The climate is changing, the weather is getting cold day by day, and you’re looking for a guide on what vegetables to plant in October to harvest in spring. Here is a useful list of vegetables to saw for spring yields.
By the way, this guide is for the agricultural zones of 4 – 7 of the USA. It’s not intended for the United Kingdom or any other USA territories. Planting in other zones with different winter temperatures might probably result in late harvests.
So, here is the October Planting Guide for the USA, which you can immediately apply in your backyard.
Vegetables to Plant in October
Spinach
The first vegetable in the October planting guide list is spinach. When you plant spinach, it will germinate late in the month and will show up its first leaves before the weather gets colder. Protecting your plants from cold weather during short autumn days will keep them alive, and in February, you will get your first yield.
You might also like this: Kiwifruit 101 | All about Kiwi
Shallots
The best time to plant shallots is generally Autumn. As this plant is not so much cold-hardy, even for the ones living in zone 4, it might be toilsome to care about them. However, planting them at this time of the season will provide a significant amount of yield at the end of the spring next year. It’s highly advised to protect them from cold winter days by covering the beds with a mulch layer.
Garlic
The next vegetable and also a natural antibiotic in our October planting guide is garlic! Just like Shallots, one of the better times to plant and start growing garlic is Autumn. If you plant garlic in Autumn, the yields will be way fertile, stronger and in much larger bulbs in the harvest time next season.
They will head larger in the early spring, which means, it’s more likely to maximize the potential of the plant by planting in Fall than the other times of the year. The pest time of the month to plant garlic is around October 15, when it is the first expected fall frost.
Seeds to plant in October -Lettuce
The next vegetable on the list is, of course, lettuce. Lettuce is a sensitive plant and not cold hardy as garlic or even as shallots. However, when they just germinated, as the heads of the crops show up, they are quite hardy. If you plant lettuce seeds now, they will act slowly to sprout. Protecting them from the cold by covering them will provide early yields in the next season.
Mache
If you couldn’t decide what vegetables to plant in October in the USA, (in the given time zone above) Mache is a less known salad green that is quite hardy and grows happily. It will also keep growing during the shortest days (less than 10 hours of daylight) of the season. Moreover, the mache is one of the better options for zone 4 and lower, as it keeps growing constantly at temperatures around 65f during the day.
In a nutshell, October is the best time to plant mache. Although protecting it from cold will result in quicker and way better yields for the harvest time, unprotected plants will also keep growing without any hassle. If you plant it now in October, it’s supposed to germinate before the freezing cold days and if you cover to protect them from cold, you will start harvesting them in February!
Kale
If planted now in October, the first yields will be ready to harvest in early spring. It will most probably germinate in the hoop house before the end of this month and will drag its feet during the cold winter days as the daylight will be less than 10 hours. After February, it will skyrocket growing, and will be ready for an early harvest.
Planting Flowers
Obviously, you will not try to eat them but, planting flower bulbs will color up your backyard during the spring. Flowers will also attract early arriving pollinators and encourage them to hang around the garden. The best flower options to sow during Autumn might be crocus, tulips, daffodils, and similar ones.
Here is another video that you might find useful for learning a different approach to planting similar vegetables from a different hand. Please don’t forget to support us by sharing the post if you find it useful.
FAQ – October Vegetables
What can I plant in October in Australia?
You should definitely try artichokes, beetroots, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, chilies, eggplants, French beans, kohl rabi, leeks, lettuce, and parsnips, potatoes, sweet corn, and watermelon! If you want to experiment with some herbs, you may try basil (both sweet and purple), parsley, sage, lemongrass, oregano, rue, or marjoram.
What can I plant in October in NJ?
Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Radishes, and Spinach, are some of the vegetables that should be consumed. These individuals not only have no problem adjusting to the upcoming chilly weather but also thrive in it. The onset of autumn weather tends to provide a richer flavor to many of these vegetables, making the fall harvest all the more worthwhile.
What veg can you plant in October UK?
Despite the fact that there are fewer hours of daylight available each day, many different types of vegetable seeds may be planted throughout the month of October. These include basil, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, onions, radish, and many more. Explore our selection of vegetable seeds from October.
Can I plant broccoli in October?
The chilly season is ideal for growing broccoli. It is best to cultivate broccoli so that it is ready for harvest when daily temperatures average no more than 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius). In the late winter or early spring, you may sow a crop that will mature in the spring and early summer. Mid to late summer or early autumn is the ideal time to plant a crop for the fall or winter months.
Can I plant potatoes in October, UK?
Planting potatoes typically takes place in the month of March, with harvesting taking place during the summer and fall months. However, you can also plant them in August or September so that you may harvest young potatoes during the holiday season. This will give you more time to prepare them.
Can I plant spinach in October?
You can be sure that you are making preparations for the future if you decide to grow spinach in October. Spinach that is planted in October has a good chance of germinating around the end of the month and may develop one or two “genuine leaves” before the onset of winter.
