It took me a couple years to learn what vegetables are best to grow in our edible garden that do well and thrive through the fall, winter months and last into the middle of spring. I am in zone B and here are some of my favorite choices this season.
Kale is definitely at the top of my list. This leafy green superfood belongs to the Brassica family, which also includes cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Kale is known for its high nutritional value and is a good source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like calcium, potassium, and iron. Kale is also rich in antioxidants and has been linked to a number of health benefits. Besides all the health benefits, kale also adds beautiful color and texture to the fall garden. There are a variety of kale with gorgeous ruffled leaves that come in many colors, including green, purple, and red. My go-to varieties are as follows. My favorite local nursery Ruibal's Plants of Texas always has these and several other varieties in the fall.
Redbor kale: beautiful deep purple-red curly leaves.
Winterbor kale: standard curly kale with a blue-green leaves, extremely cold hardy, also known as Blue Curly kale.
Lacinato kale: also known as Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale, is a variety of kale with dark green, long, and narrow leaves, When you harvest their leaves bottom-up, they will start looking like mini palm trees. I love them in my garden for this reason alone!
Rainbow chard is a must in my fall garden. It is a variety of Swiss chard with colorful stems that range in shades of yellow, orange, red, and others. Absolutely stunning colors. This leafy green vegetable belongs to the beet family and is related to beets and spinach. Rainbow chard is also a good source of nutrients. Chard is cold hardy but is not as tough as kale.
Snow peas, also known as sugar snap peas, are also incredible for the fall garden. They like well-drained soil and sunny locations. I use the tomato trellises from the spring/summer season to support snow peas in the fall.
Here are a few pictures of the garden this season. The wood raised beds are 4ft x 4ft, DIY'ed with cedar. The metal beds are galvanized stock tanks from Tractor Supply.
Have fun growing this season!