CROPS TO GROW YEAR-ROUND
In general , cool-weather crops can be grown to harvest throughout the winter . Ideal cold-weather crops include arugula , Brussel sprouts , broccoli , parsnips , spinach , kale , Swiss chard , lettuce , carrots , beets , and scallions . It ’ s also important to choose varieties that are cold-tolerant when planning your year-round garden . There are many varieties of lettuce , for example . Some do well in warmer weather , such as Ermosa , while others do better in cooler weather , like Red Salad Bowl . The key is for them to be full grown by the time cold weather hits and then protect them from the elements . They won ’ t grow in the winter , but they can stay in the ground so you can harvest them when you ’ re ready to eat them . This means that the time to plant your winter garden is late summer , so your plants are mature when the frost hits . The timing will vary depending on your zone . You ’ ll need to know your first frost date and then count backwards . Let ’ s take broccoli as an example . Depending on the variety , it can mature anywhere from 50-85 days . Your seed packet will tell you the days until
harvest . If you have an 85-day variety , you ’ ll want to direct sow it into the garden 85 days before your first frost . Once the frost arrives , you ’ ll cover your crop with a row cover to protect it until you are ready to harvest it for dinner . It ’ s also important to note when you grow year-round , you are not giving your soil time to rest and replenish itself . Year-round gardening makes it imperative to add soil amendments to your garden so it doesn ’ t lack nutrients and give you a poor harvest . Compost is full of nutrients and an ideal amendment for every garden . Blood meal will add nitrogen , bone meal will add phosphorus , and lime will add calcium while also reducing pH in acidic soil .
“
IT ’ S ALSO IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE VARIETIES THAT ARE COLD-TOLERANT WHEN PLANNING YOUR
YEAR-ROUND
GARDEN .”
Maximum Yield 31