Transcript Tuolumne County Winter Gardens

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 50-65 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?
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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)
Quiz
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