If your tomatoes are fading and the first frost is showing up on the forecast, don’t assume this year’s vegetable garden is finished. Several cool-season crops grow quickly enough to squeeze another harvest from beds that would otherwise sit empty, and some tolerate temperatures that would wipe out summer vegetables overnight. The trick is choosing fast-growing greens and roots instead of planting something that needs three months of warm weather to mature. University of Maryland lists hardy fall crops including spinach, kale, lettuce, arugula, turnips and several Asian greens, while beets, carrots, radishes and Swiss chard can tolerate lighter frosts. Check your local average first-frost date, grab the seed packets, and you may discover there’s still enough growing season left for one more inexpensive crop.
