Tuolumne County Winter Gardens Starting My Cold Weather Garden

Plant, Water, Reap 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (KJV) 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

Garlic Garlic is a relatively slow growing plant and should be planted in fall here. Allow garlic to overwinter with a thick layer of mulch for insulation. The garlic bulbs will be ready to harvest in late spring to mid summer of the following year. Watering: Garlic needs about an inch of water each week during spring growth. If you have to augment rainfall with the garden hose, stop watering by June 1 or when the leaves begin to yellow in order to let the bulbs firm up.

Onions Onions can be planted in fall, and allowed to overwinter for an early summer harvest. It is best to plant fall onion sets instead of by seed. Cover the onion sets with a thick layer of mulch during the winter for insulation in cool climates. The sets will grow new green tops in spring and will be ready to harvest in late spring/early summer.

Beets Beets are an excellent choice for a fall garden. They love cooler temperatures. Beets are sown directly (Aug 9 - Sep 23) in the garden soil most of the time. Sow the seeds a 1/2-inch deep and then plants to about six inches apart. Seeds are not all singular, so thinning your beet plants and tossing them into you soups, salads or smoothies to allow proper spacing (6 inches) for a mature root development. The seeds should germinate in five to fourteen days and be ready to harvest in about days after the seeds germinate. Beets can tolerate a few light freezes. May be planted in a pot for beet top harvesting.

Kohlrabi If you love turnips or collards then you should definitely grow some kohlrabi. Both leaves and bulb are edible. Kohlrabi has a very distinctive look. It features a bulb that grows above ground with stems that project outward. Kohlrabi transplanted Jul 10 - Aug 24. ten to twelve inches apart.

Mother Said… All greens are good for you, but consider growing greens that are especially nutritious. For instance, spinach, mustard and collards are especially high in folate; kale, spinach and corn salad (mâche) are good sources of iron; and Swiss chard, chicory, kale, spinach, mustard, collards and beet greens all rank off the charts for Vitamins A, C and K.

Lettuce Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in the vegetable garden. There is a huge assortment of different varieties to choose from – some with frilly leaves and some that grow into large heads. Lettuce grows bests in rich soil and cooler temperatures. It can tolerate a light frost, but freezing temperatures may kill it. Transplant or sow lettuce directly in the garden, between Aug 24 - Sep 23. Sow lettuce seeds about a 1/4-inch deep with a spacing of about twelve inches apart.

Mustard Greens Mustard Greens are an excellent source of vitamins A, B, C, and also calcium and iron. Tender greens can be added to salads raw, or sautéed for a delicious side dish. Mustard greens are very easy to grow Start seeds indoors for a fall garden in the late summer, transplanting Aug 24 - Sep 23. Mustard greens are ready to harvest in about 50 – 60 days after the seeds germinate.

Spinach Baby spinach leaves can be harvested in less than 40 days from seedling emergence. Sow spinach seeds 1/2-inch deep and space plants about six to twelve inches apart. Sow or transplant Aug 9 - Sep 23. You can harvest outer spinach leaves and allow them to re-grow giving you a steady crop of leaves for several weeks. Good to sow late summer early fall. Not frost tolerant.

Collards Collards are the classic fall vegetable for many southern vegetable gardens. Direct sow here July 10 - Sep 23. Collards are related to cabbage and broccoli and need fertile soil that has good levels of nitrogen for foliage growth. They transplant fairly easily. Remember to give collards plenty of space – about 36 inches apart – to accommodate the large leaves of the plant.

Kale Kale is another leafy vegetable that is similar to collards, turnip greens, and mustard greens. The leaves of the plant can be found to be curled and very ornamental depending on the variety. Select a sunny spot. Transplant Jul 10 - Aug 24. You can harvest outer kale leaves when they are eight-ten inches long. A light frost helps to improve the taste of kale and removes bitterness in the leaves. Kale may taste best when the leaves are picked young and tender. Leaves left on the plant too long can become tough and leathery.

Bok choi Bok choi is not a very common vegetable in the US, but it has a tasty cabbage-like taste and is easy to grow in fall gardens. Bok choi requires rich, loose soil. You should fertilize your bok choy early after planting. It is a very fast growing vegetable that is ready to harvest in as little as 35 days after seed germination. Harvest bok choi when it reaches twelve to eighteen inches tall.

To Do Transplants Now: Kolhrabi and Kale In the Next Three Weeks: direct sow and / or transplant, beets, lettuce, mustard greens, collards, spinach, bok choi October: Set out onions and garlic

More? In addition, there are two other categories of cold-loving naturals: Self-seeding annuals that will return from year to year: arugula giant red mustard mâche or corn salad (‘Piedmont’ and other large-leaf varieties produce the most greens per plant) claytonia, aka miners lettuce (needs a little protection) Perennial greens: radicchios (‘Red Treviso’ lends itself to cut-and-come-again harvesting) many other chicories (the traditional Italian cooking green, ‘Red Rib Dandelion,’ is super productive) French sorrel the spinach relative ‘Good King Henry’ (aka poor man’s asparagus)

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