What are Winter Crops

Several of our customers have been asking us if it's a good time to begin planting winter crops. The idea being that if it can survive winters, it's optimal for growing year round. This is a half-truth of sorts. While winter crops are ideal for continual yield during winter, but you will want to wait until near August or September before planting.

What Defines a Winter Crop

A winter crop is a plant that survives the winter. Should be pretty clear cut. However, what needs to be clear is timing the harvest. While your tomatoes, lettuce, and other fruitful vegetables will be growing well through summer and early fall, you want to time your planting right for the winter crops.

Winter crops grow like normal crops as in they take some time to the ground, and then they sprout. However, if you plant winter crops in Spring, they will sprout in Summer, so when you are going through your garden and pulling the crops for this season, plant some of the followings for the fall.

What are some Winter Crops that I can plant?

These specific choices are taken from the Marin Master Gardeners blog posts on the same subject.

Garlic - Set out nursery-purchased bulbs (separated but unpeeled) four inches apart. Don't water them in.

Leeks - Nursery starts are inexpensive and plentiful. They can be harvested throughout the year and are unfazed by our mild winters.

Onions - This is where your well-amended soil is important. Onions love rich soil - not too sandy or clayey. And they like regular water.

Radishes - Forget about those starchy red rocks called radishes at the grocery store. Search online to discover a long list of gorgeous radish seeds including French Breakfast, White Icicle, and Pink Beauties.

Potatoes - Like peas, a good time to plant potatoes is in February, with the satisfying potato harvest around three months later.

What can you Plant Indoors?

February and March - Leeks and Onions

For February and March, I'm going to be difficult to grow anything other than leeks and onions at any given point; this thin, juicy vegetable will grow easier in February then later when the climate is more forgiving.

April - Tomato, Pepper, Peas, Lettuce, Cauliflower and Broccoli

April is when you can grow the more fruity vegetables. The ones that grow to be larger and more potent need a climate that's very agreeable.

Green Thumb

If you have any questions on gardening or garden maintenance, don't hesitate to call us today. Our landscaping experts will always be happy to help out and lend some advice to gardeners.

If you need additional help, call us at (715) 832-4553!