frames and similar coverings—as well as quick-growing varieties—can help you reach the fall finish line.  

• Zones: 4 to 9; some varieties can stand colder
• Size: 6 inches tall x 6 inches wide
• Care requirements: Partial sun; loose soil

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) is an easy-to-grow vegetable that will make a great addition to the fall garden. Some varieties clock in at under 45 days, so you can squeeze in a fast harvest late in the year. Kohlrabi is another one that sweetens up with a little fall chill. 

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 18 inches tall x 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil that is still moist

Cabbage

If you’re a fan of slaws—or maybe a nice cabbage soup—you might try planting some late-summer cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata). You’ll find that some varieties will mature in as little as two months. Cabbage is pretty cold-hardy, but you have to keep the bugs from devouring it.

• Zones: 2 to 10
• Size: 10 to 14 inches tall x 10 to 14 inches wide 
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil