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If you've been enjoying fresh tomatoes and peppers from the garden, cooler weather might feel a little disappointing. But it doesn't have to be the end of the produce season; you just have to pass the baton to cool-weather crops like lettuce, kale and other leafy greens.
A cornucopia for cooler days
Fall conditions are what these vegetables thrive on, with cooler weather and shorter days giving you the sweetest leaves. While the warming soil of spring sends them racing to send up a flower stalk and make seeds, plant them in fall, and they'll put their energy into simply growing. Depending on the weather, a lightweight row cover can extend your harvests through November, or even later.
Some plants, like kale, take it a step further. The first frosts cause them to convert stored starches into sugars, giving you the tastiest leaves of the year after most veggies are done.
Autumn has another advantage for the vegetable gardener: it's less work. Most of the pests and diseases are gone for the season. The plants need less water as temperatures cool, and you have a lower chance of being eaten by mosquitoes while you're deciding what to eat for dinner.
Bring the harvest indoors
If you're winding down your outdoor beds for the year, or you haven't got a good spot outdoors to begin with, it only takes a sunny windowsill to enjoy homegrown herbs. Give them plenty of light, and a pot of thyme, sage or oregano will ask for only the occasional drink of water while giving you fresh flavor all winter long.
You don't need to limit yourself to herbs. If you're growing hydroponically, leafy greens like lettuce and kale can be root-rinsed and transplanted into your system, giving you another way to keep growing indoors.
Freshly grown finds: There's no need to start from seed. We've got 4" pots of lettuce, kale, and a full lineup of individual herbs, along with pre-planted herb collections that are ready to go straight into a sunny spot. 4" pots start at $4.99. Stop in and see what's fresh!
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Bulbs: The Best Bargain in Gardening
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Bulbs are an incredible investment. They cost a tiny fraction of what you'd spend on other plants, but they give you a big show, often before anything else is blooming. And unlike more conventional plants, you don't have to give them their own bed. They can be tucked in around your existing plants, or, for the smallest types, turn your lawn into a spring meadow before vanishing for the year.
You can even layer multiple bulbs in one spot. Dig a hole or trench 8–12" deep and plant large daffodils or allium on the bottom. Add a thin layer of soil, then put in a layer of tulip or garden hyacinth bulbs. Cover those over with soil, and finish with crocus or grape hyacinth on top, covering them over as well. Each bulb will bloom in turn, and you'll get weeks of color.
For many—like daffodils, crocus, alliums, grape hyacinth, surprise lilies, and Darwin tulips—you buy them once, plant them in October, and they'll come back on their own for years. Some multiply over time to form vivid drifts of flowers.
In stock now: Our fall bulb shipment has arrived, including tulips, daffodils and allium. Stop in, and our experts can help you put together a stunning spring show.
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Happening At Hoerr Nursery
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🌼 Trial plants, 60% off
Varieties we've trialed that didn't make the permanent lineup, though they're still solid choices for Central Illinois yards. See what's available, while supplies last.
📖 New! Gardening with Limitations, a talk with author Trudy Weaver
📅 Saturday, October 3, 1 p.m. — Hoerr Nursery Midroom
Join local author Trudy Weaver for a talk on gardening around time, physical ability, budget, or whatever else life throws at you, followed by a Q&A and a book signing.
🪴 Make a Moss Pole Workshop with Ayden
📅 Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m.
Build a custom moss pole for your climbing houseplants and leave with a plant that's potted and ready to grow. $35, space is limited. Reserve your spot at hoerrnursery.com/workshops.
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Give the Gift of Possibility
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When you give a Hoerr Nursery gift card, the possibilities are endless. It could turn into a fall-planted tree that spends the winter settling in, then bursts into bud come spring. Or a bucketful of spring bulbs, tucked into the ground before the first frost. Or a houseplant that's just right to brighten a north-facing windowsill. Let them choose whatever catches their eye when they come for a visit. Gift cards are available in-store, or anytime online.
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