My "Off Season" Garden veggies

[Tetters]

lso, Mizuna fed several families as part of Thanksgiving and is bouncing right back from cutting. How do you use them also?

Sauteed Mizuna with Garlic and Fish Sauce Recipe

...

www.seriouseats.com

Have a look at the above link. Although it seems that in the UK it is most often used in salads, in Japan the recipes are a bit more tasty. It can be added to soups and stews - not bad in curry all chopped up!

 

[zigs]

Use Land cress the same as you would watercress, it's a little bit peppery

 

[zigs]

Mizuna and strawberries, they're only on the polystyrene as we haven't thought of anywhere else to put the stuff yet

 

[Ruderunner]

Here in East Texas, my so called off season is definitely trending towards becoming the prime gardening season. Summer temps this year were approaching 110 deg F regularly in July, August, and early Sept. At those temps, it is difficult to grow many varieties. I'm changing with the climate and growing much more in fall/winter and far less (except for cover crops) in summer.

The fall/winter months are increasingly mild and offer ideal growing conditions for many varieties. It would be foolish for a gardener to pass on those perfect conditions.

Turnips are one of my cool season favorites primarily as a soil rebuilder. With long roots and tops extending several feet together they are 4 ft. of soil builder power. I like to eat them raw, kind of a forgotten veggie. Together with brassicas and leafy veggies they will grow most of the winter here barring an artic polar vortex.

Today's harvest:

View attachment 100882

No offense but I always get a chuckle out of your reference to winter. Ah to have winters like yours.

You can keep your summers though.

Your turnips will survive any frost you get. The greens might die off but they'll be back pretty quickly. Broccoli, cabbage, spinach and lettuce ought to love your current weather.

 

[zigs]

Proper winter here today

 

[Meadowlark]

My thanks to @zigs for introducing me to the Mizuna. It has been far more productive than lettuce and provides a unique spicy taste to winter salads.

The winter has been so mild I'm thinking of planting some more broccoli and radishes...already have planted more turnips. The harvests just keep coming.

 

[YumYum]

Been a really mild Fall/Winter here too.... so far. We've only have a handful of freezes. I still have established lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and broccoli the freeze hasn't killed yet.

Growing the cool veggies for Fall has been far more rewarding than the early Spring plantings because they don't really grow so they just sit there waiting for me to pick them in the same stage of growth. The hard thing is timing the planting so they are at optimal harvest when the cold first hits, then you are at the mercy of a really hard freeze to end it.

 

[zigs]

Most excellent @Meadowlark

If you like edible cactus pads these do ok outside

Opuntia humifusa, they have edible fruits too.

 

[Meadowlark]

Broccoli 3 lbs. 12 oz
Cabbage 7 lbs. 8 oz
White cauliflower 3 lbs. 9 oz
Purple cauliflower 10 oz

Not bad for "off season".

 

[zigs]

Cor, nice one @Meadowlark

All gone quiet here as there's hardly been any light for weeks, not just short days but loads of cloud cover. Roll on Spring

Despite the snow the week before last there's still cababage white caterpillars on the Kale

 

[Meadowlark]

Only time of year I can harvest fresh tomatoes and turnips simultaneously.

 

[Tundra20]

Hello im new on here have a question for Meadowlark
This may seem like a dumb question idk
How are u getting broccoli of that size now im in Arkansas and the heat was so hot back in October still my broccoli would not take off actually killed it I've since replanted
It is now doing good just hasn't produced yet

Just curious if im missing something a trick mabe
Btw l learned alot from urs and others post here very informative
Thx in advance

 

[Meadowlark]

How are u getting broccoli of that size now im in Arkansas and the heat was so hot back in October still my broccoli would not take off actually killed it I've since replanted

Thank you for the question, Tundra and welcome.

Yes, the heat this year was really tough on the cool season plants. The warmest fall on record around here in East Texas and probably in Arkie also.

I start from seed in air conditioning and move the plants out to the garden in late Aug. and continue stagger planting through Sept. and Oct. to have a continuous supply and not too much all at once. Hope that answers your question.

 

[Tundra20]

Yes sir it does apparently i need to wrk little harder on my seedlings
Most of my stuff is in a cold frame greenhouse so these up n dwn temps keep me moving
Thx again for ur response I enjoy ur posts im always learning

 

[zigs]

Got a bucket of Beetroot today