- Posted By: Amy Breschini
- Written by: Linda Karr- Gardening Speaker at Advice to Grow By
THE COOL SEASON VEGETABLE GARDEN
PLANNING YOUR GARDEN
-- Choose a site
Full Sun
Close to the house
Level, or terraced
Water source close
Size appropriate to what you plan to grow and how much time you have
--Decide what you want to grow
How much time do you have to devote to the garden?
Start from seed or transplants? Plants started from seed in the ground take longer to produce a crop than transplants, but large seeds and root crops should all be directly sown in the garden. Transplants from the commercial growers limit your choice, but are an easy option. Growing your own transplants gives you many more choices, but takes time and good planning since seeds usually take 4-6 weeks to grow to a size suitable for transplanting.
-- Prepare the soil
Sandy soils don’t hold water and don’t have many nutrients.
Heavier clay soils have plenty of nutrients, but don’t drain well and impede root penetration.
Work 3”-4” of organic matter into top 12” of soil (aged compost) avoiding any compost that contains animal waste. Allow to sit for 1-2 weeks prior to planting.
--Know your local climate, it will determine what you can grow successfully
Are your summers cool and foggy and your winters mild? (coastal or near coast; Nipomo, 5 cities, Avila, San Luis Obispo, Edna Valley, Los Osos, Morro Bay, Baywood Park, Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon, etc.)
Are your summers hot and dry and your winters icy? (inland side of coastal mountains and those areas north of the Cuesta Grade; Cuyama valley, Santa Margarita, Atascadero, Templeton, Paso Robles, Creston, Shandon, Estrella, San Miguel, etc.)
--Schedule your plantings: See the Planting Guide Crop Circle
Cool summer places can plant cool season veggies almost all year around.
Hot summer places can plant cool season veggies early, followed by warm season plants, and finish with a fall planting of cool season veggies.
PLANTING YOUR GARDEN
-- Plant only as much as your family is likely to eat.
-- Short growing season or long growing season? Plan succession plantings for short growing season plants, set aside dedicated space for long growing season plants.
--Starting from seed:
Seed growing requirements (display):
moisture, oxygen, light, preferred temperatures
From Seed to Garden (display)
Use fresh seed as much as possible, but be aware that most seeds are viable for more than one planting season.
Follow packet directions regarding spacing and planting depth.
Soil temperature is still warm enough for all plants to germinate well. Cool season veggies like the soil to be between 45-60 degrees or warmer to germinate, so there is time to go before winter weather makes the soil too cold.
Water seeds in with a gentle spray (for very fine seed close to the top of the soil, start with a mist). Keep soil evenly moist until you see green shoots.
--Starting from transplants:
Dig holes in your bed bigger than the size of the pot that holds the plant.
Gently fluff the roots before placing in the ground.
Plant only as deep as the plant sits in the pot.
Back fill hole and firm soil around plant.
Large plants may need watering basins until established.
Water plants thoroughly after transplanting to remove air pockets; water thereafter about 1-2 times per week until plants take hold and begin to grow.
--Fertilizer can be applied when plants are put in the ground and again 1 or 2 times during the growing season.
GARDEN MAINTENANCE
Most vegetable plants do best with regular water—allow the soil surface to dry 1-2” down then irrigate. Keep the leaves of vegetable crops dry to prevent leaf diseases. Using drip systems is the most water conserving, but require some pre planning and expense up front; soaker hoses are another alternative. Watering cans or water wands on the end of a hose also will work fine once plants are established.
Keep weeds out of your vegetable garden, they are better competitors for water and nutrients and your crops will not thrive.
Long growing season plants should have a side-dressing of fertilizer applied a couple of times during their growing cycle.
END OF SEASON GARDEN TASKS:
--Clear away all remnants of harvested vegetables.
--Plant cover crops for tilling under in early spring OR spread out manure to age through the winter and till under in spring prior to planting.
DAYS TO MATURITY for common cool season crops (Ranges are for different varieties)
Sources: various seed catalogs & seed packets
Arugula – 30-40 days
Beets – 50-60 days
Bok Choy (or Pak Choi) – 45-60 days
Broccoli – 65-80 days
Brussels Sprouts – 90-110 days
Cabbage – 55-70 days
Carrots – 60-75 days
Cauliflower – 50-80 days
Celery – 85-100 days
Chard – 25-60 days
Endive (Frisee) – 60-65 days
Fava Beans – 65 days for fresh, 100 days or later for dry
Leek – 75-100 days
Lettuce (loose leaf) – 45-70 days
Lettuce (butterhead and romaine) – 55-70 days
Lettuce (iceberg) – 65-80 days
Mustard greens – 40-60 days
Parsnip – 110-120 days
Peas (snap) – 50-60 days
Peas (snow or pod peas) – 70 days
Radish – 25-30 days
Rutabaga – 120 days
Shallots (from sets) – 100 days
Spinach – 20-70 days
Turnips – 45-65 days
WEB RESOURCES:
Frost Dates and Chill Hours for SLO County:
http://ucanr.org/sites/mgslo/publications/news/Frost_Dates_and_Chill_Hours/
PDF files about various aspects of vegetable gardening in SLO County:
http://ucanr.org/sites/mgslo/publications/news/Vegetables_-_Herbs/
UC website for the home gardener:
http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/
UC website for plant disease and pest identification and control:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/menu.homegarden.html
Master Gardener Helpline contact information:
(Call-in, walk-in or e-mail) 805-781-5939 or email: mgsanluisobispo@ucdavis.edu
http://ucanr.org/sites/mgso
The University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources (ANR) prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person in any of its programs or activities
(Complete nondiscrimination policy statement can be found at http://ucanr.org/sites/anrstaff/files/107734.doc)
Inquiries regarding ANR’s equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to Linda Marie Manton, Affirmative Action Contact, University of California, Davis, Agriculture and Natural Resources, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, (530) 752-0495.