You Can Plant Winter Veggies
Now is an ideal time to get some fall/winter edibles going, like spinach, broccoli, beets, carrots, radishes, cabbage, peas, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, lettuce and much more. We’re getting all kinds of starts in right now, and our seeds are freshly stocked for the upcoming season. You can tuck stuff in among your summer plants, or start them out in small containers that you can transplant later.
Never planted cold season veggies? You’ll be pleased to know it’s a breeze, with less watering and weeding. Frost is not an issue, since these plants like it cooler. Why would you have a bare patch of ground waiting until spring when you could have home grown food all year….
Start out the same as you would for summer crops- spread a layer of compost, sprinkle some starter fertilizer on top. You can rototill, or try my method: incorporate the top layer of compost/fertilizer into each hole you dig, leaving the surrounding layer intact. The top dressing will act as a mulch, holding in moisture and keeping out weeds while also enriching the soil. Now it’s time to plant!
peas, please
Put in vigorous young starts from 6-packs, making sure to space them properly. You can direct sow seeds right into the ground, too, thinning them as they grow. Make sure to think about slug and snail protection right when you plant, as tender new seedlings are their favorite.
I like to feed my veggies every month or so with a vegetable food, just like in summer. It makes a big difference come harvest time, with lots more produce to eat. An occasional boost of compost (especially for the leafy greens) has also worked well in my garden, keeping up a nice steady nutrient supply.
