Monday, October 19, 2015

List of Frost loving vegetables to grow (& extending the garden season VIDEO)

persimmons picked in late October 2014
Although it may be too late to grow these vegetables outdoors, you can always grow them in containers and take them indoors at night. And although you may not be able to sow these seeds now, this list is a reminder of those cold weather vegetables that you can grow throughout the cold Spring months, and what to plant before Fall of next year. This list of vegetables will prepare you for next year, so that you can grow where you are, and grow year round.

Regardless of where you live, there's a few crops that withstand cooler temps, frost, and even sometimes snow. You may have heard before, persimmons are best picked to eat after a frost, and  likewise, some of these vegetables listed will become sweeter if they grow through a frost too. Below I have listed the root and leafy vegetables that grow during the cooler months in February, March, and April, and October through November. In the pictures below, are the root vegetables and leafy greens I harvested in these colder months.

Most of these vegetables listed can withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit. The most common crops which you can grow through the cool winter months are root vegetables including,

Turnips


Turnip harvested in late October 2014
Radishes
Radish harvested in early October 2015
Parsnips
Beets
Green onions
Rutabaga
Carrots


Carrots harvested from garden in late October 2015





















The most common green leafy vegetables you can grow throughout the winter months are,
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Collards
Mustard greens
Broccoli
Leafy vegetable growing in early March


Leafy vegetable growing in early March


Cauliflower
Celery
Kale
Leeks
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Lettuces
Late Fall and Early winter lettuce garden 2013


























Remember when growing through these colder months, to use garden cloths, transparent plastic sheeting, and garden cloches. Polytunnels are elongated plastic coverings that are good for covering long rows of plants. Cloches are any type of covering that protects plants from snow, cold temperatures, and "pests". Cloches can be made with any recycled plastics, glass, and other materials. This method ensures plant protection in  early Spring months, or when extending the growing season into Fall and Winter. Cloches that are bell or tent shaped allow room for individual plants.
View my post  in the link for more ideas at Cloches plant protection (early planting & extend growing season).
A couple weeks ago I showed you how I was protecting my greens and root crops in this post: Keeping greens warm at night & protected from rabbits. And below I show you in the video how I am protecting my pepper plants from the frost:


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