Lettuce grows best in the cool weather of spring and fall. Time lettuce seed sowing so plants come to harvest before very warm and hot weather, Hot weather will trigger bolting and seed-stalk formation. Bolting can be slowed by picking the oldest leaves first but it can’t be stopped. Lettuce that bolts will be bitter-flavored, […] More
Cauliflower is a cool-season crop. Cauliflower thrives in temperatures between 57°F and 68°F (14°C-20°C). Set cauliflower seedlings in the garden about two or three weeks before the average last frost date, not earlier. Sow cauliflower seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before setting seedlings in the garden. Cauliflower grows best at 57° to 68°F (14°-20°C). […] More
Kohlrabi is a cool-season crop; it’s best grown in spring and fall. Sow kohlrabi in spring for an early summer harvest and use; start a second crop in mid-to-late summer for winter storage and use. Kohlrabi is not a root crop; the edible part of the plant is a swollen portion of the stem growing […] More
Beets are commonly grown in spring, summer, and autumn. Beets may be seeded as early in spring as the ground can be worked. Make successive sowings at intervals of about 3 weeks in order to have a continuous supply of young, tender beets throughout the season. Beets are well adapted to grow in many regions. […] More
Cabbage is a hardy, cool-season crop. Cabbage is best planted in early spring or mid-to-late summer. Cabbage thrives in temperatures between 65°F and 75°F (18-24°C) and can withstand cold temperatures down to 25°F (-4°C). Cabbage seedlings can be set in the garden 4 weeks before the last frost in spring. You can sow cabbage seeds […] More
Carrots are a cool-season crop; they are best grown in spring and fall. Carrots are commonly grown in spring, fall, and winter in warm-winter regions. Carrots can be grown through the summer in mild to cool summer regions and a surplus can be stored for winter. Carrots may be seeded as early in spring as […] More
Chinese cabbage is a large group of cabbages that can be divided into two categories–heading and non-heading leafy greens. The heading types include Napa cabbage–also called Hakusai, Michili, celery cabbage, and Pe Tsai. The non-heading types include Bok Choy (also called Pac Choi or Pak Choi) and Mei Qing Choi (sometimes called Baby Bok Choy). […] More
Garlic is a cool-weather perennial plant commonly planted in the cool of autumn or early spring. Garlic–which is sometimes classified as an herb–is grown from cloves selected from medium to large bulbs, called heads, harvested the season before. You can plant cloves from garlic heads purchased at a grocery store or farm market as long […] More
Garlic is grown from cloves formed in bulbs. Cloves used to start new plants are called “seed cloves”. Seed clove size is important to yield. The yield of a large clove is usually greater than a medium-sized clove, which, in turn, is usually greater than a small-size clove. The largest cloves commonly produce the largest […] More
Raspberries are perhaps the most delicate fruit. This makes them a good choice for home growing and fresh picking. Just harvested raspberries quickly pass from ripe to overripe. It is difficult to find them just right at the market; they should be eaten within a day or two of picking, otherwise, they should be frozen […] More
Blackberry plants are easy to plant and grow. The blackberry is a vigorous grower. Modern blackberry varieties and cultivars are derived from native species which are still found growing wild along roadsides. Blackberry plants vary from trailing to erect to bushy and from thorny to thornless. Some varieties and cultivars are suited for chilly northern […] More
Kale is a leafy cool-weather crop that requires two months of cool weather to reach harvest. Kale is a biennial plant, a hardy brassica (member of the cabbage/mustard family). Mature kale leaves can be coarse but there are several types that are grown for their tender, palatable young leaves. Kale is an important leaf crop […] More
Stephen Albert