Gardening Season Isn’t Over! The Cold-Hardy Vegetables You Can Still Plant In October

The cool but mild month of October is the perfect time to plant a variety of vegetables in your garden for a late harvest. Cooler temperatures place less stress on plants than summer heat, giving many vegetables a richer, sweeter flavor. Steady rainfall in autumn also means vegetables get consistent moisture, so you won’t have to water crops as frequently.

From better flavor to an extended harvest to fewer pests and less bolting, planting vegetables in October comes with a myriad of benefits. Plant these eight vegetables for a bountiful haul.

1. Beets

Beets love short days and cooler temperatures. Amy McCord, founder and CEO at Flower Moxie, says zones 8-10 can still enjoy beets with full roots from October sowings.

Sow beets a half-inch deep and thin to 3-4 inches so roots size up. Water evenly and keep moist. Those in colder zones can plant baby beets, which are ready for harvest in 35-50 days.

2. Scallions (Green Onions)

“Surprisingly, green onions are very tolerant of chill and quick​ to harvest,” McCord says.

Sow a quarter-inch deep, but avoid thinning heavily. “They’re happy growing crowded, unlike most veggies,” McCord continues. “Keep evenly moist and mulch to protect from temperature fluctuations.” Those in cold zones can harvest pencil-thin bunches before the first hard frost.

3. Carrots

If you’re a fan of perfectly tender and sweet carrots, October is your month for planting.

“Cool weather slows​ green carrot tops, but packs sugar into roots ​f​or an extra sweet flavor,” McCord explains. Sow carrots shallowly (one-quarter to one-eighth of an inch) into fine, moist soil, and keep the surface damp until the carrots germinate. You can use a board or burlap to retain moisture, but be sure to remove the protection once the carrots have sprouted.

4. Radishes

Radishes are another fall favorite where cool soil helps them thrive and keep roots crisp.

“The cooler weather also speeds up the maturity of the plant, so they’ll be ready for a late-fall harvest,” McCord says. Sow a half-inch deep and place radishes one inch apart in rows 6-8 inches apart. Thin right away so their roots have enough space to grow and become plump.

Water evenly and use a lightweight row cover to speed up growth, depending on frost threat.

5. Spinach

As with carrots, fall weather will make spinach sweeter. It can even be winterized with protection.

Sow seeds a half-inch deep spaced 2-3 inches apart for baby leaves or 4-6 inches apart for larger plants. Water evenly until germination, then lay burlap over the row to hold moisture.

You can also feed spinach plants lightly with nitrogen fertilizer to boost growth, McCord says. Likewise, you can pre-chill seeds before sowing to absorb moisture, but this is optional.

6. Arugula

Short daylight hours and cool temperatures can actually reduce the bitterness in arugula.

Sow in shallow rows a quarter-inch deep while seeding densely, then clip at 2-3 inches tall.

Water lightly but often to keep leaves tender. Arugula will be ready for harvest in 20-35 days.

7. Garlic

Gardener and founder of The Waddle and Cluck blog Lindsey Chastain says garlic is her favorite vegetable to plant in October, even though you’ll need to be patient to enjoy it.

“It won’t be ready until next year, but garlic needs to overwinter in the ground to develop a strong root system,” she explains. “It will be ready to harvest and dry next summer.”

Sow garlic 1-2 inches deep with the point-side up, about 4-6 inches apart. Cover the cloves with soil and apply a thick layer of organic mulch to keep the soil moist and protected over winter.

8. Kale

Planting kale in October comes with a surprise silver lining: the cooler temperatures and shorter days will give kale a sweeter and more tender flavor, which helps alleviate its natural bitterness.

“It tolerates a light frost pretty well,” Chastain says, “and matures quickly.”

Kale should be ready for harvest in 3-4 weeks. Sow one-quarter to a half-inch deep, then thin to 12-18 inches apart once seedlings emerge. Offer kale deep, consistent moisture to help it grow.

These veggies thrive in cooler October temperatures and won’t mind when the first frosts arrive. In fact, planting these crops in October will give you sweeter and fuller flavors come harvest time.

This story was originally reported by Dengarden on Oct 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the Gardening section. Add Dengarden as a Preferred Source by clicking here.