Helpful Hints for Cool Weather Crops

 You can grow lots of yummy vegetables in the Spring and Fall like lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, cabbage, and kholrabi to name a few. However, as I myself am still learning, there are some helpful

tricks to ensure gardening success and I want to share with you some of what I'm learning first hand. 

It's super important to know your climate. If you live in the North wear temps rarely, if ever get over 90 degrees, then you can grow cool weather crops all summer, no problem! If you live in the South were it rarely gets below 20 degrees in the winter, then you can grow cool weather crops through the winter. However, if you live in the middle like I do (Zone 6b) then both the winter and summer are no good for cool weather veggies. The ideal time to be growing them is April - June and Sept - October and that can be tricky since many of these veggies need more time to grow. Here is how you can get around that. 

First, go for faster growing varieties. You'll notice that on the seed packets, it will tell you how long it takes to grow. Be sure to pick out the varieties that have the fewest "days to maturity". 

Second, consider buying seedlings from the nursery. I know, I hate spending the extra money too and would rather just use seeds but to get a plant to maturity in the days we have available, it would really help you out. 

Third, conversely, you can set up a seed starting station in your house to grow your own seedlings. This will require special grow lights but the investment could be worth it over time. In the summer, I started fall crops outdoors in the shade in a container. It worked great until the slugs found it. So next year I'll try again with some slug repellant. 

Fourth, you'll need to start some fall crops in July while it's still hot. I always plant them near my hose so it's easy to keep them well watered which will help them combat the heat. I also mulch them as soon as they're about 4 inches tall to help keep the soil cool. Some people also use shade cloth which would help as well. 

Finally, you can also extend the growing season in the fall by mulching around your plants or covering them with a clear covering. 

Harvesting fresh veggies in the fall and winter is very rewarding. It's worth the extra effort to make it happen. What do you like growing in the Spring and Fall? Feel free to write in the comments below!