The Best Flowers, Plants, and Vegetables to Grow This Fall

Fall is one of the most rewarding seasons in the garden. The air is cooler, the soil is still warm from summer, and many plants actually thrive in the shorter days and crisp temperatures. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, autumn is the perfect time to get your hands in the garden.

Here’s what to plant — and what to look for at your local nursery — this fall.

Best Fall Flowers

Mums (Chrysanthemums)
The unofficial flower of fall, mums come in rich shades of orange, burgundy, yellow, and white. Plant them in early fall for a long bloom season that carries your garden well into October.

Pansies
Cold-hardy and cheerful, pansies are one of the few flowers that actually prefer cool weather. They’ll bloom through light frosts, making them a reliable choice for fall color.

Asters
These daisy-like blooms arrive just as summer flowers fade, offering bursts of purple, pink, and white at exactly the right time. They’re also a favorite of late-season pollinators.

Ornamental Kale & Cabbage
Technically a plant, but visually stunning — ornamental kale adds dramatic texture and color to fall container gardens and borders.

Best Fall Vegetables

Kale & Swiss Chard
Both crops are cold-tolerant and actually taste sweeter after a frost. Plant in late summer or early fall for a harvest that lasts well into the season.

Broccoli & Cauliflower
These cool-season vegetables are ideally suited for fall growing. Start transplants in late summer so heads develop during the cooler weeks of autumn.

Garlic
Fall is the best time to plant garlic — it goes in the ground now and gets harvested next summer. A small investment that pays off beautifully.

Spinach & Lettuce
Fast-growing and frost-tolerant, leafy greens are among the easiest fall crops to grow. Direct sow seeds now for fresh salads before the first hard freeze.

Root Vegetables: Carrots, Radishes & Turnips
Root vegetables love cool soil. Sow directly into garden beds for a harvest that stores well through winter.

Get Growing Before the First Frost

The window for fall planting is shorter than spring, so timing matters. Check your local frost dates and work backward to make sure your plants have enough time to establish before temperatures drop.

Fall gardening rewards the prepared. Get your beds ready, pull weeds, and make the most of one of the best growing seasons of the year.