COOL-SEASON CROPS ARE HOT!
The idea that we can stretch out our vegetable, fruit and herb gardening harvests from early spring through late fall, and even into winter, is refreshing and exciting news. Extending our seasons worth of bountiful and nourishing garden produce is easy-to-do, and the many edible plant options one can use in both early spring and late summer and autumn, make the planning process an enjoyable experience. Cool-season crops can tolerate light to moderate frost, but wither under high summer temperatures, preferring warmth between 60 to 65 degrees F. While March and April are the best months to start planting early cool-season crops, August and September are the top months to plant late cool-season crops. Any sunny site with healthy soils is suitable for cool-season vegetable production, though most gardeners recycle garden space by removing early season crops once they have past production, and replace them with cool-season plantings. The ability to grow multiple crops in the garden makes efficient use of garden space, and extends the time that families, friends and community can work (and play) together for the common good. If you are interested in increasing your crop yields and extending your season of harvest, cool-season vegetable production is an affective and affordable way to achieve year-round gardening success.
Many of the cool-season crops like kale, carrots, peas, lettuce, beets, radish and spinach can be directly seeded into the garden. All seed should be sown thickly to improve the chance for even distribution and germination in your garden bed. Pinching out and thinning seed rows once they’ve germinated will lessen root competition, and improve crops yields. Some vegetables such as peas, parsnips, carrots, beets, turnips, spinach and radish need only 1-3 inch spacing between plants, while larger crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, rutabagas and kohlrabi, require from 10-24 inches between plants for best growth. Though many cool-season crops can be sown directly into the garden, crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage must be grown in containers first, and then planted into your garden as transplants. These larger transplants ensure greater likelihood of establishing roots in the garden while being large enough to defend themselves against hungry pest insects and soil diseases. Still, other vegetables are sold as sets, seen with onions, or as bulbs such as garlic. Confirm that there is plenty of time for your plants to mature before the first frost if you plant late in the season, or before the temperatures warm, if planted in early spring. Seed packets generally display the number of days a crops requires between planting and harvest.
Soil quality is important throughout the entire growing season, and adding homemade compost to your vegetable beds once or twice per year at a 1-2 inch rate is an investment that promotes bigger and tastier crops that are more nutrient-rich, and resistant to both pest insects and disease. Compost can be made in your yard, or purchased from Marvin’s Organic Gardens, located in Lebanon, Ohio. Mulching vegetables with aged leaf-mould, wheat straw or pine straw not only helps to keep weeds out and moisture in, but also insulates your plants on cooler than average days and nights. Another cover that works well to protect plants against frost, insects, birds and heavy rains is called Harvest-Guard, which is a 5ft.x25ft ultra light weight cover that “floats” over plants like a bed sheet. The cover can be remove by day and laid a top gardens by night, or just left over the garden, which is made possible since the protective cover allows plenty of sunlight for plant growth. Rabbit and deer tend to be a greater challenge for early and late season gardens, because their natural food sources are more scarce. Other methods to keep vermin out of your gardens includes applying repellants such as Deer Scram, Invisible Fence and Hot Pepper Wax, which can be sprayed directly on foliage and fruit to keep pests away. Or, try barriers such as chicken wire fencing surrounding your gardens 6’-8’ tall, or discourage your pest with the ScareCrow, a water-powered outdoor animal deterrent. Keep unwanted animals out of your garden or pond with this motion activated sprinkler which instantly releases a short but startling burst of water when it detects an animal, scaring them away without harm.
Increase your edible bounty as well as extending your season for gardening enjoyment by growing cool-season crops in both early and late seasons. The list below provides cool-season crops that you, your family and community can enjoy together.
Broccoli Spinach Mesclun
Cabbage Turnips Onions
Cauliflower Beets Raddichio
Chinese Cabbage Carrots Corn Salad (Mache)
Kale Chard Shiitake Mushroom
Kohlrabi Parsley Oyster Mushrooms
Lettuce Arugula King Stropharia Mushrooms
Mustard Greens Brussels Sprouts Jerusalem Artichoke
Peas(China, Snow or Sugar ) Endives Collard Greens
Radish Garlic
Rutabagas Leeks
Plan now for an incredible fall harvest. We’ve got all the compost and organic products you need to start a high-yield, low effort organic cool-season edible garden. Please let us help get your yard set up for the best edible garden ever! We’ll help you build your gardens, or guide you to success. We challenge you to try some new varieties of vegetables that you have never tried before. You might just fall in love with some new flavors this autumn. Happy Gardening!
www.marvinsorganicgardens.com
Office; 513-932-3319
Email: wes@marvinsorganicgardens.com |
