Winter Garden Planning

Winter Garden Planning

This is the time to begin planning for the winter garden. What are the crops that are ready to be pulled off? Sugar peas are gone or going fast. Mustard and most of the leaf crops have bolted. If the potatoes are blooming, they can be dug. It is a good idea to make a map of the garden and think about what should be planted for the fall crops. In most areas the fall (winter) garden should be started in September.

Onions will resist the cold in most areas. Lettuce and other salad greens will freeze but come back with a few warm days. The same is true for cooking greens. They need to get a good start before the hard freezes start so they can develop a strong root system. Broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts will be ok in much of the country. The cold weather kills the bugs that cause so much trouble in warm weather.

There is still the greenhouse to consider. Some plants, like tomatoes can be covered on cold nights and still produce for quite a while. In northern latitudes the day length becomes the problem. If they are grown inside lights can be used on a timer. I have built a raised bed inside the greenhouse that I hope will extend the season for tomatoes, cucumbers and a few herbs. Don’t count on it. I haven’t actually tried it yet.

David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.