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The fall vegetable garden It’s getting cold up north, but this is desert planters’ favorite time
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BY WENDE GEHRT
P
UMPKINS IN OTHER PARTS OF the country may be frost laden, but desert gardeners are gearing up for their favorite planting time.
The autumn vegetable garden can include beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, green beans, kale, kohlrabi, all kinds of lettuce, leeks, onions, peas, radishes, spinach and turnips. Green beans add nitrogen back into the soil, and they’re delicious. Wouldn’t you be proud to serve the infamous green bean casserole on Thanksgiving with veggies from your own garden? Even cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes can be produced, but for a shorter season. When planning your vegetable garden, select a good location. Most vegetables need 6-8 hours of direct sun daily. While it’s easy to add shade cloth for relief from summer sun, it’s impossible to create sun in an area that gets too much shade in the winter. Observe your yard and think about which areas get sun and shade during the day. There are helpful websites to track sun and shade in your yard. Container gardening is always a great option and can be moved as the weather dictates. When it’s hot, place the containers where they will get
transplants. Harvest can be obtained sooner with transplants; however, it is more expensive and certain plants do not transplant well. Beans, beets, carrots, celery, chard, cucumbers, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach, squash and turnips can be started in the garden from seeds. Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers and tomatoes are generally more successful with transplants. Proper watering is essential in any Arizona garden whether you include it on your irrigation system or hand water. Vegetables also need a well-balanced fertilizer along with adequate water to produce. Growing an autumn vegetable garden is lots of fun, and when your friends and relatives are shoveling snow you can share photos of your healthy harvest.
afternoon shade. When it cools down, move them to full sun. If frost is predicted, they can be easily covered with blankets or frost cloth. Larger pots are preferable because they give plants room to grow, and the additional soil protects the roots from temperature fluctuations. Just about any container can be used, even a plastic bucket, but be sure to drill holes in the bottom for drainage. Raised beds are easy to plant, especially if you have difficulty getting down on the ground. Readymade raised beds are available and are easy to weed and harvest. Our native desert soil lacks the organic matter and nutrients needed for successful vegetables. The addition of compost and manure will provide much needed amendments. You can prepare your own soil with a mixture of garden soil, potting mix, sand and perlite or vermiculite. Commercially bagged soil is another easy option. Most vegetables are started from seeds or
Wende Gehrt is a Pinal County Master Gardener.
D.R. Horton is an Equal Housing Opportunity Builder. DRH Properties, Inc., Broker. Home and community information, pricing, plans, elevations, included features, options, terms, availability, amenities, and co-broke, are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. Drawings, pictures, photographs, video, square footages, colors, features, and sizes are for illustration purposes only and will vary from the homes as built. Square footage dimensions are approximate and vary by elevation. If Buyer is working with a licensed real estate agent or broker, the agent or broker must accompany and register buyer on first visit to the community. See sales agent for complete details and pricing, including a list of available homes. Prices vary by community. D.R. Horton reserves the right to cancel or change all offers without prior notice. Prices shown are base home prices and do not include closing cost and fees, lot premium, modifications to plans and custom features which may substantially affect final cost of the home. Furnishings and decorative items not included with home purchase. Construction by DRH Phoenix East Construction, Inc., License #ROC 064532-B. Contact us for Maricopa specific homebuyer incentives. 480-780-2171 or PhoenixInfo@drhorton.com
Kale
Cucumber
Peas
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Carrots
Beets Broccoli
Zucchini
Onions Tomatoes
Lettuce
Celery
InMaricopa.com | November 2025
November 2025 | InMaricopa.com
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