Growing Cool Season Crops

The leafy, cool-season vegetables include broccoli, collards, cauliflower,

kohlrabi, cabbage, spinach, mustard greens, Swiss chard, lettuce, and

Brussels sprouts, which belongs to the Cole crop or cabbage family.

Plant all of these early in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked or in

August for a fall garden. You can plant by direct seeding or by using

transplants. Transplants are preferred with many leafy vegetables as they

establish faster and mature early. Harvest these crops at the right time based

on the edible part of the plant.

The root crops include radishes, beets, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, and

parsnips. These require well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter.

Radishes are the root crop that matures early. Parsnip matures just before

the ground freezes. Prepare a fine seedbed and plant seeds of the root crops

as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. They should be thinned

to the right spacing when plants are two to three inches tall.

Cool-season vegetables thrive when daytime temperatures average between

65°- 80° F, with nighttime temperatures staying above 40° F. Spring and fall

(and winter in some areas) provide perfect conditions for these crops.

Most cool-season vegetables can tolerate a light frost and are generally planted

2-4 weeks before your last frost date in the spring

Harvest by pulling the plants from the ground and trimming off the tops when

necessary. Cool-season veggies grow best at temperatures averaging 15° cooler

than those needed by warm season types.

Since hot temperatures make these vegetables bitter, or cause them to go

to seed, plan your growing seasons to avoid harvesting when the temperatures

climb above 80° F.

Except in coldest climates, plant them in very early spring so the crop will

mature before summer heat settles in, or in late summer for a crop in fall in winter.

In warm regions, plant cool season crops from late summer to early fall for

harvest in late fall, winter, or early spring.

Comments, remarks and followers are always welcome,

Happy Gardening, Terry