Although the first frost can signal the end of the growing season for some cold-sensitive plants, certain garden vegetables actually taste better after a frost. If you want to welcome the arrival of cold-weather season with excitement rather than disappointment, our experts recommend adding this assortment of cold-hardy vegetables to your garden.
Radish
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We often associate growing radishes with springtime, but you can also grow radishes in the fall and take advantage of a flavor-boosting frost. “I love harvesting radishes, carrots, and beets after a frost,” says gardening instructor Meg Austin. “They taste so much sweeter after being ‘frost cured,'” she says.
Zones: 2 to 10Size: about 12 inches tall x 12 inches wide Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil
Broccoli
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Broccoli, a member of the Brassica family, tastes noticeably better after a cold snap. “When frost hits brassicas, the plants go into survival mode and start converting starches into sugars to protect themselves from the cold,” says farmer and gardening author Jill Ragan. “That little bit of natural sweetness softens their bite and makes the flavors more complex. It’s one of the reasons fall harvests taste so much better than spring ones.”
Zones: 3 to 11Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil
Carrots
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Frost does wonderful things to the flavor of carrots, and you can time your plantings to optimize your preferred harvest time. “For fall carrots, aim to seed in late July through early August (in most zones), so they have plenty of time to size up before the cooler weather sets in,” says Ragan. “You don’t want to plant too early when the heat is high, but if you wait too long, they’ll stall out once daylight gets short.” She suggests letting them stay in the soil after the first frost. “Cold weather draws out the sweetness, and the ground itself acts as a natural storage spot. You can even cover the bed with a layer of straw and pull crisp, sweet carrots as you need them well into winter,” she says.
Zones: 3 to 11Size: 12 inches tall x 12 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; loose, well-draining soil
Beets
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Many root vegetables, including beets, handle cold temperatures with ease, responding by becoming highly flavorful. “A common slip-up is rushing to harvest carrots and beets right after frost without realizing they actually store better in the cold ground for a while,” says Ragan. “Knowing which crops thrive after frost and which don’t makes all the difference.”
Zones: 2 to 10Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 8 to 12 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; loose, well-draining soil
Kale
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Another brassica that improves in flavor after a frost is kale. This leafy green benefits from having its starches converted to sugars once outdoor temperatures drop. Kale is a cut-and-come-again vegetable that will produce fresh greens as long as it is harvested properly. Harvest kale by taking leaves from the bottom of the plant and never removing more than a 1/3 of the plant at a time.
Zones: 2 to 11Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 10 to 18 inches wideCare requirements: Partial shade to full sun; well-draining soil
Lettuce
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Leafy greens such as lettuce can also become sweeter after a frost. Additionally, lettuce likes to bolt, especially during the heat of the summer, so growing lettuce in the fall can extend its growing season.
Zones: 4 to 9Size: 24 inches tall x 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; loose, well-draining soil
Cauliflower
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Cauliflower is another member of the Brassica family that gets sweeter and more flavorful after a cold snap. This vegetable can be somewhat challenging to grow, but planting it in fall when temperatures are milder will help set you up for success.
Zones: 2 to 11Size: 12 to 14 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; rich, well-draining soil
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