Just imagine — fresh carrots picked right from the garden at their pinnacle of sweetness, ready to serve at a Thanksgiving feast. Crisp lettuce and salad greens to accompany a fall dinner picked right from the backyard. Gigantic sweet onions and perfectly formed cauliflower, are ready to harvest as spring weather first appears. With good timing and the right crop varieties, fresh organic garden vegetables and herbs can be harvested throughout the cooler months in the ultimate expression of eating local.
Here in the Fraser Valley, our mild coastal climate allows us to plant a variety of vegetables all winter long. Continue reading to learn all our tips and tricks to have a successful crop, long after your summer vegetables have been enjoyed!
It's All About the Timing!
Timing is the secret to success for all cool crop veggies… the sooner you get them in, the better. Fall/winter (F/W) harvest veggies need to be sized up before frost. Overwintering (O) varieties need as much time as possible to grow before frosts set in, at which point they’ll ‘go on hold’ over the coldest part of the season, then continue growing as the days lengthen and warm in late winter. They will be ready for harvesting usually by early spring.
Seeds to Sow:
We have a great selection of overwintered West Coast Seeds. Check out the varieties below that we recommend!
Arugula: Sow to the end of August for harvests in fall, winter, and spring. High in Vitamin A and potassium, with a tangy, nutty flavour. Winter-grown arugula has a very different, milder flavour than the same plant grown in hot weather. Sow densely in rows 4 inches apart. Use crop protection for a longer harvest.
Spinach: Sow freely right to the end of October. Olympia’ from Westcoast Seeds is perfect for cool season growing with a little protection in severe weather
Lettuce: With protection, all lettuces can be grown over winter, but varieties like Winter Density, Cimmaron, and Rouge d’Hiver are particularly hardy. Mesclun blends will add a nice kick to Thanksgiving salads too! Lettuce needs protection during the coldest part of winter. Sow every 3 weeks until September.
Kale: All varieties grow sweeter after frost and can be grown without cover. Kale has the highest levels of beta-carotene of any vegetable and is also rich in Vitamin C and calcium. ‘Winterbor’ and ‘Starbor’ are truly amazing winter garden plants that will produce leaves until spring.
Beets: Late-sown beets can be harvested as beetroot or leafy greens from fall to winter. All beets have cold hardiness, but Red Ace and Winterkeeper are particularly suited to winter gardening. Use crop protection for a longer harvest.
Broccoli: Sow some indoors in midsummer to transplant out before the end of August, and harvest in fall and early winter. Raab varieties can be harvested quite late without protection.
Brussels sprouts: Sow indoors in early June, and transplant seedlings outside in early August. These can be harvested over the winter and into spring. Frost adds to the sweetness of the edible buds. Gustus’ and ‘Red Ball’ are delicious!
Carrots: Sow by mid-August for winter harvest. Carrots become very sweet in the cold, ‘Atlas’ is a sweet globe-shaped baby carrot that matures in about 75 days, or try Bolero and Scarlet Nantes which have the best hardiness.
Cilantro: Sow this tangy herb every three weeks right up to the end of August, and harvest young plants in fall and winter. Cilantro grows best in cold weather, and tends to bolt in heat. Grown under cover, it should survive all winter.
Endive & Radicchio: Sow from late June to early August, and add great texture and colour to salads from early fall right through winter. Endives can be sown as late as mid-September. Use crop protection for a longer harvest.
Turnips: Sow from spring to the end of August for a succession of harvests from fall through spring. Grown under cover, the greens are a delightful winter treat, but the roots hold well in cold soil with no protection.
Peas: ‘Cascadia,’ ‘Green Arrow,’ and ‘Sugar Ann’ are good choices for fall harvests.
Planting in the Right Spot
Remember that our days are getting shorter, and the angle of the sun will change, so place your plants in a location that will receive the most light over winter, preferably out of north/east winds. When we get severe cold (below -10°C), a simple mulching of root crops with sawdust or bark mulch helps greatly, and a cloth cover can make a 6-8°C difference in protection. A particularly cool winter/early spring can delay harvests, so be patient come spring-time. Instead of assuming an overwintering veggie hasn’t matured enough (and pull it out), give it some time to come around.
You're all set for your winter crops! Stop by for a visit to pick up all your seeds at 47558 Yale Road, Chilliwack and if you have any questions, one of our friendly staff members are here to help!
