It’s August and the temperatures are soaring, but the vegetable gardeners among us are planning ahead for our next season of good eats! Disregard your current climate conditions and embrace the next two seasons of planting: cool season vegetables. These frost-hardy vegetables thrive in cool/cold soils and frosts. They are planted in late winter for a spring harvest or in late summer for a fall/early winter harvest.
Examples of leafy greens include:
- kale
- spinach
- chard
- lettuce
- kohlrabi
- collards
Examples of root crops include:
- radishes
- turnips
- beets
- onions
- carrots
- Irish potatoes (spring)
- rutabagas (fall)
Examples of cole crops include:
- broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- mustard
- Chinese cabbage (fall)
A key to planting cool season vegetables is determining your planting zone and your first (fall) or last (spring) median freeze date or, in layman’s terms: frost. Gardeners can log onto the MSU’s website (extension.msstate.edu), type “vegetable garden” into the search bar, and then select “planting dates” (spring) or “fall gardening” for this information.
In the spring, planting too early can leave vegetables struggling with an underdeveloped root system causing poor growth performance. Heavy spring rains can prevent site preparation and limit the success of your garden. Also, keep in mind the time frame for planting cool season vegetables is provided to allow plants to mature before summer heat.
In the fall, it can be challenging to keep germinating seeds and seedlings alive during the hot, dry months of August and September. Seed germination is improved when the soil is pre-moistened and seeds are covered with non-crusting materials. Root crops must be directly sown into the soil. Loose soil is best. Leafy greens and cole crops can also be sown directly into the soil. Additionally they can be planted into seed trays, protected indoors, and later transplanted into the garden. Many cool weather vegetables produce better in the fall because they mature as temperatures cool and days shorten. Hoop houses and row covers can extend fall growing times by protecting vegetables from the potential extreme cold of early winter.
Cool season vegetables will thrive when planted in their preferred conditions of cool/cold soil and air temperatures. Whether raw, roasted, sauteed, or stewed, these vegetables provide a wonderful opportunity to bring fresh, local and delicious produce to any table.
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August 01, 2021 at 05:30PM
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MASTER GARDENERS: Growing cool season vegetables | Lee County Neighbors | djournal.com - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
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