Cooler temperatures don’t signal the end of the growing season in Louisiana. There are lots of vegetables you can still plant to have fresh veggies all winter long.

Now is the perfect time to plant leafy greens. Remember to successively plant every week or so to ensure harvests all season long. Here are a few of my favorite leafy greens:

Lettuce: Forget about store-bought iceberg heads. Try butterhead, Boston and loose-leaf varieties.

Kale: You’re probably familiar with curly kale varieties like Winter Bor, but have you tried Lacinato or dinosaur kale? Try Mamba or Black Magic. For a bit of extra texture in your winter garden consider Red Russian.

Swiss chard: Cool-season gardens don’t have to be monochromatic. Consider adding some color to your garden with Bright Lights, Magenta Sunset or Orange Fantasia Swiss chard. Each offers showstopping, colorful stems.

Mustard: Whether you’re looking to add more color or texture to your vegetable patch, there is a mustard to fit the bill. Ruby Streaks, Scarlet Frills and Red Giant each offer lovely red foliage. Golden Frills and Miz America bring loads of texture to your planting.

Now that we’ve covered the tops of plants, let’s talk about bottoms — root vegetables.

Beets: Whether you have a large or small space, there’s a beet for that. Babybeat is a well-proportioned mini beet that can also be grown in containers. Touchstone Gold matures with a smooth orange skin enveloping a vibrant gold root.

Radishes: Fast growing and easy, radishes should be a staple in your cool season garden. There are so many choices like the multicolor mix of Easter Egg II or the bright red of the extra-early Rover. Asian types like the daikon Miyashige or the Korean radish Alpine are sure to bring a spicy twist to your cuisine.

Rutabagas: For an easy-going root crop for the fall garden, try Laurentian for a sweet and mild flavor or Helenor for a light orange flesh and mild flavor.

Turnips: A favorite in Southern gardens, Purple Top White Globe is the traditional American turnip. Other varieties to try include Hakurei and Hirosaki Red.

Tips for Success:

• Soil prep: Ensure well-drained, fertile soil with compost or organic matter.
• Spacing: Follow recommended spacing to avoid overcrowding and disease.
• Protection: Use row covers or netting to protect from pests like deer, rabbits and squirrels.
• Watering: Most of these crops prefer consistent moisture but not soggy soil.

Fall gardening in Louisiana offers a vibrant opportunity to grow a wide array of vegetables from top to bottom. With cooler temperatures and fewer pests, it’s the perfect season to plant nutrient-rich leafy greens and flavorful root crops. By choosing colorful varieties like Bright Lights Swiss chard or spicy radishes like Alpine, you can create a garden that’s both productive and beautiful. With proper soil preparation, spacing, and protection, your fall garden can thrive and provide fresh, homegrown produce well into the winter months. So, grab your gloves and get planting. Your garden is just getting started!

Christine Coker, Ph.D.
State Vegetable Specialist
Research Coordinator, Hammond Research Station

Now is the perfect time to plant leafy greens like this green lettuce. Photo by Christine Coker.

Add color to your garden with varieties such as purple leaf lettuce. Photo by Christine Coker.