Summer in the Central Valley is hot, hot, hot. As I try to stay cool during the relentless heat, my thoughts turn to fall, one of my favorite times of year. Fall brings with it the welcome cooler weather, the beauty of the turning leaves and thoughts of pumpkins, spiced cider, and cuddling up in my favorite chair with a cozy blanket and a delightful book. I also begin to anticipate the joy of fall veggie gardening. 

What to plant?

As a gardener, I get really excited to plant some of my favorite foods. Broccoli, cauliflower, swiss chard, kale, and lettuce always grace my table each fall and into the winter months. Carrots and sugar snap peas greet me next to my front door. Green and purple cabbage have even lined my walkway, tempting me with thoughts of the sauerkraut that will be made from their crunchy heads. 

While most of my experience has been with planting my veggies in raised beds and in the ground, when I first started out on my gardening adventure, I planted several varieties in pots and containers. Lettuce, carrots, and sugar snap peas have all grown well for me in containers. Planting time for fall crops varies depending on the days to harvest, which you can find listed on the seed packet. Some varieties of cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage need at least 100 days to develop, and can be planted as early as August from seed, or as late as mid-October from transplants.  

Lettuce was, and is, still one of my favorites for fall veggie container gardening. I have successfully grown my own romaine, butter, and a mixed salad variety in pots. All these varieties need a container of at least 6 inches in depth that drains well, a good loamy potting soil, full sun to partial shade and regular watering. Plant several in round pots or better yet, use a long deep container and space your lettuce out about 4 – 6 inches apart, a bit further if it is a heading variety.  

The best thing about growing lettuce, especially romaine, is that you can harvest the lettuce throughout the season. By snipping off older, outer leaves, you can keep your lettuce growing and extend your harvest. I usually sow my seeds every two weeks just to make sure I have lettuce all fall and winter long. 

Sugar snap and snow peas are great for containers. I’ve normally bought transplants from the nursery, but seeds will work just as well. Choose a container that is quite sturdy as these peas like to have a trellis to grow upon. Place a wooden or metal trellis in the pot and plant your transplants or seeds about two inches away from the trellis. Alternatively, I have placed my peas in a pot next to a pretty trellis leaning against the garage wall and they have loved it. The best thing about growing peas is the more you harvest, the more they produce.  

Carrots, for me, were a bit trickier. The first time I tried them, the container wasn’t deep enough, and I had these little stunted carrots. Choosing a deep container or pot, at least 12” deep, led to better success and a very tasty treat. Remember to thin out your carrots as well, or you’ll have some very interestingly shaped and twined carrots. They are still edible, but don’t look very pretty. 

Want the most delicious carrots you’ve ever tasted? Start carrot seeds in August. Plant, water, then cover with cardboard so the soil doesn’t dry out before they can sprout. After they sprout, remove the cardboard and water regularly, then thin as needed. Harvest in November, then send us a message telling us if you think they were more amazing than spring harvested carrots. 

Don't let all your hard work planting go to waste!

After planting, protect your crops. Tiny caterpillars can munch your broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and other leafy greens overnight. Read our article on these pests and their management at https://ucanr.edu/blog/stanislaus-sprout/article/cabbage-loopers-not-just-pests-cabbage 

Yes, fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Not just for the weather, but for the abundance of produce that we can grow here in the Central Valley. Fall veggie container gardening is a fantastic way to get started on your adventures in gardening. 

Terry Pellegrini has been a UC Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020.

Resources

UC IPM https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/menu.homegarden.html 

UC Master Gardener Program, Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs https://ucanr.edu/program/uc-master-gardener-program/vegetables-fruits-herbs