What do you grow in your winter garden?

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Permalink Reply by Teresa Fortner on September 4, 2008 at 6:32pm

Cabbage, turnips, spinach and lettuce

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Permalink Reply by Mz Priss on September 4, 2008 at 6:56pm

I'm growing tomatoes, green beans, spinach, two kinds of kale, collards, mustard greens, chard and salad greens and beets (red and gold).

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Permalink Reply by Tamra on September 6, 2008 at 7:08am

several varieties of salad greens
carrots
beets
kale
broccoli
raab
cabbage
leeks, green onions, walking onions
collard greens
turnips
kohlrabi
spinach
chard
calendula

I am in Tennessee, and while our nights can get very chilly, often in the lower 20's our days can be very warm. I have 2 cold frames I will set up before the first frost. I also use turfbell of remay. But some veggeis like collards, leeks and onions do fine with nothing more that a thick mulch of wheat straw.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on October 4, 2008 at 1:44pm

Tennessee Tamra!!

Hey I have a question for you. I've only been gardening about 3 years, and am planting my second winter garden. My question is I've got some multiplier onions that I planted back in August, and I'm wondering what to do with them, when to get them up from the ground, how to store for winter, when to re-plant, etc.... I'm in Zone 6, same as you, I think.

Thanks so much,
Tennessee Laura

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Permalink Reply by Tamra on October 4, 2008 at 2:17pm

Tennessee Laura,

where in TN are you, I am in Nashville.
I planted multipliers last year for the first time. I planted them when I plant garlic, mid October, and harvested them in June. Since you just planted then in August, I would just dig them as you need for cooking. They should be fine in the ground all winter, with no protection. And they will just keep getting bigger. Since you will be using them fresh, you can use the tops as well. Watch them in spring and harvest before they flower. I have learned the hard way, if they go to seed, they will have a hard inedible stalk in the middle.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on October 9, 2008 at 10:15am

Hmmm, I hope I didn't plant my garlic too early, I planted it on Sept. 22 (this is my first time planting garlic this year). I am over in Kodak, which is a couple hours east of you. I think that would be just amazing if I could leave the multipliers in the ground all winter, and use them as needed! We did that last winter with carrots, and it was really fun.

So how about CELERY? I've got a couple of the Red Stalk variety growing out there. I'm hoping to snuggle them in with some wheat straw, and they'll be ok this winter.... do you think that will work??

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Permalink Reply by Tamra on October 9, 2008 at 11:00am

Just mulch your garlic really well once it gets cold, and see what happens. Mine is usually ready in mid to late June, yours might be done earlier.

I tried celery last winter for the first time, I think I planted it too late because it went to seed before I got stalks. I mulched it with a lot of straw and put a row cover over it, it lived. When did you plant yours? Please keep me posted as to how it does. It is hard to find info about celery, not many people grow it.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on October 10, 2008 at 12:26pm

The celery I started inside in little peat pots in Feb. and got them planted outside by the first part of May. It is looking pretty strong, so I'm hopeful about its continued growth. I have already been using some of the stalks (although they are small in diameter) and they have such a wonderful smell when cut and a mighty powerful flavor. I can't imagine why people just don't grow a little celery - it is such a basic, practical vegetable.

On to potatoes, we planted some in August as a trial for the winter garden. I read somewhere that potatoes planted in late July into August could be left in the ground through the winter - with the ground functioning as a root cellar for them.
Mark where they are and simply dig as needed. Have you ever tried this??

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on October 10, 2008 at 12:30pm

One nice thing about celery is that even if a gardener doesn't get nice stalks like those in the grocery store, the plant can still be used to flavor soups and stews, any mir pois base for a recipe.

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Permalink Reply by Tamra on October 10, 2008 at 12:45pm

You are right Penelope. And after I pulled mine and put it in the compost I needed celery seed for a recipe I was making. I could have at least saved the seeds. Next year...

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Permalink Reply by Laura on October 11, 2008 at 2:52pm

Yeah, you're right about the stalks. If you've got a realy strongly flavored celery - maybe don't think of it as a vegetable - think of it as a spice!

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Permalink Reply by Tamra on October 10, 2008 at 12:43pm

We must have read the same thing about potatoes. I am trying fall potatoes for the first time this year. I planted them in July, but they never sprouted. Finally I gave up and planted salad in that bed. Yesterday I noticed small potato shoots. I guess the ground was just too hot. I just hope they grow enough before it freezes. I may put a hoop house over them in a few weeks.

Alright I will try more celery next spring. I planted it last fall after reading it liked cool weather. But I think going through winter made is go to seed before it grew stalks. I think it is a bi-annual. I have heard it is hard to grow.

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