Some vegetables take longer to mature than others. Cauliflower, for example, can take up to five months to form a head, while cabbages will be ready in less, and Asian greens grow quickly all through winter. The secret to maintaining a steady harvest is to plant long-term, mid-term and short-term varieties.
This is one of the most versatile and delicious winter veggies to grow.
Growing tips: Cauliflower needs cold temperatures and constant moisture when it matures – if it’s too hot, it won’t form a good head. November to March is the best time for sowing. Sow seeds in seed modules and transplant seedlings up until early May very gently with little disturbance to the roots. Cauliflower needs rich soil with plenty of compost and produces a better head if grown in firm soil.
Cabbage comes in an assortment of colours and shapes. Stagger the harvest by planting varieties with different harvest times. For example, ‘Brunswick’ will be ready to harvest about 75 days after transplanting, whereas drumheads take around 90 days. Both provide a staggered harvest over 15–20 days. ‘Michihili’ will be ready after only 55–60 days. By planting these three varieties at the same time, you can harvest cabbage for over 50 days. Repeat this planting every 34–40 days to have cabbage all year round.
Growing tips: Cabbage can be grown all year round, but make sure it doesn’t mature in midsummer and don’t sow seeds in midwinter. Sow seeds in trays and transplant when they have about six true leaves. Cabbage likes full sun. However, in warmer weather, shade the seedlings for about a week until settled. It needs soil enriched with well-decomposed compost. Too much nitrogen in the soil causes the inner leaves to grow too quickly and the heads to split.
Similar to winter veggies:Clever ways to grow your own veggies
SHORT TERM
ASIAN GREENS
Mizuna, mustard and pak choi are quick growing and provide salads and stir-fries throughout winter.
Growing tips: You can buy seedlings, but they are easily grown from seed. They like moist, fertile, well-drained soil. Sow the seeds in full sun, except during the hotter months when they prefer afternoon shade. Leafier varieties do better when different seeds are mixed together and sown in a group. Pak choi and Chinese cabbage need a bit more space and should be planted separately.
Like all members of the Brassica family, they thrive in cooler weather. As it becomes hotter, they turn more pungent, the leaves toughen and they go to seed more quickly. For Asian greens throughout the year, do successive sowings during warmer weather.
Understanding brassicas
Some brassicas such as mizuna and mustard are leafy greens and can be fed with a nitrogen-rich, slow-release fertiliser when planting. Others, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower in particular, are bud-developing with four growth stages. In the early phases, they develop roots and leaves. During the second, the outer leaves develop. The third stage is the most important as this is when nutrients build up in the outer leaves. Once it has enough nutrients stored, the plant transfers them from the older outer leaves to the internal buds, which develop very quickly during the fourth stage. As all the growth comes from the outer leaves, feed them with a balanced diet before the heads begin to develop, and don’t eat the leaves until after the heads have been harvested.
For budding brassicas, add Fertilis and Talborne Organics’ Vita Grow 2:3:2 when transplanting. Side dress with Vita Fruit & Flower 3:1:5 two months after transplanting. Foliar spray and drench once a month with liquid seaweed until heads start forming. Both cauliflower and cabbage prefer overhead watering as their leaves are designed to channel water to the roots. Provide consistent moisture throughout their growing period.
Lettuces, leafy greens, sprouted seeds, radishes, carrots and herbs are among the easiest plants to grow indoors in winter. They tolerate cooler temperatures and limited light. They also mature quickly, and many, like chives and parsley, don't grow tall.
However, July and August are the best time to get a start on fall and winter food gardening. In Southern California, some of the best months to grow veggies are in the fall and winter, when we have natural rainfall.
If you love homegrown vegetables and herbs, here's something you should know: You can grow them year-round inside. With a little planning, the right tools, and a few helpful tips, you'll soon be enjoying culinary creations from your own indoor vegetable garden—and your space will look lush and lovely, too.
To get a jump-start on your garden and grow some fast-growing, cold-tolerant plants you're going to want to try out some radishes, turnips, sugar snap peas, kale and spinach.
Light freeze - 29° to 32° Fahrenheit will kill tender plants. Moderate freeze - 25° to 28° Fahrenheit is widely destructive to most vegetation. Severe or hard freeze - 25° Fahrenheit and colder causes heavy damage to most plants.
You can absolutely continue to garden after your first frost date in the fall or winter and then begin to plant before your last frost date in the late winter or spring. The only thing your first frost date tells you is when your warm season ends and your cool season begins.
Plant these early in August. Peas, carrots, beets, spinach, and lettuce can be direct-seeded and planted in succession for an extended harvest, but start planting in early August. Start peas, carrots, and beets between August 1 and 15; direct seed spinach around August 1.
Other hardy vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, English peas, kohlrabi and leeks. Hardy root crops are radishes and turnip, which also yields some greens from the tops. Other hardy greens include kale, mustard greens and collards.
If you live in a warmer zone, you may be able to grow tomatoes all year long. Yes, you read that right. There are those tomato plants that set extremely well with the cool weather and short days. Of course, the best zones to plant them in are the ones that either get very little in the way of freezes or none at all.
If you have a nice, sunny window that isn't too drafty, that will be a perfect space for your winter garden. Windowsill gardening does limit your space slightly, but don't worry, there are other options that give you more space! For example, try investing in a couple of grow lights.
Try cultivating an indoor garden on a sunny windowsill with plants that do well inside in the winter. A south- or west-facing window is a good place to try a succulent garden. Choose a low container that has drainage holes.
Don't let the weather, or limited outdoor garden space, keep you from harvesting fresh herbs and veggies year-round. With the right amount of light, you can grow your own herbs, leafy greens, and small fruits indoors — even in small spaces.
You can cultivate vegetables in the middle of winter making use of greenhouse vegetable gardening techniques. To raise vegetables in a greenhouse is virtually the same as growing them outside during the summer.
Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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