Prices are skyrocketing, the economy is not in the best of shape--but we still have to feed nutritious meals to our families. What's the solution? Grow your own cold-weather vegetables! And if you've never grown a vegetable garden before, relax. It isn't rocket science, and the rewards far outweigh the effort. In fact, you can incorporate your vegetables into your floral gardens and increase the visual impact with different colors and textures.
If you've decided to commit to a vegetable-only garden, first pick a 10 square foot area with plenty of sun, as well as a reasonable amount of shade. Work the soil up to a depth of 6 inches, mix in some organic fertilizer, smooth out the surface, and you're ready to plant. Which leads us to...what can you plant?
Cooler weather means leaves, roots, flower buds and pods in the vegetable garden. Leaf vegetables include chard, all lettuces and spinach; 'Green Ice' lettuce will be ready to cut in just 30-45 days. If you're in an experimental mood, try planting collards, kale, mustard, endive and chicory. Keep the soil nearly constantly moist as leaf vegetables like their water.
Root vegetables include beets, carrots and radishes. Combine them with onions, leeks and garlic, and along with your lettuces, you'll be salad-healthy all winter long.
Broccoli and cauliflower represent the flower bud category. These plants "head up" best when temperatures at night average about 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit, so be sure to take a break from your gardening to watch your local weather man!
The pods are just that: English peas, snap peas, and sugar peas. More common beans will prefer a warmer season. And your peas, like your leaf vegetables, like a regular watering schedule, just not as moist or as frequent as the leaf veggies.
When you're steaming your veggies, be liberal with fresh lemon squeezes. And toss the used lemon segment into the steaming water, along with freshly ground pepper, tarragon, and rosemary. This will infuse your vegetables and enhance their already-delectable taste. Bon appétit!