Grandad, I agree that web sites slow down, when our Yankee friends retire for the winter. Below th Mason-Dixon line however, Fall and winter gardens are great. Kale and Collards are standards. In the midsouth, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard, turnips, rutabagas, kohlrabi will go into January and February. Cabbage usually quits in early December. Spinach, carrots and radishes also flourish as a fall winter crop. Of course our main crop onions are winter grown. Further south in the citrus belt, warm weather vegetables are grown in the winter. The Florida growers carry another vegetable forum I frequent during the winter.
By the way purple cauliflower is delicious, but I have only grown the hybrid Graffitti. Did do the Early Purple Sprouting broccoli one time. but was not impressed.
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Up here in Zone 3, even the hardiest crops quit by the end of October. I have radishes growing both outside and under cloches (plastic tubs). The ones in the open are looking pretty miserable due to the string of low 20s we've been having at night. The protected ones look quite happy. I think I can keep harvesting radishes until the first week of November.

This yankee hasn't closed the garden up for the winter yet! I squeeze the last drop out of mine, and am still squeezing this year to make up for a lack of rain in summer. I have been harvesting green beans like crazy for a week now. They're still coming on, and shall until a killing frost. People thought I was nuts planting them when I did, but alls you got to do is look at the maturity date on the seed and often find out that you have plenty of time to reap a crop if they're planted in August sometimes.

I also planted another run of cabbage at the same time and broccoli and the cabbage is heading up now. It's been continuous since early summer. Leeks shall weather the weather fine. Limas lulled out in dead of summer and are now full of nearly filled pods.

We can't start planting in fall, for the most part, but most of the gardeners in this area stop planting when they get their spring crop in and call it quits when it peters out. My summer planted garden is a thing of beauty now, nearly pest free and lusher in the cooler weather.

I planted my winter collards three weeks ago, and will be harvesting the first in two more weeks. Sweet winter collards. YUM TiMo

I feel very fortunate that my climate allowed me to grow my current fall crop. Thanks for sharing the photos everyone. You can see my photos below.

EG

Here is a link that might be useful: Latest pics of my fall garden

I'm still planting, Granddad.

Because I do mostly container gardening, I have something started in my small, but brightly lit sunporch almost all the time. My first round of cole crops, lettuce, and greens is already growing outside. Today I'm starting another round with some different varieties.

And I'm happy to report that I'm still harvesting tomatoes, eggplants and peppers and may get another few cukes, if i'm lucky. I expect one more harvest of corn just before Thanksgiving. I also have fennel, peas, beets, turnips, onions, artichokes and herbs growing.

When I first moved here and saw that no one around me had a garden, I thought it was because nothing would grow in this desert climate. Now i know that there is almost nothing that WON'T grow.

We Zone Niners are some lucky, lucky gardeners!

j.

A correction to my above post...I was speaking with one local growers at the downtown Baton Rouge market about various cultivars that he plants during the fall. He informed me that Green Goliath broccoli is an open polinated variety. Well, as the link below denotes, it sure produces every bit as well as a hybrid. Plus, the seed has been readily available in early spring on the Burpee seed rack at our local WalMarts.

Here is a link that might be useful: One of many Green Goliath Broccoli Links

Green Goliath is the best open pollinated broccoli That I have tried. Not as dependable as the hybrids and much less uniform. However that last trait is an advantage to a home gardener as it spreads out the harvest.
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Thanks for the picture, Farmer Dill. This is my first year to have a winter garden, and I have large Calabrese plants, and have been trying to envision how the heads would look when they form. Now i know.

Because I do a lot of container gardening I have also started some Small Miracle hybrids. I'm eager to see how they perform.

j.

Here's my mix of ornamental and edible kale near the back door. Wished I'd planted cabbage too. Shredded some Oak leaves for use as mulch.


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Which one are you calling ornamental? I recognize the red russian, what is the other one?

IÂm not sure what the small one next to the phlox is. The Crane kale with the white/pink centers are grown for floral arrangements. Apparently the worms find this ornamental to be the most delicious.

My husband once believed the Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch against the wall (transplanted from vegetable plot) was ornamental, however he now eats it in mashed potatoes. Blue curly kale is my favorite vegetable so easy to grow, beautifully frilly and very nutritious.

I like the location of this bed because the Oak leaves gather there, hiding the harvested stem. The leaves also hide small pieces of chicken wire to prevent squirrels from tearing transplants out and depositing acorns instead!

Flowering cabbage and flowering kale ( basic difference in that the kale has frilly leaves) are very popular here for winter color in flower beds. Dwarf Blue curled Scotch and its look look alike are arguably the best eating of the kales, but if want one that is almost indestructable and still good eating try Siberian (Brassica napus)This stuff thrives at 15 below.
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I have felt the same thing. Though after a month or two fall gardening in the Pacific NW, I can see why so few fall garden here. It's dark, wet and somewhat cold all the time. I'm trying hoop covers but I only get to see my garden on the weekends when I'm home in daylight. I hope things are growing. Hehe.

But to answer your question I'm giving it a try and if I get anything out of it (and I should) I'll keep gardening all year long!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure

Yes!! I love Fall gardening. This is my second year gardening and the Fall garden seems so much easier. I love the pictures posted.

I just have a couple raised beds, but I'm growing, black-seeded simpson and buttercrunch lettuce, red russian kale, de ciccio broccoli, and florida broadleaf mustards.

Everything is really taking off with this cooler weather. My tomatoes are still hanging in there along with my pepper plants. I'll have some great homegrown salads the next month.

Pete

My cole crops were growing really good, until the area I planted them in started getting mostly shade. The place got full sun all summer but starting about 3 weeks ago, the area is now almost all shady. The plants aren't growing and I don't think they will form heads. I'm really disappointed. I have quite a few of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

Up here in Z-7 Va Feb is the only month of the year that I'm not harvesting something. It starts with late fall planted spinach being picked by mid March and ends with the last of the carrots being picked in Jan.

Here are two of my Early Flat Dutch cabbages this morning.
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And two more...just as my dog decided to walk into the shot and mark his territory. Guess he really wanted to protect those cabbages from intruders.
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That's a heap of veggies, Grandad.
Do you participate in a local market?

Here is Central TX, the fall winter garden is also a joy.
We have only had luck with Brussell Sprouts a couple of times, as many winters are too warm, I think. Regardless, I plant a couple every year.
We also grow 4-5 each of Brocoli and Cauliflower.
But my favorite winter crop is the lettuce. There are so many beautiful varieties and they all taste so much better than the store bought.

No "local market" gardening for me, GardenSpice. I know from my backyard gardening experiences that the dealing with the whims of Mother Nature would be far too great. I'm much rather just keep it as a (fun) hobby. Hat's off to the the Market Farmers!

Realizing that Mother Nature can be unkind, I always plant far more than I need. My relatives and friends reap the benefits if things go according to plan... I generally can bring lots of broccoli and cauliflower to share with those family memebers attending the Christmas feast at my mother's home. Looks like I probably will be able to "deliver" again this year...

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Just finished making the rows for the remainder of the fall garden. The space shown below in the foreground is for strawberry, onion, garlic, spinach, carrots, broccoli raab, kohlrabi, radishes, lettuce, and leeks... some of which have aready been planted.

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grandad, that is truly impressive! Thanks for supplying that first photo. I have 20 cabbage and 11 broccoli, and I thought that was big stuff! Ha! You're the cole crop "man"!

EG

Grandad, I'll be retired by next season and you inspire me. Got the space, just need the Back, ha.

grandad, wayne, or farmerdilla - Since you guys obviously know what you're doing, I was hoping that you could help a first time fall gardener determine when his broccoli and collards should be picked....It would be greatly appreciated.

First - I know that georgia collards can be picked at any stage, and normally the outer leaves are harvested from the plants, and also - that they taste better after frost has settled on them....So, my only question concerning collards is - Is it possible for them to go to seed in the winter? I've got about 8 plants with some pretty big outer leaves, but personally don't feel that it is currently enough for a good meal. I was wanting to let them continue to grow larger, but wouldn't want them to go to seed on me...

Second, I have 12 early dividend broccoli from bonnie plants that have formed small heads, and the only information I can find concerning harvesting size is - to pick them when the head is about 3" in diameter.....I'm about there now, but my heads are still very green in color. Shouldn't they turn blueish/purple before picking? Again...i'm afraid of leaving them on the plant too long....Thanks for your help.

EG

Rngineer:
Collards began to bolt after they have overwintered and the daylenght and warmth begin to suit them. Here that is late February -March

Brocoli can be harvested at any time it is large enough. It is going past prime when any buds show yellow( sign of the flowers opening) still usable but not good as if you catch it before. This is Early Dividend, just before the blooms start to open. If you look closely, you can see the yellow of the flowers beginning to show. This head is still good but for best quality should heve been picked yesterday.
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farmerdilla - thanks! That's exactly the info I was needing! Thanks for the picture, also....

EG

Farmerdilla - May I ask one more question? It's gonna be really cold here for the next 7 nights, with temperatures as low as:

Tonight - 26
Sunday night - 29
Monday night - 26
Tuesday night - 21
Wednesday night - 28
Thursday night - 21
Friday night - 27

After that, it warms up again. I know that collards are good until 10 degrees, but do I need to be concerned about my broccoli and cabbage? They are very big plants, and are almost ready to harvest....Thanks again!

EG

If it gets to 21 it could be troublesome, if cabbage and broccoli are heading. Cabbage is peculiar, some types when fully headed will stand it. They are most vulnerable when heading. Ditto for broccoli, most vulnerable when heading. They will stand a hard frost, but 21 is a freeze. I would throw a blanket over them if possible. Plastic does not work well, but old bed sheets, etc should do the trick.

farmerdilla - Thank you so much.....i'll get some old bed sheets ready, and keep them covered every night until the temps warm up again.

EG

Premium Crop Hybrid broccoli...

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looking good, grandad

Hi Grandad,

I'm new to gardening and I'm wondering what those plastic tubes at the base of the plant are used for? Do you remove them when the plants grow large or do they stay until you cut the crop?

thanks in advance,

Brad

Brad, the plastic tubes are for cutworm control. They are made from 2 liter drink bottles. Cut off the top and bottom and then cut the cylinder in half. A sharp non-serated pearing knife works best. I let the plants get as large as possible but do take them off. This year after removing the plastic collars, I did have a cutworm cut halfway thru the stem of one large plant (which had to be replaced). I keep the collars on wooden stakes when not in use. It's hard to see but in the first photo note the collars in the back corner of the garden.

PS: Thanks farmerdilla for the compliment..

Wow, you people are awesome. I am in the socal inland area and a zone 9er like many of you. I have very limited space but am so please with the veggies I have been able to grow. Based on the above post regarding when to harvest brocolli, I rushed out and harvested 2 of mine immediately. They were perfectly ready! This is the kind of info I really need! Keep it coming! Maybe we should have a zone 9er topic so we can keep it going when most other regions go to sleep. It would certainly help me!

We're getting some light snow right now. Which means tomorrow I'll be eating some Red Russian kale!

An update on the fall cole crops..

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Below is routine occurence for you folks up north, but for us, today this happens to be a once-in-every-5-to-10 year type event..

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WOW...& ....COOL

....the only words I could come up with...

Grandad, are your crops going to be OK? I am looking at all these snow pictures from New Orleans in amazement....

Wow, grandad.....that first shot is impressive! Do you use BT on everything?

EG

Oh no, grandad! Please tell me everything in your garden is okay.

I've enjoyed reading this and looking at your and farmerdilla's pictures so much. This is my first year to have a productive fall/winter garden (light issues in years past) and I'm amazed at how much we can grow now. It might even be more productive than the spring/summer garden.

Let us know how your crops did with the snow.

Granddad, your garden is a beautiful sight. I am tempted to make a screen saver out of it. If you really eat all that greenery, you will live to be 150. Actually, I would eat it all, but I am only one I know who does, and everyone in my family picks on me for that.

Incidentally, the snow will do little to the cole crops. They don't really suffer until the temp dips below 22 or 23.

Cabrita, except for a few broken leaves caused by the weight of the snow, the fall/winter veges were not harmed. As glib noted, I don't begin to see any problems until the temps drop to the low 20's and below. And even then if the duration is short, the damage is minimal.

EG, yes I do use BT. This year I've had 2 applications thus far. I spray at the fits site of the caterpillars.

Glib, I have the opportunity to share the harvest with family - brothers, sisters, son and daughters, in-laws, and grandsons. I also share with gardening friends and some of my co-workers. In addition broccoli freezes VERY well. Your comment made me think of a conversation with my daughter last year. After about a month of providing her with broccoli, I asked her if she was ready for more. She said that she had enough for now. So I asked, well, what about your husband. She replied no he doesn't need any. Apparently he loves broccoli, eats its every day and it had given him gas. In a day or so, she sent me an email with the video in the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Funny Video

Yes, granddad, that is probably why I prefer other greens and always end up planting modest amounts of brassicas (I mean despite the fact that they are so nutritious and productive compared to other greens). The exception is kale, but the winter green I eat the most is radicchio. It is untroubled by pests, drought and low fertility, and it is quite nice to your digestive system. Its heads keep eating quality in the ground for months. You just can not eat it before several frosts have hit.

First of the season Snow Crown cauliflower, this one about 5 lbs...

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Good thing the snow melted huh :)

Awesome garden!!!

Yep, vgkg, good thing the snow melted...

Cole crops still coming in...

Purple cauliflower:

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White Vienna Kohlrabi..

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Getting near the end of "cole season" for me. Soon time to convert the remaining fall garden portions to the spring/summer garden..

Here is a Flat Dutch cabbage picked a month ago...

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beautiful vegetables!

GRANDAD SEEMS YOU KNOW WHAT YOURER DOING,WHEN YOU PREPARE YOUR FALL GARDEN DO YOU USE COW MANURE OR WHAT ? I DONT THINK I USE ENOUGH COW MANURE OR 10-20-10 HELP ! FROM A TEX. GRANDAD. BILL