What to Plant in Minnesota as Autumn Approaches

By Gene Raven, Urban Roots Market Garden Outreach Coordinator

I was giving a tour of our space at the Rivoli Bluff Farm and Restoration site recently when one of our guests stated something along the lines of “Today was the first day I walked outside and thought of fall!” Meanwhile, our Farm Manager and a crew of volunteers were preparing some garden beds for their next planting just a few feet away. What gives?! Fortunately there is still plenty of time to plant and harvest this growing season! 

Before planting: 

• After harvesting, mix your soil some and add nutrients to the soil to give it a good fall boost! Here on the Market Garden team, we use alfalfa meal and feather meal.
• Figure out how many days are left before the average first frost. That will guide what you can plant. Here in Saint Paul, the average first frost lands on October 10th according to data from NOAA.
• Do your research, or experiment. Find the “Days to Maturity” for what you want to plant. This measure is the number of days it usually takes for a plant to produce a harvestable item from the time it is planted. Figure out what will grow in the days that are left. 

There are tons of options here in Minnesota and across the north! We still have quite a bit left to plant in mid-August here on the Market Garden team. Here’s a peek at what’s coming up:

• Lettuce and Arugula: They love the cool temperatures of the spring and fall. Use the shade of other nearby taller plants to keep them from bolting and going bitter. 
• Radishes and Beets: Quick growing and can withstand an early frost! Their produce is buried in the soil and less vulnerable to being damaged by low temperatures.
• Kale, Collards, Cabbages: These hardy leafy greens can survive down to 20 degrees and will extend your growing season just a little longer. 
• Garlic and Tulips: Don’t forget to plant these over-wintering plants. Plant these in September after harvesting a late-maturing garden bed to receive a beautiful bouquet the following spring or a plentiful feast the following July. 

There is still so much life left in the growing season in mid-August. I hope you get to experience the joy of it in your own garden, or perhaps by volunteering at one of ours! Follow this link and sign up to join our Farm Fridays volunteer list to experience our gardens in action this Autumn! 

_{Source:
MacKenzie, Jill. “Planting vegetables in midsummer for fall harvest.” University of Minnesota Extension, https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/planting-vegetables-midsummer-fall-harvest. Accessed 13 August 2026.}