Just because the weather is cooler doesn’t mean your homegrown
vegetable season has to end. So what if your zucchinis are the size
of watermelons and you’re tired of eating salads every night in
order to get rid of all your cherry tomatoes?
Just because the weather is cooler doesn’t mean your homegrown vegetable season has to end. So what if your zucchinis are the size of watermelons and you’re tired of eating salads every night in order to get rid of all your cherry tomatoes? The summer vegetable season is definitely on its last legs, but a whole array of fall and winter vegetables can be started anytime from now through February.
Row crops like broccoli, spinach, celery, cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce can be grown throughout winter without danger of being damaged by frost. In fact, our cooler weather is better for these crops.
Among the easiest fall and winter crops to grow is leaf lettuce. The advantage of leaf lettuce over head lettuce is its ability to regenerate fresh, new leaves. The more you pick, the more new leaves are formed. If you just pick the outer leaves, your crop will last several months.
Head lettuce, sometimes called iceberg, can also be grown. There is no fear of head lettuce bolting and going to seed too early in our cooler weather this time of year. Other types of head lettuce include cos or romaine. Both are known for their upright growth habit, which helps to keep cleaner of mud and dirt.
With all the talk in the news of contaminated spinach, why not grow your own? Spinach is easily grown and can tolerate crowded conditions. Celery’s most vital need is regular moisture, which shouldn’t be a problem in winter. Stalks can be harvested as soon as they are large enough to pull.
Among the cabbage family vegetables available to grow are broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. All are cool-season crops grown for their head-like clusters. All also are grown similarly.
For example, cabbage family vegetables prefer a firm soil. In sandy soils, heads often will not form properly. A liberal amount of steer manure, mushroom compost or other organic matter will also help.
In fact, before planting cool-season crops, always rejuvenate your planting area. After a long, hot summer, your soil can be amended with organic material. It’s best to rototill the matter into your soil, but, if that is not possible, simply dig and mix it in by hand.
There are a whole host of vegetables that can be grown this time of year. I haven’t even mentioned the Chinese veggies such as bok choy. Suffice to say, your homegrown vegetable garden doesn’t have to end just because our weather is cooler.
