Preparing for the Fall Vegetable Garden
It’s Summer… So Let’s Talk About Fall
Why planning your fall garden now makes all the difference
As soon as your summer garden is planted and starting to thrive, it might feel a little wild to already be thinking about fall. But in Michigan, that’s exactly what we need to do.
Because fall gardening isn’t something you can wing at the last minute. It takes a bit of prep—but I promise it’s worth it.
From fresh leafy greens to second chances at broccoli and bok choy, fall is a deeply underrated growing season. And when you time things just right, you can extend your harvest well beyond the typical summer peak.
Let’s walk through how to get started.
Why Fall Gardening Feels Tricky—And How to Make It Work
The biggest reason people skip the fall garden? They simply don’t see how it’s possible.
Your summer crops are just starting to pop. It feels like things are finally getting going. So where, exactly, is this magical space supposed to appear?
That’s the first shift.
You’re not starting from scratch. You’re cycling back through.
Fall gardening in Michigan means reusing space from your spring crops—like peas, lettuce, and spent brassicas—and giving those beds a second act.
It’s also a different kind of gardening. Temperatures are dropping. The daylight hours are getting shorter. And while spring gardens are easy to direct sow, fall can be a little more finicky.
What You Need to Know for a Successful Fall Garden
🥬 1. Start Seeds Indoors for Better Results
Here’s my best tip, hands down:
Start your fall garden from transplants—not seeds.
In the spring, the soil is cool and gentle—perfect for tossing seeds straight into the ground.
In late summer? Not so much.
Our August soil is often too hot and dry for sensitive seeds like spinach or lettuce. Starting them indoors (or in a shaded area outdoors) gives them a better head start.
I’ve also found it’s still harder than it should be to find quality fall veggie transplants at local nurseries, so I usually grow my own.
Here’s what I start from seed indoors for fall:
Broccoli
Cabbage
Brussels Sprouts
Kohlrabi
Beets
Lettuce
Cilantro
Fennel
Dill
Even just a few trays of seedlings can set you up for a beautifully abundant September garden.
🍂 2. Understand What Will Thrive in Fall
Fall veggies fall into two camps:
Fast-growing, cool-loving crops like lettuce, radishes, and baby greens—these will grow quickly but aren’t frost tolerant.
Cold-tolerant staples like spinach and peas—they’ll handle frosts without protection but will eventually slow down once the days get too short.
Knowing the difference helps you time your harvests and avoid disappointment. Some crops are meant to be enjoyed before the first frost. Others will ride it out like champs.
🌿 3. Make Room by Rotating Spring Spaces
Not sure where your fall garden will go? Look at what’s coming out of your garden right now.
Things like:
Spring peas
Bolted spinach
Spent radishes
Broccoli that’s done flowering
All of that early-season stuff is ready to move on—and that’s exactly where your fall garden can go in.
Plan now to use those open spots for:
Cabbage
Carrots
Bok choy
Radishes
Kale
It’s all about rotation and rhythm.
Don’t Forget Your Fall Orders: Garlic + Flower Bulbs
Fall isn’t just for veggies! There are two more things I always prep for in late summer—garlic and bulbs.
🧄 Garlic
Order now, plant in October.
Garlic goes in right before our first frost in mid-October and stays in the ground all winter.
Most seed garlic sellers are taking orders by July/August, so don’t wait too long! I plant mine in late fall and harvest it in June.
🌸 Flower Bulbs
Yes, this is a veggie garden blog—but for me, flowers are part of my food-growing system.
I’ve had pollination struggles in the past so I’m always planning to plant extra spring bulbs to bring pollinators into my garden space.
I’ll be ordering:
Spring-blooming Narcissus (daffodils)
Tulips
Peonies
Irises
So while they may not be edible, they’re still a great addition
Let This Fall Be Your Second Season
Fall gardens are quieter.
Cooler.
A little less urgent than spring.
But they’re every bit as satisfying—and in many ways, more approachable once you get the timing right.
If you’ve never grown a fall garden before, or you’ve tried and struggled, let this be the year you keep it simple and steady.
Start a few transplants.
Clear out a couple early-summer beds.
Get your garlic and bulb orders in.
You don’t need to overhaul your whole garden—just use what you’ve already planted as a starting point.
Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Growing with Confidence?
If planning your fall garden feels like one big question mark—or honestly, if you’ve ever stared at your raised bed thinking “what now?”—I created something just for you.
🌿 “Stop Guessing: Keys to Easy Growing” is my signature mini-class that breaks down exactly how to plan and tend a vegetable garden that works for your life, your space, and your season.
Whether you’re brand new or you’ve dabbled and want to feel more in control, this class walks you through:
The foundational mindset shifts that simplify gardening (yes, really)
My system for choosing what to grow, when
The biggest mistakes I see gardeners make—and how to avoid them
It’s short, digestible, and packed with real-life insight from my years in the garden and with clients across Metro Detroit.
✨ If you’ve been piecing it together with blog posts and Instagram tips, this is your chance to bring it all together.
Let’s take the guesswork out of growing.
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