Grow Leafy Greens

Everyone should know how to grow leafy greens in their fall garden. Greens do so much better as the weather cools down. Here in Texas during the final days of September, the temperatures are still going as high as 95° during the day. Even though it is now fall, it is really still summertime here for at least another month.

Grow Leafy Greens - 9/29-10/5/2025

Grow leafy greens like red leaf vegetable amaranth in your fall garden.

Hey friend, let’s talk about greens. They taste fresh, they cook fast, and they make your body happy.

You can grow leafy greens right at home. It’s easier than you think, and fall is perfect for it.

You’ll start your greens from seed to control exactly what you want to grow to get variety. I like heirloom seeds from David’s Garden Seeds for flavor and vigor. You will love them as well. They are wonderful people who live in Texas and have been providing seeds to Americans for over 16 years now.

Fall growing is kind to greens. Cool nights and mild days make leaves sweet and tender.

When you plant a fall garden, you dodge summer heat and bugs. Your greens last longer and taste better. The heat gives greens bitterness but the coolness makes them taste a bit sweeter.

Check your first fall frost date. Count back the days to maturity, then add 7 to 14 “short-day” buffer days.

Shorter days slow growth. So seed a little earlier than the packet suggests for fall.

Order seeds early from David’s Garden Seeds. Choose quick growers (20 to 60 days) and cold-hardy types.

Grow leafy greens like Southern Giant Curled Mustard Greens.

Prep your soil with a shovel and a rake. Mix in 1 to 2 inches of compost so the soil is loose and rich.

Greens love raised beds and big containers. Good drainage is key, so avoid soggy spots.

In fall, plant seeds about 1/4 inch deep. Sow thick for baby leaves or give plants room for big heads.

Water right after you plant. Then keep the seedbed evenly damp each day until you see sprouts.

After germination, give about 1 inch of water per week. In warm spells, water more and do it in the morning.

Fertilize when plants have 2 to 3 true leaves with a gentle feed. A light fish or seaweed mix every 2 to 3 weeks keeps growth steady.

Greens like full sun in fall, but part shade helps in warm zones. A bit of shade cloth keeps leaves tender.

Row cover is your best friend if it gets cold. It blocks pests, holds moisture, and adds a few degrees of frost protection. Here in Texas at the end of September and beginning of October, it is still in the 90s so no row covers are needed.

Grow leafy greens like Chicory Dandelion Italian Felix.

Most greens sprout between 45 and 75°F. Arugula pops in 3 to 5 days; mache can take 10 to 14 days.

Thin seedlings so they have air and space. Eat the thinnings as baby greens.

Keep weeds out early, since they steal water and light. A thin mulch of straw or leaves works well when the colder weather finally comes.

Watch for flea beetles, slugs, and cabbage worms. Use row cover, beer traps, handpicking, and BT for caterpillars.

Prevent disease with airflow and clean habits. Water the soil, not the leaves, and don’t crowd plants.

Harvest often. For baby leaves, cut at 3 to 5 inches; for heads, cut above the crown so they regrow.

Dunk leaves in cold water, then spin or pat dry. Store in a box with a paper towel for up to a week.

How do I cook leafy greens? Sauté with garlic, toss into soup, add to noodles, or blend into smoothies.

Want greens all winter? Blanch and freeze in bags, make pesto, dehydrate or freeze dry for flakes, or ferment for tangy jars.

For fresh winter picking, use low tunnels, cold frames, or a sunny window for microgreens. A little cover goes a long way.

Asian greens are fast, tender, and versatile. Think tatsoi, mizuna, komatsuna, hon tsai tai, and more.

Plant 1/4 inch deep and keep the bed moist. Harvest baby leaves in 20–30 days or bigger rosettes in 40–50.

Malabar spinach is a heat-loving vine. In warm zones, it keeps producing into fall when others slow down.

Plant 1/4 inch deep near a trellis and water well. Snip young tips and leaves for sautés, curries, and stir-fries.

Grow leafy greens like spicy arugula.

Pac choi which is slightly smaller than bok choy, loves cool weather and grows fast. It can be ready in 30 to 55 days.

Sow 1/4 inch deep and space 6 to 10 inches. Use row cover for flea beetles, and harvest baby pac choi at 5 to 7 inches tall.

Cress brings a peppery kick. Garden cress is extra speedy; upland cress loves cool temps.

Plant 1/4 inch deep, keep evenly wet, and cut often. Toss on eggs, sandwiches, and soups.

Purslane is a crunchy, lemony succulent. It thrives in heat and poor soils.

Plant 1/4 inch deep and don’t overwater. Harvest tender tips for salads, tacos, and quick sautés.

Arugula is the fall speedster. It’s ready in as little as 20–40 days.

Plant 1/4 inch deep, thin to about an inch, and keep moist. Cut at 3–5 inches, and try arugula pesto on pizza.

Grow leafy greens like Mache Vit in your fall garden.

Mustard greens grow big and bold. A touch of frost makes them sweeter.

Plant 1/4 inch deep and space 6–12 inches. Feed lightly, harvest outer leaves often, and braise with garlic and a splash of vinegar.

Chicory includes escarole, frisée, dandelion, and radicchio. Bitter notes shine with citrus or heat.

Plant 1/4 inch deep and give 8–12 inches of space. Band or cover heads near harvest to blanch, then grill or toss into salads.

Mache (often sold as “Vit”) is a cold champion. It stays sweet and tender in chilly weather.

Plant 1/4 inch deep and keep the soil moist. Harvest whole rosettes for soft, nutty salads.

Vegetable amaranth (callaloo) loves warmth. In the South, sow late summer for lush fall greens.

Plant 1/4 inch deep, thin to 8–12 inches, and pinch tops. Cook like spinach with onion, thyme, and a little chili.

Grow leafy greens like sorrel which tastes sort of lemony. Make it fun.

Sorrel is lemony and perennial. It shines in spring and fall.

Plant 1/4 inch deep and thin well. Pick often for sorrel soup, sauces, and fish.

Claytonia (miner’s lettuce) is mild and juicy. It thrives in cool, shady spots.

Plant 1/4 inch deep and water to keep the seedbed moist. Snip the round leaves with stems for tender salads.

Greens mixes give you colors and flavors in one bed. Mesclun blends are great for quick harvests.

Broadcast (sow the seed), rake in to 1/4 inch, and water gently. Once they start growing, cut every 10–14 days for a steady bowl of salad.

Red Malabar Spinach has magenta vines, so pretty. Grow leafy greens for your family's health. This is growing on our farm in the back.

Zone 3–5 timing: seed hardy greens 8–10 weeks before first frost. Add row cover to harvest after frost.

Zone 6–7 timing: sow from August into early October. Use low tunnels to keep picking into winter.

Zone 8–11 timing: sow September to November. Grow cool lovers all winter, and start warm lovers like purslane earlier. Here in South Central Texas, we are zone 9A.

My first fall bed changed everything: I could harvest leafy greens after work, even in a hoodie, although that was never necessary in Texas. Grab heirloom seeds from David’s Garden Seeds, plant them 1/4 inch deep, water steadily as needed, feed with fertilizer once a month after they come up, and you’ll grow leafy greens you love, from seed to skillet.

Monday, September 29, 2025

Grow leafy greens like our Elegance Mix with several kinds of leafy greens for you to enjoy.

Good morning. I have been trying to pay my personal electric bill online, as well as the business electric bill. Apparently, it is down because neither account will allow me to log in. That is ridiculous. I will probably forget to try another day because in my mind, it is paid along with the other monthly bills.

What a great start to the morning, right? I started a new loaf of sourdough bread. The loaf already made is amazingly fresh in the beeswax lined bread bag. I made toast with it this morning. I am impressed!

It is already 9am so I need to get ready and get out there. I wasted a lot of time trying to pay those stupid electric bills.

I had to handle a lot of Monday things this morning before I started pulling orders. Our helper was here and left just after noon. Matt left here at 11:20am for a doctor's appointment. David left just after to buy a tree. When he got there, the owner was not there so he came back empty handed.

So I was alone here for a while getting orders done. Then Matt got back and David about two minutes later. We had several customers and I waited on all of them.

My understanding was that some workers were supposed to come and help put up the back fences but no one ever showed up.

It is now 5pm and just 87° which is amazing. It was 61° when we got up this morning. It is time to go in and make dinner.

Little George is sick again. I guess he gobbled up too many pine needles over the weekend again. He does not like to share food. He is a bit of a piggy goat. Yes, I gave them all pine needles yesterday morning to enjoy. They love them. Just a few weeks ago, he had the same problem and then we did not give pine needles to any of them for a while.

I finally wrote checks for the electric bills, my first time to do so. It is 9:30pm and I am baking a loaf of sourdough. The house smells so good! Why did I wait so long? Because it took that long for the dough to rise.

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Good morning. David, Matt, and some helpers are out back putting the wooden gate back up so we can close the fence once again.

I woke up late which is very nice. I had some checks and articles to write.

Now the person who was arrested for Charlie Kirk's murder is saying he was not even on the campus and has never set foot on the UVU campus. His parents deny turning him in and say they don't believe he is guilty. So why would the government lie about who killed Charlie Kirk when he is not a government official?

We live in a crazy mixed up world.

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Friday, October 3, 2025

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Return from Grow Leafy Greens to Our Seventh Year On The Farm

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