🌿 What to Plant Now for Fall: A Beginner’s Guide to Seasonal Gardening

Eric & Maleka Beal
12 minutes ago
3 min read

It’s not too late. Fall harvests start with what you plant today.

Let’s go ahead and bust a myth real quick: Gardening isn’t just for spring.

If you planted basil back in May and figured that was it for the year, surprise! You’ve got another shot. Because late summer is actually the perfect time to plant your fall garden. Whether you're growing in raised beds, buckets, or recycled containers on your patio, this is your moment to reset and replant.

At Camp 8 Garden, we believe in starting where you are, using what you have, and, yep, growing something. So if you're a beginner wondering what you can still plant right now, this blog is your guide.

🧭 First, What’s a Planting Zone?

Before you grab seeds, you need to know your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone.This tells you what plants can grow in your climate and when to plant them.

Camp 8 Garden is in Zone 8b (hello, Louisiana!), which means we get hot summers and mild winters, a win for fall gardening.
If you’re not sure what zone you’re in, use this easy lookup tool: 👉 https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov

Most of the suggestions below are safe for Zones 7–9, which covers a lot of the southern U.S.

🥕 What to Plant Now for Fall

If you’re reading this in mid to late July or early August, here’s what you can still plant for fall crops. These grow relatively quickly and love cooler temps.

🥬 Leafy Greens (Beginner-Friendly)

Spinach
Lettuce (butterhead, romaine, looseleaf)
Kale
Mustard greens
Collard greens

✅ Tip: Leafy greens are perfect for containers or shallow raised beds.

🥕 Root Veggies

Radishes (super fast—great for kids!)
Carrots
Beets
Turnips

✅ Tip: Use deep containers or raised beds for these. Keep soil loose and well-watered.

🧄 Bonus Additions

Green onions: Regrow from store-bought scraps
Garlic: Plant individual cloves in fall for spring harvest
Broccoli & Cabbage: Start from seedlings if possible (they need a little head start)

🪴 Yes, You Can Grow Fall Crops in Containers

Don’t have a garden bed? No problem. Grab a:

5-gallon bucket (drill holes in the bottom)
Storage tote
Large mixing bowl you don’t use anymore

Fall crops like lettuce, kale, and radishes grow happily in small spaces.Just make sure your container:

Has drainage holes
Gets 4–6 hours of sun
Is placed where you’ll actually water it (real talk)

📅 Know Your Planting Deadlines

Use your first frost date to count backwards and plan. In Zone 8b (Camp 8), our first frost usually hits around mid-to-late November. So:

Lettuce (30–50 days to maturity) → Plant by early October
Kale (50–65 days) → Plant in August/early September
Radishes (25–30 days) → You can plant them in September and October for multiple rounds!

🛒 Where to Buy Fall Seeds

You don’t need fancy seed catalogs. Try:

Your local garden center or feed store
True Love Seeds – Black-led, heirloom seeds
MIgardener – Affordable, beginner-friendly
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange – Great for Southern growers

💬 Final Thought from Camp 8:

Don’t wait for the “right” time.The season is now. The harvest will come later.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Grow something, even if it’s just one pot of spinach in a dollar store bucket.

Let this be your sign: it’s not too late to plant something new. And not just in your garden.

👩🏽‍🌾👨🏾‍🌾 Keep Growing with Us:

Got questions about planting? Drop them in the comments below or tag us on Instagram @betterchoicesco.
Want to see what we’re growing? Catch us on video.