Spring and summer are not the only seasons where vegetables can be planted and harvested. There are many varieties of cold-tolerant vegetables that can be planted during the fall to be harvested before winter’s first frost hits, or in some cases, next spring.
Before planting anything, there are a few things to take into consideration. First, it is important to be familiar with your location’s hardiness zone. Different regions have different climates that will affect your harvest in the long run. Second, you need to know your area’s first killing frost date, and in turn, how long your particular crops will take to mature. This will ensure that your crops have enough time to mature before they are killed off by the first frost. All of this information can easily be searched online. The National Gardening Association has a lot of helpful information regarding hardiness zones, frost dates, and more.
One crop that does very well throughout the winter months is garlic. You can plant it in late fall months in order to harvest next spring. Stop by your local nursery and buy a few heads of garlic bulbs, plant them about a foot apart before the ground freezes and by late next spring you will have an abundance of fresh, rich garlic to use to enhance your home cooking.
Leafy green vegetables also do well when planted in late summer and fall months. Different lettuce varieties, kale, spinach, and cabbage all have relatively short maturation times. This makes it easy to plant them in your garden near the end of summer in order for them to be harvest ready before the first killing frost hits your area.
If you enjoy fresh herbs from your garden throughout the year, you should consider taking your herb garden indoors for the winter. It is incredibly easy to take care of herbs indoors. This can include mint, parsley, basil, cilantro, chives, and more! Just set your herb pot in the sunniest spot in your house throughout the winter and water regularly to have a beautiful medley of herbs to make delicious meals!
Harvesting your own vegetables is a great way to save a few extra bucks on produce. Not to mention it is nice to know exactly where the food you are eating is coming from. You get to regulate what goes into the soil you plant in, and minimize pesticides. Keeping up with different veggies and their harvest times means you can benefit from a full harvest in your garden each season.
Article contributed and written by: Shelby Andrews
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