Hard to believe it’s time to set out winter vegetables; but
consider how great fresh carrots, radishes, onions and cabbage will
taste in winter stews and soups. Your local garden center and
nursery are stocking vegetable seedlings and lots of packages of
seeds and onion sets to make your winter cooking a fresh and tasty
experience.
Hard to believe it’s time to set out winter vegetables; but consider how great fresh carrots, radishes, onions and cabbage will taste in winter stews and soups. Your local garden center and nursery are stocking vegetable seedlings and lots of packages of seeds and onion sets to make your winter cooking a fresh and tasty experience.
When putting in cool season vegetable plants, the list can certainly include artichoke and asparagus and then continue on to broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. In the meantime, seed crops should be started. These include beets, carrots, celery, chard, cucumbers, endive, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, radishes, spinach, squash and turnips.
Radishes can take as little as 20 days to reach the table; other crops such as asparagus can take two years to reach crop value. For some crops such as radishes and carrots, many plantings can be made to assure an endless supply. In areas where the nights can get really cold, put in place some 2 x 4’s around the perimeter of the garden so a covering of plastic can be put over the garden area to protect it. Make sure the covering does not touch the plants. The use of small frames is another idea.
Proper soil preparation is a must. Use organic materials and manures. Work them into the soil to a level of eight inches and then add a good vegetable fertilizer. Remember fertilizer does not release as well when the soil is cold.
Once the plants are established the use of a light mulching (about 1 inch of steer or chicken manure dug into about 6 inches in depth) will help heat the soil as well as enable the plants to convert fertilizer into food for them.
– California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers
