Here are a few planting tips for your “cool season” veggies:
1) Selecting varieties: There are lots of things to think about when it comes to selecting which type of veggies you will grow. Keep in mind things like disease resistance qualities, flavor, size, quality, pollination needs, and if they are open pollinated rather than hybrid if you are seed saving. If you are shopping at local garden centers rather than through catalogs then that often narrows down the choices you have and can sometimes make it easier to choose. Smaller garden centers should sell fruits and veggies that are appropriate for your area, but it's always good to ask! Larger garden centers that are part of chain stores don't always have seasonally appropriate veggies and often have sales to move plants that did not sell at the end of the season, so keep that in mind when shopping. If shopping through a catalog then be sure the plants you select are appropriate for your area as well since these companies are located all over the county, and sell all over the country and world!
2) Soil quality matters for fruits and veggies! Most veggies and fruits do best in soil that is well draining and rich in organic matter. If you have sandy soil, or heavy clay soil, you can amend your planting area with compost to improve water holding capacity and improve drainage respectively. Adding compost is a great way to increase the organic matter in your soil. Compost is relatively low in nutrients, so it's not a replacement for fertilizer, but it adds to the overall soil and microbe health so it's great stuff!!
3) Fertilizing your veggies: If you are planting transplants that you grew yourself or that you bought at the store you can add fertilizer to the soil when planting and then fertilize approx. every 4 to 6 weeks. If you are planting seeds directly into the soil (which is the preferred method for root veggies like carrots and radishes) no need to fertilize when planting but you can begin fertilizing about when the plant is about 4 to 6 inches tall.
4) Mulch is for veggies too! Adding mulch to your cool season veggies will keep weeds down and help keep moisture in the soil, which is especially important if we have a long dry winter.
5) Keep your plants from getting overwatered! While rain may seem like a distant memory …….sometimes we get too much at one time in the winter and spring. Keep an eye on your veggies and fruits when we get a lot of rain to try to avoid having them sit in soggy or standing water. Make sure if you are planting in pots that they have adequate drainage holes. If you are planting in a low spot of your yard, consider planting on berms or mounds or in a raised bed. For your larger plants and fruit trees that have troughs around them to hold water you may need to open the ring to allow excess water to flow out.
6) Protecting your plants from cold snaps! Having a plan in place to protect cool season veggies from cold snaps will help you be prepared for the handful of days that we have below freezing. You can buy frost cloth from your local garden center, or use sheets to protect your plants. If you use plastic to keep your plants warm be sure the plastic is not touching the plants to avoid frost damage and when the temperature warms a bit in the day it's important that there is some air circulation given to the plants. Leaving the plants fully covered can lead to pathogens that damage your plants.
7) Water born plant diseases, like mildews and molds, can be a problem when we have a wet, humid winters. While we can't control what nature has to offer, we can take steps to make sure we reduce the amount of moisture that sits on our plants. If we haven't had any rain but it's cool and humid in the mornings avoid getting any water on your veggies leaves. In the summer that moisture will usually evaporate off, but in the winter that moisture sits on the leaves longer and is a great environment for molds and fungus. You can also plant varieties of plants that are more resistant to these airborne, moisture facilitated diseases.
8) Pest management in your cool season garden. Common cool season pests are slugs and snails, gophers, caterpillars and aphids to name a few. To learn more about what's “bugging” your garden check out our UC Integrated Pest Management website (UC IPM http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/menu.homegarden.html ) or contact our Master Gardener Helpline for help at mgsanbern@ucanr.edu. The most important thing to remember when dealing with garden pests is to use best management practices to keep your plants healthy, to properly ID your pests so that you are treating the right pest in the right way, and lastly to use least toxic methods possible.
9) Looking to bring more pollinators into your yard? Cool season veggies are often overlooked as a source of nectar for pollinators since we usually eat the leaves, immature flowers, stalks and roots of the plants, but they flower too!! If your crops “blot” (send out a flower stalk too soon) due to late season heat then consider not pulling them out, but instead letting them go to flower for the pollinators (they also make some really pretty flowers) and then maybe you can save seeds from them too!
Hopefully with these tips and list of cool season veggies you are excited to grow a little or grow a lot in your cool season garden!! Cool season veggies can be some of the most nutritious things we can grow in our garden and with a little practice can be a lot easier to grow since we are not dealing with 110 degree days!! For a few suggestions on what to grow in the winter check out last month's blog: https://ucanr.edu/b/~mAD Check out our free online and in person classes that will cover different aspects of cool season plant care, pest management, and sustainable landscaping at https://mgsb.ucanr.edu/. Or join us at our info tables located throughout the county to ask us questions in person (locations can be found on our website under “Classes and Events” tab)!!