Winter Garden Vegetables

Given the right patch of land and climate conditions, winter gardening is a practical choice for many gardeners.

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Only Jack Frost's incompatibility with many plants' cell structures could possibly put the brakes on a winter garden.

Cool season vegetables are the vegetables of choice for most winter gardens. They are categorized by their lower temperature seed germination, soil and air requirements.

Peppers, for example, firmly stand in the warm weather vegetable category. Not only are they susceptible to even a hint of frost, but also they need even higher surface air temperatures to reach growing maturity.

Cole crops such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, on the other hand, are cool weather vegetables.

Lettuce, onion, parsnip and spinach seeds germinate in soil temperatures as low as 35^o F. Cabbage, carrots and celery can germinate in soil temperature as low as 40^o F.

Local garden stores and extension services offer information about the specific vegetables suitable for winter growing in your area.

Once the vegetable choices are made, gardeners need to consider soil nutrient conditions.

Cool weather vegetables adapt to cool soil conditions because of their shallow roots, which may or may not reach buried nutrients, such as phosphorus, which tends to settle into the soil. Always check nutrient levels at different soil heights to insure plant nutritional needs.

Finally, while winter gardens tend to attract comparatively fewer insect pests than their summer counterparts, keeping the garden area weed free often serves as a good pest management strategy.

© 2000-2006. Patricia A. Michaels