Well I have my list and schedule ready…
Ready for winter gardening that is!
I have a chart from Territorial Seed that tells me when to sow and transplant for fall, winter, and early spring harvest. I am determined that this year my garden harvest will not end with summer. No I want to harvest fresh produce year round. This is not only a nutritional decision but also and economic one. With organic produce having such a premium price in our small town it only makes sense for me to utilize the garden throughout the winter. Besides living in the very temperate Pacific Northwest gives me no excuse to not!
Here is my plan…
Start sprouting broccoli and cabbage in the next couple of weeks for August and September planting out.
Start Collard in July for transplanting in September
Large crop of beets goes in in July for harvest all winter
Plant more Kale in June and July for fall into winter harvest
Direct seed Swiss Chard also in June and July
Plant Spinach in July and August for fall and early winter harvest
Sew an entire 4x 12 bed with carrots in September for winter and spring eating
Garlic goes in in October
I’m trying to figure out the best time to plant a fall sown crop of snap peas…maybe late August?
I’m going to try a few new things like turnips and parsnips…and if I get really adventurous I might in plant some Kohlrabi, which I haven’t had since I was a kid!
I know I will have to cover some of these crops for frost protection and others for pests…but I’m certain the little extra effort will pay off with healthy delicious produce directly from my garden during the cold days of winter!
So…have you thought about a winter garden? If so what are you planting? And if you are a veteren, what tips and advice do you have for us beginners?
Now that my winter garden is planned I’m going to go out and enjoy the first few days of summer with my little garden helper!
Love your timing on this post, it reminds me to get going on our winter garden. We’re in Kentucky and it’s so hot here it’s hard to believe that it will be time for cool crops again soon. I am going to start some broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts this week. I had great luck with carrots last year- we laid thick straw mulch over them and harvested them all winter! I am going to try rutabagas, need to get them planted this week too. I have lots of winter squash and pumpkins planted, I need to figure out a root-cellarish storage place.
Thank you for this list – what a good resource, especially as I’m still learning about this. So do you start your greens inside, just as we do in the winter for the spring/summer garden?
That is the kind of garden helper to have. Such a joy! Have a good day.
This will be my first year doing a serious fall/winter garden. I’ve been growing garlic for years, but this year will include cabbage, spinach, turnips, broccoli, peas, lettuce, maybe another round of carrots and beets. A friend suggested seeding onion (seeds, not sets) in the fall, I’m going to try that.
I start my parsnips first thing in the spring, but I haven’t heard of doing them in the fall. Would you let them go through the next fall, then? They have an awfully long growing period.
Ordering Eliot Coleman’s book today, too!
I usually start all my greens indoors because even in the heat of the summer slugs will eat them the moment they pop their little green heads above ground…if I start them indoors they at least have a fighting chance!
According to the chart I linked to you can harvest summer planted parsnips all winter!
Yes…little garden helpers are the best! Kim
Here’s another planting guide:
http://www.victoryseeds.com/information/planting_guide.html
Lots of people in my area (piedmont NC) who grow everything else in conventional rows will sow a bed of turnips or a mix of turnips and mustard for greens. I sow mine in September around 9/11 (my victory garden), but I think others are probably sowing theirs a couple of weeks earlier.
My Mom gave me some collard seeds Tuesday. She said I could go ahead and plant the seeds now for setting out next month. The seeds were from a plant she had grown last year. She harvested the tender leaves a few at a time through the winter. Her doctor was surprised when she said she had eaten some of the leaves raw. He said he had never heard of that. She told him, “We can all still learn.”
Mom is 76 and quite active.
I am going to try to extend the garden through the winter for the first time this year. I’ve been using the territorial catalog the came in the mail. I just planted hundreds of yellow storage onion seed, chard, parsnips, carrots, and beets. I am going to plant leek seeds this week, too. We have very hot summer days ahead of us for awhile, so I am using the shadiest part of the garden for the nursery area for the onions and leeks. I am giving them all a little sprinkle several times every day. I’m trying to be brave and try something new. I remind myself it’s only seed, and I can try again if it doesn’t work the first time.
i think that it’s great that you are going to add a winter garden…i really want to do that next year. i hope you have wonderful success with it and it proves to give you lots of produce and pleasure.
have fun in your planning
Just today I purchased a floating row cover because I want to grow broccoli, brussel sprouts, beets and so on for a winter harvest. I have never planted for fall and winter but like you I am determined to try it this year.
Your garden helper is beautiful a little farmer in the making.
It seems a lot of us are going to give winter gardening a try…I will be posting progress periodically on mine. I would love to hear how your’s are going too! Kim
Plan? You just wrote mine out for me– thanks!
Seriously. I have my seeds, but had not sat down to figure out exactly what needs to be started/planted when. Since we’re both in WW, I really can just follow your plan.
Dammit but you are right!! I guess it is time for me to get out the ole seed catalog and planting schedule. And here I was just enjoying time off as my seedlings have outgrown the pest onslaught.
Well, here in Australia it IS winter, and we are still picking kale, a little lettuce, silverbeet, beetroot and leeks, as well as the tail end of last summers citrus crop.
I grow pak choi and other asian greens for the chickens, and both rocket and coriander still come up when we have a few sunny days – these grow like weeds in my vegie patch!
Forgot to get my carrots in last year, though we had a great harvest the previous season…
I really enjoy reading your gardening posts – makes me think about my spring and summer garden plans.
Regards!
Gavin