The great thing about living in Southeast Texas (zone 9) is that most crops can be sown twice a year due to our long growing season. Most leafy greens can not handle the hot and humid temperatures of our summer months. They often bolt or get eating by the pest, long before we can enjoy a good harvest. However, there are a few fast-growing, frost-tolerant crops we can sow in late summer right into winter.
Here’s a shortlist of my favorites.
1. Arugula
Hot weather can cause arugula to grow faster and bolt. There are a few varieties of arugula, however, ‘ Slow Bolt’ grows well in zone 8 and up making it one of my favorites. It matures in 43 days, giving more time to enjoy those tender baby leaves. The larger mature leaves have more of a peppery punch making them good in salads and sandwiches, soups, and stews. Sowing in late summer/fall provides a mellower flavor and attracts less pest than spring-sown crops.
2. Beets
Most varieties of beets can handle frost but are not heat tolerant. So here in zone 9, I tend to plant in late summer, around August for a fall harvest.
3. Broccoli Rabe
The florets are much smaller and it stems more slender than those of broccoli, making all parts of the plant edible. Slightly spicy and fast-growing you can cut it 3-4 times to keep enjoying the flavor for weeks. Depending on the variety, the plant matures in 40-70 days which is great for a late summer planting.
4. Collards are heat tolerant and take 60 to 85 days from germination to harvest. Good for winter soups and stews, they can be frozen are eaten fresh.
5. Kale is a wonderful plant that handles warm and cold temperatures, getting sweeter as the temperatures cool. Very diverse, kale works well in soups and salads.