Fall and Winter Vegetables

Instead of living in the garden like we do in the summer, fall is the time to just visit the garden.  The soil is so wet, I cringe every time we harvest.

So harvests are done maybe on weekly basis now, if that.  It’s cool enough that root crops keep well on the shady side of the porch.

It’s also still warm enough with no frost in sight, that I haven’t installed the short, easy to drain hoses yet either.

It’s a little early for good flavor in the rutabagas since it has been so warm, but the short days are commanding winter-type dishes now.

Winterkeeper beet, Brilliant celeriac, Bandit leek, Red Cored Chantenay carrot, Gilfeather turnip(rutabaga), Joan rutabaga.

One only has to see celeriac roots to see why it is such a good candidate for dry land gardening.  If that plant can’t gather up available moisture, I don’t know what will.  The leeks were the only vegetable in this array grown with supplemental irrigation.

Diablo F1 Brussels sprouts

Still in the garden are some other miscellaneous late fall plants.  Cold weather helps the flavor immensely.  I’m thinking by Thanksgiving we will be ready for some of these sprouts.  Personally I think there is some room for hybrid varieties of vegetables in my garden.  I have no desire to save seed from many vegetables because I just don’t have the space.  Growing hybrids is okay, especially when you get predictable results.

Kossak F1 kohlrabi

Another great hybrid, Kossak kohlrabi, these can get huge like Lutz beets and still be sweet and tender.  Well worth growing if you like kohlrabi.

Wild Garden Chicory

And there is room too for open-pollinated experimentation.  Wild Garden Chicories is a great blend, and a good source of winter hardy greens.

Halloween or True Detective?

You just have to remember to have fun while you garden…