Below is a list of winter veggies, complete with notes on how to grow and cook each vegetable:
Cabbage
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Brassica oleracea var. capitata
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich(lot’s of organic matter),, well-drained soil
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 6.5
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep moist, not waterlogged
MATURITY IN DAYS: 90 – 95
KNOWN PESTS: Cabbageworms
To help deter Cabbage worms, use row covers (light-weight crop covers) in the earlier part of the growing season – this will prevent moths from laying eggs on the plant. It also helps to manually remove cabbageworms if visible.
Cabbage contains more vitamin C than oranges as well as a large number of minerals, including iodine, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The outer leaves of cabbage contain more Vitamin E and calcium than the inner leaves. (http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_vegetables/how_to_grow_cabbage.php)
Harvesting:
Cabbage Heads are ready when firm and when the interior is dense. Heads will split when over mature; rapid growth due to excess moisture and fertility will also cause splitting.
Cauliflower
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Brassica oleracea var. c botrytis
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich (lot’s of organic matter), well-drained soil that has not been recently tilled. Cauliflower needs a firm soil to grow in. Till months in advance and allow soil to settle
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 7.0
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep evenly moist
MATURITY IN DAYS: 90 – 95
KNOWN PESTS: Cabbage Root Flies
Put Cabbage Root Fly discs around the base of the plants to help prevent cabbage fly damage.
Harvesting:
The size to harvest Cauliflowers at depends on the variety you have grown.
Start to harvest Cauliflowers before they reach their full size to ensure a staggered crop . This will help prevent a mass of crop within just a few days.
To harvest your home grown Cauliflower cut the stalk with a sharp knife but be sure to leave a number of leaves that surround the head to protect it.
If the florets of the Cauliflower head have started to open then you have passed the harvest date. The heads will also start to discolor once past the end of the correct harvesting period.
Harvest the cauliflowers in the early morning when they are at their most succulent.
Once harvested break up the remaining stalk and roots and add to your compost heap as unlike some other brassicas such as Broccoli, Cauliflower will not grow new heads.
(http://www.gardeningpatch.com/vegetable/growing-cauliflower.aspx)
Collards
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Brassica oleracea var. acephala
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich (lot’s of organic matter), well-drained soil, sandy loam.
pH RANGE: 5.5-6.8
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep evenly moist
MATURITY IN DAYS: 60 – 75
KNOWN PESTS: Cabbageworms
Few vegetables surpass collards in nutritional power. One cup of cooked collard greens contains 83 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A, only 14.9 calories and no fat. A long time traditional staple of southern cuisine, collards can be used in cooking just as you’d use cabbage. Collard greens however, have a much higher fiber content and so they require quite a bit more cooking time.
Harvest the collard greens continuously by cutting the outer leaves when they are about 12 inches tall, leaving the inner three layers of leaves to continue growing. Or harvest the entire plant at the end of the growing season; in this case the tough outer leaves will not be good for eating, so discard them. In frost free climates or climates that have only light frost, collards may produce throughout the entire winter.
(http://www.ehow.com/how_4488829_grow-collard-greens.html#ixzz0xAjIJ5M1)
Spinach
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Spinacia oleracea
LIGHT: Full Sun/partial shade
SOIL TYPE: well-drained soil, and lot’s of nitrogen
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 7.0
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep evenly moist
MATURITY IN DAYS: 28 – 42
KNOWN DISEASES: several fungus diseases, like downy mildew (blue mold) and fusarium wilt.
Space your spinach plants so they get good air circulation and try to keep water off the leaves in the evening. And plant disease resistant varieties, like: ‘Melody,’ ‘Nordic IV,’ ‘Olympia,’ ‘Tyee’ and ‘Wolter’
Spinach can be harvested in the cut and come again method of harvesting lettuce. Cut individual leaves, starting with the older, outer leaves, and letting the young inner leaves remain and continue growing for a later harvest. You can also cut down the whole plant, for a larger harvest. If you cut about an inch above the crown or base of the plant, it is very likely the plant will send out a new flush of leaves.
Fall Crops: Spinach also grows well in the cool, short days of fall. Start seeding again in the beginning of August. Keep the seedlings shaded and watered and in the summer heat and they should be ready to harvest beginning in September.
(http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetables/a/Growing_Spinach.htm)
Arugula
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Eruca sativa
LIGHT: Full Sun/partial shade (if you have to)
SOIL TYPE: Rich, well-drained soil
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 7.0
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep evenly moist
MATURITY IN DAYS: 40
KNOWN PESTS: Insect and disease problems are uncommon with this plant.
Arugula, also called Roquette, is a leafy vegetable, like lettuce and spinach. Native to the Mediterranean and Asia, Roquette is a member of the mustard family. Like other leaf crops, growing Arugula in cool weather is best.
Plants thrive in cool wether. Plant crops for spring and fall. For a continuous harvest during this period, plant succession crops. Arugula will withstand light frosts.
Pick young, tender leaves. Larger leaves get tough and bitter tasting. Leaves can also taste bitter in warmer weather. Eat fresh or cooked like spinach.
(http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/roquette.htm)
Tatsoi
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Brassica rapa var. rosularis
LIGHT: Full Sun/partial shade
SOIL TYPE: Rich, well-drained soil
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 7.0
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep evenly moist
MATURITY IN DAYS: 45
KNOWN PESTS: Insect and disease problems are uncommon with this plant.
Tatsoi is an open heart oriental mustard with spoon shaped, thick, dark green leaves which are not only full of flavor, but very tender. Tatsoi is very high in calcium and vitamins and is twice as nutritious and twice as delicious as ordinairy Bok Choy. Tatsoi has a wide variety of culinary uses that range from using the leaves raw in salads, in soups and in Oriental stir-fry.
Harvest similarly to lettuce and other leafy greens. Tatsoi can withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit, making it one of the best vegetables to grow in a cool climate.
(http://www.vegetableseed.net/heirloom-vegetable-seeds/tatsoi-seeds/tatsoi-seeds.html)
Mâche (corn salad):
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Valerianella locusta
LIGHT: Full Sun/partial shade
SOIL TYPE: sandy with nitrogen best, but will grow in other types
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 7.0
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep evenly moist
MATURITY IN DAYS: 40-60
KNOWN PESTS: Snails
Protect plants by putting out bait or growing them in raised beds encircled with copper bands.
Sow this cool-season annual directly in the garden as soon as the soil is workable. Mâche is quite cold-tolerant, so late frosts won’t harm it.
It grows slowly, taking up to 60 days to mature, but you can snip off and eat outer leaves while the plant is growing. The leaves stay sweet on the plant for quite a while without turning bitter. When temperatures top 80°, mâche wants to bolt (go to seed). Harvest most of the rosettes but let a few flowers form seeds; mâche self-sows readily, so next year’s crop is likely to seed itself.
To truly appreciate this delicacy, serve mâche the traditional European way: lightly dressed with a simple vinaigrette. If you have hazelnut or walnut oil, this is the green to drizzle it on.
(http://www.sunset.com/garden/fruits-veggies/mild-mache-easy-to-grow-00400000020668/)
Potatoes (if planted in August):
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Solanum tuberosum
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: light, loose, well draining
pH RANGE: 5.8 – 6.5
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep evenly moist
MATURITY IN DAYS:100-120
KNOWN DISEASES: Potatos are susceptible to several serious diseases.
Certified seed Potatos are disease free, and have been selected to give you the best results with the highest yields. Certified seed Potatos are available at most quality nurseries and garden centers.
You may begin to harvest your potatoes 2 to 3-weeks after the plants have finished flowering. At this time you will only find small “baby” potatoes if you were to dig up a plant. Potatoes can be harvested any time after this, by gently loosening the soil, reaching under the plant, and removing the largest tubers, leaving the smaller ones to continue growing.
If you want late potatoes for storage, wait 2-3 weeks after the foliage dies back. Carefully begin digging a foot or so outside of the row or mound. Remove the potatoes as you find them. (Be careful not to bruise or cut the tubers with your spade!) If the weather is dry, allow the potatoes to lay on the soil surface, unwashed, for 2-3 days so they can dry. If the weather is wet, or rain is expected, move the harvest to a cool, dry area (like a garage or basement) for the drying period. This drying step is necessary to mature the potato skin, which will protect the potato during storage.
(http://www.thegardenhelper.com/potato.html)
Turnips
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Brassica napus/Brassica rapa
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich, well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 6.5
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep moist, not waterlogged
MATURITY IN DAYS: 60 – 85
KNOWN PESTS: Root maggots
KNOWN DISEASES: Clubroot
Clubroot can develop where turnips or cole crops have been frequently grown and will remain in the soil for 7 or more years. Clubroot thrives in acidic soil, keep the soil pH above 6.0. Practice good crop rotation. Root maggots in turnips can be avoided early in the season by covering plants with row covers.
Turnips and Rutabaga are at their best about the time other vegetables in the garden are withering. If growing turnips mainly for the tasty tops, sow thickly and don’t thin to much. Harvest turnips and rutabagas when smaller for best flavor.
“Rutabaga”, also called “swede” or “winter turnip”, is globe shaped with yellow flesh and maroon coloured skin. Commonly grown for winter storage. “Summer Turnip”, is flatter in shape, and the flesh is usually white and roots are harvested during the summer.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_vegetables/how_to_grow_turnips.php)
Carrots
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Daucus carota var. sativus
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Medium rich, well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 6.5
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep moist, not waterlogged
MATURITY IN DAYS: 65 – 85
KNOWN PESTS: Root maggots/Rust Flies
KNOWN DISEASES: Aster Yellows
Remove diseased plants. Once a plant is infected with aster yellows (yellowing of the leaves), it is a lost cause since the disease is incurable. Early diagnosis and prompt removal of infected plants may help reduce the spread of the disease. Good growing conditions and a well maintained garden, help prevent this disease.
Carrots have their best flavour when they are deeply colored and fully matured. Harvesting doesn’t have to be done all at once, as carrots do very well when left in the ground, so harvest throughout their growth cycle. If you thin your carrots out in stages, you will enjoy an abundance of baby carrots that are great in salads. Carrots are very high in vitamin A and good raw or cooked.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_vegetables/how_to_grow_carrots.php)
Radish
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Raphanus sativus
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 7.0
MOISTURE/WATERING: Moist but not saturated
MATURITY IN DAYS: 25 – 35
KNOWN PESTS: Flea beetles
Flea beetles small, shiny, hopping insects that leave small holes in the leaves may attack radishes. Avoid planting too early, use row covers or Rotenone dust to control insects. Also, planting with taller growing companions (carrots or lettuce) will help to hide the plants from insects.
Harvest radishes as soon as roots reach a desired size, 20-25 days. Radishes do not like hot, dry weather. Radishes also grow very fast and need a lot of moisture. Their flavor will be “hotter” in hot weather and milder in cool.
Use radishes to mark the start and ends of other rows of plants. Plant at different times and grow radishes throughout the garden and you will have a steady supply all season. Radishes are used mainly in salads and as a garnish.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_vegetables/how_to_grow_radish.php)
Garlic
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Alium sativum
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Medium rich, well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 6.5
MOISTURE/WATERING: Average
MATURITY IN DAYS: 90 – 100
KNOWN PESTS: Onion root maggots
Onion root maggots can be a problem with garlic. These maggots of tiny flies lay eggs in soil around developing garlic cloves. The maggots then find the garlic and tunnel inside. Onion maggots thrive in alkaline soil. The solution is to grow garlic in raised beds or mounds if planting amongst other vegetables.
Harvest garlic in late summer or when 75% of the leaves have turned brown. Lift garlic bulbs during dry weather. Cure for 10-14 days in a warm, dark, dry area. After curing garlic, clean roots and cut off the dead foliage. To make garlic braids, the garlic bulbs must be dug and braided while the foliage is still green. Will store for 6-8 months in a dry, cool place.
Garlic is grown from the individual cloves. Each clove will produce one plant with a single bulb. Growing garlic is fairly easy – much easier than most people may think. When planting garlic, choose a garden site that gets plenty of sun and where the soil is not too wet. Garlic cloves should be planted individually, upright. Garlic is a great plant for companion planting and grows well with other flowers and vegetables.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_vegetables/how_to_grow_garlic.php)
Leeks
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Allium porrum
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich, well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 6.5
MOISTURE/WATERING: Keep moist, not waterlogged, until well established
MATURITY IN DAYS: 75 -85
KNOWN PESTS: Rarely troubled by pests.
Soil should be prepared for leeks by adding large amounts of compost and manure. Leeks can be planted in late summer and harvested in winter and early spring, or leek can be planted indoors three to four weeks before the last killing spring frost.
Keep the soil moist during early stages of leek development; but as the leek mature, it is best to keep the soil somewhat dry. Leeks add subtle flavor to soups and enhance the taste of many dishes.
Harvest leek in late summer or early fall before frost. The leek shafts should be 1½”-2” in diameter. Mulch with straw if frost threatens.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_vegetables/how_to_grow_leek.php)
Cilantro
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Coriandrum sativum
ZONE / HARDINESS: Annual – not applicable
MATURE PLANT SIZE: 12 to 36 inches high x 6 to 8 inches wide
LIGHT: Sunny, sheltered location
FLOWERING PERIOD: June to August
KNOWN PESTS: None
KNOWN DISEASES: None
Aromatic, culinary, decorative, and medicinal. Ripe seeds have a pleasant citrus scent and can be used in potpourris. The leaves, seeds, and roots are used in cooking salsas and curries or as a garnish. Coriander combines well with onion, sausage, clams, oysters, and potatoes. Whole ground seeds are used in salad dressing, cheese, eggs, chili sauces, and guacamole. The plant can be grown in containers as an ornamental. It is said to have some medicinal qualities.
Harvest by cutting the whole plant and hang to dry. Seeds should be dried and then stored in a sealed jar. When harvesting fresh leaves cut only the small immature leaves for best flavor. Dried leaves store poorly, but can be frozen
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_herbs/how_to_grow_cilantro.php)
Oregano
PLANT TYPE: Perennial
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Origanum vulgare
ZONE / HARDINESS: 5 to 10
MATURE PLANT SIZE: 12 to 24 inches high x 10 to 20 inches wide
LIGHT: Full Sun
FLOWERING PERIOD: July to September
SOIL TYPE: Well-drained, average soil
pH RANGE: 6.8
KNOWN PESTS: Spider mites, aphids, and leaf miners
KNOWN DISEASES: Root rot, fungal disease
Good growing conditions and a well maintained garden are key to keeping plants pest and disease free.
Harvest just before the plants are in full flower. Cut stems with flower heads attached and hang upside down in an airy, cool place.
Cosmetic, culinary, decorative, and medicinal. Oregano is used in bath oils and sachets to help relieve aches and stiff joints. Fresh or dried leaves flavor tomato sauce, vinegar, butter, omelets, quiche, bread, marinated vegetables, beef, poultry, game, onions, black beans, and zucchini. Dried flowers are used in decorative arrangements and for fragrance in potpourris. Fresh sprigs are used to make wreaths. Oregano also is used to make red dye. It has attractive flowers and can be grown in containers. It is said to have some medicinal qualities.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_herbs/how_to_grow_oregano.php
Thyme
PLANT TYPE: Perennial
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Thymus vulgaris
ZONE / HARDINESS: 4 to 9
MATURE PLANT SIZE: 12 inches high x 12 inches wide
LIGHT: Full Sun
FLOWERING PERIOD: June to July
SOIL TYPE: Well-drained light soil
pH RANGE: 6.3
KNOWN PESTS: Spider mites
KNOWN DISEASES: Root rot, fungal diseases.
Good growing conditions and a well maintained garden are key to keeping plants pest and disease free.
Harvest only very lightly in the first year (if at all). Harvest all year round, although the best flavour is in the months of June and July. In winter the plants stop growing, so harvest only lightly. The thyme sprigs can be frozen or dried – both methods retain the original flavour.
Aromatic, cosmetic, culinary, decorative, and medicinal. The dried flowers and leaves scent potpourris and sachets. Thyme also is used as an antiseptic and stimulant in herb lotions and baths. It flavors vinegars, herbal butter, tea, poultry, fish, stuffing, stews, soups, bread, mayonnaise, mushrooms, and broccoli. Fresh or dried thyme may be added to salads. It is used in wreaths and in floral arrangements. Thyme can be grown in containers. It is said to have some medicinal qualities.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_herbs/how_to_grow_thyme.php
Fava Beans (broad beans)
PLANT TYPE: Annual
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Vicia faba
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 6.0 – 6.8
MOISTURE/WATERING: Average
MATURITY IN DAYS: 70 – 75
KNOWN PESTS: black-fly
KNOWN DISEASES: N/A
The earlier broad beans are sown the less likely they are to become infested with black-fly.
Broad beans are easy to grow and are great for the novice and expert gardener alike. Broad beans require strong well manured soil. Sow on a sheltered border. The soil should be well drained. . Water well if weather is dry and keep weed free.
Pick beans when pods appear plump. Pinching back the top of the broad bean plant when the first pods begin to form will provide a higher and more uniform yield. Large plants require support; hill soil up around the base of the broad beans as it grows.
(http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_vegetables/how_to_grow_broad_beans.php)
Pineapple Guava (Feijoa)
PLANT TYPE: Perennial
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Feijoa sellowiana
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich, well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 5.5-7.0
MOISTURE/WATERING: Average
MATURITY: 5.5-7 months after flowering
KNOWN PESTS AND DISEASES: The feijoa is remarkably pest and disease-resistant. It is occasionally attacked by by black scale in California, as well as fruit flies where that is a problem.
The best way is to harvest is allow them to fall from the tree. Giving the tree a shake and gathering the fruit from the ground every couple of days is the usual method of harvesting. To keep the fruit from bruising, place a tarp or other large cloth under the tree to catch them as they fall.
Feijoas can also be picked when firm and mature and allowed to ripen at room temperature, although the quality will not be as good as tree ripened fruit.
Mature fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week, but after that the quality declines.
Feijoas are mainly eaten fresh as a dessert or in salads, but can also be cooked in puddings, pies, etc. After peeling, the fruit should be immediately dipped into water containing fresh lemon juice to prevent the flesh from turning brown.
(http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/feijoa.html)
Persimmons
PLANT TYPE: Perennial
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Diospyros virginiana
LIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Rich well-drained, deep sandy loam
pH RANGE: 6.5 – 7.5
MOISTURE/WATERING: will tolerate drought, but fruit is better when watered regularly
Harvest astringent varieties when they are hard but fully colored. They will soften on the tree and improve in quality, but you will probably lose many fruit to the birds. Astringent persimmons will ripen off the tree if stored at room temperature.
Nonastringent persimmons are ready to harvest when they are fully colored, but for best flavor, allow them to soften slightly after harvest.
Both kinds of persimmons should be cut from the tree with hand-held pruning shears, leaving the calyx (green) intact. Unless the fruit is to be used for drying whole, the stems should be cut as close to the fruit as possible. Even though the fruit is relatively hard when harvested, it will bruise easily, so handle with care.
Persimmons also make an excellent dried fruit. They can either be peeled and dried whole or cut into slices (peeled or unpeeled) and dried that way. When firm astringent persimmons are peeled and dried whole they lose all their astringency and develop a sweet, datelike consistency.
(http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/persimmon.html)
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