Cool-Season Vegetables

October starts today and the time to plant cool season vegetablesis here. Cool season vegetables include crops that we eat the roots, stems, leaves or immature flowers.

Of all the vegetable growing seasons this season offers the potential of more food per square foot than any other. Granted tomatoes and corn produce wonderful food for the table; without a doubt more is harvested with the least space, time and energy during this season.

The article last week covered the waterfront for most of the types and to repeat too much of it is redundant. There are some less traditional techniques some might find worth trying when it comes to growing cool season vegetables.

Green onions or sometimes called scallions can easily be grown from the bags of 'sets' sold in nurseries. Sets stuck in the ground make pickable scallions in just a couple weeks. They also double as border definers or dividers between crops. They are not expensive at about $2 per bag of about 100 sets.

To save one that whopping amount of cost save the bottom tib from green onions used in cooking. Instead of tossing it aside or composting it take it out to the garden and plant it. After a while the new shoots appear in the center and when they are big enough cut them off and leave the base in the ground. It will do it again and again.

Carrot seeds are small and hard to work with. Buy two or three packets of different carrot types. Add a couple packets of different radish types and mix them all together in a small can with some potting soil or compost. When the soil is prepared and smoothed to an even finish take handfulls of the mix and toss about evenly on the surface. Use the back of the rake to gently incorporate the seeds just under the soil and tamp it all down.

Quickly the radishes will appear and within a month harvest begins. Much later, when the carrots finally emerge some thinning should be done. This winter or spring carrots can be harvested.

This technique offers a couple advantages. Radishes come quicker and the rewards are faster. Later when the carrots mature it becomes a neat surprise when harvested.

Pull one up and 'Ooh a long one' or 'Ooh a short one' or 'Ooh a half long one' as you pull them. Its a suprise under every shiny green top pulled.

To extend the carrot harvest plant a second bed a few weeks after the first one. This ensures a couple months of harvest and all in a small space.

Few pests attack onions, carrots, radishes or, for that matter any of root crops. In reality except for easy-to-control aphids and a couple catepillars most cool season crops are worry free for the vegetable gardens.

It is also a nice weather for the next few months to be out and communing in the cool season

Written by Terry Mikel, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 602-470-8086.
Material originally appeared in Arizona Republic
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