Cool Weather Crops

Just a few short weeks ago I posted on starting my cool weather crops. For me this consists of broccoli, cabbage, lettuce starts, onions, and  bok choy, I started these seeds in a standard black tray and insert system with a clear top that I purchased many years ago and sterilize at the end of the season and reuse from year to year. I find that these trays were relatively cheap when I bought mine and the seedlings usually only stay in them for a few weeks until potted to larger pots.  Once my cool weather crops are repotted then I can start my warm weather crops in these same trays. 

Under lights my seedlings emerged in just a few days looking for nourishment and sunlight. Snugly tucked under standard fluorescent lights then it is usually simply a matter of keeping them warm (but not too warm) and not over watering them. I allow them to dry slightly between waterings and mist slightly with a recycled spray bottle if necessary. I put a small fan on them during the day because I think this helps to make them stockier and provide about 14 hours of light. I like to keep my light no more than 3 inches above the top of my plants. 

This is Tom Thumb lettuce. This is an open pollinated heirloom lettuce dating back to the 1800's. It is a crisp butterhead that makes a small head about the size of a softball. great for individual salads with a wonderful taste.   Once set in the garden it will mature in about 35 days. I like to stagger plantings through the season. 

Remember last year I had these little head lettuces tucked in between the chives and daisies in my flower gardens. A great fill in early in the season and since they are ready in 30 days once cut they allow room for larger annuals while still providing food for the pantry. Remember to let a few go to seed as this variety can be hard to find sometimes. 

And this year I am trying a new romaine called Jericho. It is a tall upright open pollinated romaine. You harvest these a few leaves at a time allowing the plant to continue to grow and produce more leaves. This is a new variety for me and I will try to remember to keep you updated. My original seeds came from Pioneer Seed Company.

And for those spring stir fries Bok Choy is the highlight of the season. Another cold tolerant grown like standard cabbage but more upright. The original seed for this came from Seeds Of Change  seed company.

An excellent vegetables for stir fry and easy to grow. Just remember to keep a little Bt handy for those cabbage worms. This plant has a good tolerance for cooler temperatures also and came up in 2 days from seed with no bottom heat at all.  

This is also a wonderful plant to allow to go to flower and collect seeds from. 

And we cannot forget those Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage. Another open pollinated heirloom making small conical heads. This has been a great performer in my garden and with the smaller heads seems much less prone to splitting than the giant head cabbages that many prefer.  It is great fresh and I use it for sauerkraut as well.

And with the right soil and good weather those heads can even rival the giant headed varieties. 

And lets not forget the broccoli. I have a tray and a half potted up of a new F1 variety for me called Premium Crop. It was a 1951 American Selection Winner and a F1 Hybrid. After 2 years of poor crops with a popular open pollinated variety I am planting a hybrid and will be on the look out for a new open pollinated variety that performs well in my climate. I do like the open pollinated varieties and the option of seed saving but not at the risk of no broccoli crop at all. This hybrid performed wonderfully for my neighbor and I am going to give it a try.  

So with my plants ready to harden off and my seed potatoes and small onion sets ready to go I am simply waiting on the weather to stabilize. The snow has melted but temperatures are yoyoing all over the place. We got a huge rainstorm over the weekend that melted the snow but the mud is knee deep right now. We are hoping with 60 degree days predicted for this weekend that it will help to dry the garden out enough to get my potatoes in the ground for my traditional St. Patricks Day planting. If not there is always another day. 

The small green pea seeds are awaiting their planting time as well. The first plantings are always potatoes, green peas, onions and lettuce. From there will be the mustard, spinach, beets and more leaf lettuce. Then the cabbage and broccoli. In zone 5A my average frost free date is April 15th. So any time between now and then and as soon as weather and soil conditions permit the planting will again begin.  

Are you ready for those early spring cool weather plantings?

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter