Cold season gardening

Cabbage to full size for fall

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

The key to 4 season gardening is planning.  When summer is in full swing, you don't think about planting for fall and winter harvests, but that is the key to eating fresh produce from your own garden all fall and winter and into spring. 

For any fall and winter vegetable, you want them to be at full size by the first of November.  Since days are getting shorter and cooler in fall, it can take up to two weeks longer to reach maturity in fall than spring.

Early summer

Early summer is the time to get the winter hardy veggies that take a long time to get to maturity growing.  Brussels sprouts, winter cabbage, parsnips and salsify are all winter hardy and take 90-120 days to mature.  Brussels sprouts are hardy down to 20 F; winter cabbage, parsnips and salsify to 0 F with no protection.

Mid-Summer

Beets (20 F), fall broccoli and cabbage (28 F), carrots (12 F), cauliflower (32 F), Chinese cabbage (25 F), leeks (10 F), green onions (25 F), kohlrabi (20 F), rutabaga (20 F) and dill (25 F) can be sown in mid summer.  You can sow a few starting in July through mid-August to have them come to maturity at different times or sow varieties that have different Days to Harvest.  In my garden, we see temps in the single digits and I have sprouting broccoli, carrots, Chinese cabbage, leeks, Egyptian walking onions survive all winter.

Late Summer to Early Fall

This is the time to plant arugula (22 F), lettuce (25 F), endives/escarole (25 F), collards (12 F), kale (15 F), mustards (25 F), radishes (20 F), radicchio (25 F), Swiss chard (25 F), turnips (20 F), cilantro (15 F), parsley (15 F), and spinach (10 F).   In my garden, I have collards, kale, chard and parsley survive all winter.

Mid to Late Fall

For later sowings, garlic and perennial onions like shallots and potato onions, quick growing radishes.  You can also sow under cover, arugula, cress, lettuce, spinach, tatsoi, and kale.  They do great all the way to spring with a little protection.