Today's Pickings

[headfullofbees]

Fall tomatoes are a "crap" shoot by just about any measure here in East Texas. The window for producing them is very small...only a very few days in which the plants can set fruit which will ripen in time to beat the first frost. This year it's been "7 come 11" with nice ripe tomatoes available every day now for a couple of weeks and that should continue until that killer frost hits which could come any day now.

The fruits are generally smaller and much fewer in number than in spring but the good news is minimum insect problems.

I'll keep enjoying this blessing as long as it lasts.

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Have you tried cutting down your early tomatoes in the summer as I've seen Greeks & Cypriots do?
They get a second crop from these when the summer heat abates.

 

[Meadowlark]

Have you tried cutting down your early tomatoes in the summer as I've seen Greeks & Cypriots do?
They get a second crop from these when the summer heat abates.

Yes, sort of... I throw some garden soil on long limbs of the "earlys" as the season ends in July and let those take root. They become my second fall crop. The window for fruit set is very narrow in fall...requires an early Sept cold front to enable fruit set which can ripen before first frost in early Nov. Got lucky this year.

 

[Meadowlark]

Winter is mild enough not to bother onions.

Short day onions here. I tried some long day once but just didn't work for me. Sometimes I will "plant" the sprouting short days harvested in May that sprout this time of year for some supplemental tasty green onions.

After literally several decades of winter grown onions here, including one winter of 8 deg. temps, it's safe to say they are fine with our winters here.

 

[Tuilly]

Wow, bumper harvest.

 

[Meadowlark]

Spring planted peppers often produce more for me in the fall when the plants seem to undergo a rejuvenation after the long summer of heat and humidity and bloom profusely which leads to lots of peppers. We grow the large jalapeños, various bells, and a few chilies.

Picked about 5 gallons today ahead of the first frost of the year as they don't tolerate frosts well.

 

[Meadowlark]

Thanksgiving harvest from the garden included (not-shown) carrots, onions, lettuce, beets and (shown below) radishes, Aspabroc(brocolinni), turnips and one humongous head of cauliflower (weighing in at 8 pounds 6 ounces).

There will be a traditional Turkey but the veggies from the garden are a highlight for me.

 

[Twigs]

Thanksgiving harvest from the garden included (not-shown) carrots, onions, lettuce, beets and (shown below) radishes, Aspabroc(brocolinni), turnips and one humongous head of cauliflower (weighing in at 8 pounds 6 ounces).

There will be a traditional Turkey but the veggies from the garden are a highlight for me.
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Wow! When did you plant your cauliflower and broccoli?

 

[Meadowlark]

I pretty much transplant continuously on cabbage, broc, and cauliflower starting in late August through November to enable a continuous supply of brassicas throughout the winter. I also grow brussels, but they require a long time to mature unlike the others.

I think those pictured are from some mid Sept transplants. For the first time this year, I've been using a very diluted boron drench on the brassicas which may have contributed to the size of them.

 

[Meadowlark]

If variety is indeed the spice of life and is the enabler of happiness, then winter gardening is full of opportunities for spice and happiness. Broccoli, cauliflower, beets, onions, turnips, and radishes in today's pickings.

We're enjoying a mild winter thus far and vegetables are producing abundantly.

 

[Meadowlark]

With a hard freeze due here in another day, today picked a few various veggies onions, carrots, radishes, broc, cauli to add to the table fare for the next few days.

 

[headfullofbees]

With a hard freeze due here in another day, today picked a few various veggies onions, carrots, radishes, broc, cauli to add to the table fare for the next few days.

View attachment 93812

If there were no shops, you'd be fine.

 

[FrostyGarden]

That’s very impressive! I would like to grow vegetables through the winter months. My garden is not productive this time of the year and that is something I would like to change. Have you any tips for growing once the temperatures drop? Do you have a greenhouse? Use cold frames?

 

[Meadowlark]

Thanks for the comments. It certainly helps to garden in a climate with relatively mild winter temps which very rarely fall below 20 deg F. Plant selection is important. Cool weather plants are mandatory for winter gardening regardless of location.

I don't have a greenhouse or use cold frames but do on occasion use plant covers when temps are dangerously low. I like to stagger start my seedlings so that I can have continuous production all winter and not have everything mature at the same time.

Soils rich in organic matter promote healthier plants with strong root systems which make them more able to withstand the low temps of winter. Also, I practice crop rotations each year especially with the brassicas like cabbage, broc, brussels etc.

Its the most rewarding time of year to grow green veggies, in my opinion.

 

[FrostyGarden]

Thanks for the comments. It certainly helps to garden in a climate with relatively mild winter temps which very rarely fall below 20 deg F. Plant selection is important. Cool weather plants are mandatory for winter gardening regardless of location.

I don't have a greenhouse or use cold frames but do on occasion use plant covers when temps are dangerously low. I like to stagger start my seedlings so that I can have continuous production all winter and not have everything mature at the same time.

Soils rich in organic matter promote healthier plants with strong root systems which make them more able to withstand the low temps of winter. Also, I practice crop rotations each year especially with the brassicas like cabbage, broc, brussels etc.

Its the most rewarding time of year to grow green veggies, in my opinion.

That's encouraging to hear. I think that I will need to be organised and plan ahead with my planting. Thanks for all the tips.

 

[headfullofbees]

That’s very impressive! I would like to grow vegetables through the winter months. My garden is not productive this time of the year and that is something I would like to change. Have you any tips for growing once the temperatures drop? Do you have a greenhouse? Use cold frames?

Cabbages, sprouts, kale, leeks, parsnips, swedes, onions can all be grown in Kent in winter.