Here are some tips for growing a variety of plants, informally known as cool-weather greens, that thrive in crisp autumn weather.
Many cool-weather greens continue producing after the first frost. Some, such as kale, even develop extra sweetness once nipped by freezing weather. And a few hardier types, such as corn salad, can be harvested right through winter in many places if protection (mulch or a cold frame) is provided.
Some greens are familiar to most cooks, such as the many varieties of lettuce. Others, such as bok choy and radicchio, are ethnic favorites that have crossed over to mainstream cookery. High in vitamins and minerals, the leaves of greens are used raw in salads, added to soups, stir-fries and stews, or just steamed or boiled and served as a vegetable. Here is a list of eight types that are delicious and should perform well in cool weather.
Greens don’t travel well, and start to lose flavor and nutrients soon after harvest. The best-tasting and healthiest greens come straight from local farm markets or backyard gardens. In The Greens Book (Interweave Press, 1995), authors Susan Belsinger and Carolyn Dille write that even the strongest-tasting greens “appeal to people who profess not to like them when they are served fresh from the garden.”
How to Grow Cool Weather Greens
Start most greens from seed in late summer for cool-weather harvest. Some may be planted up to a month before the first frost. (They may also be planted in spring as soon as the soil can be worked.) When planting seeds in late summer for a fall crop, start them inside or first refrigerate the seed to provide the cool temperatures they like for germination.
In general, cool-weather greens are easygoing plants that appreciate fertile, well-drained soil and regular watering. Add well-aged compost to give the plants the boost of nitrogen they crave.
Cool-weather greens dislike hot sun or high temperatures. Heat causes the plant to “bolt,” or produce flowers and seeds, and the leaves to turn bitter. Most greens welcome a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day, and can be tucked behind tall plants such as tomatoes or beans.
Greens are attractive plants that complement the flower bed or border, as well as the kitchen garden. Many, such as leaf lettuces and spinach, also do well in containers or window boxes. Packed with nutrients such as vitamins A and C, folic acid, potassium and of course, iron, spinach is a versatile green that tastes great raw or cooked. Botanically known as Spinacia oleracea, spinach varieties can have smooth or crinkled leaves. (The smooth leaved varieties are easier to clean.) Sow seeds in mid- to late-August for an autumn crop.
When to Pick Greens
You can harvest greens at almost any stage of growth, according to the National Garden Bureau, which declared 2009 the Year of the Greens. Here are some tips from the NGB:
- Micro-greens are seedlings that are picked when they have one or two true leaves, usually 10 to 21 days after being planted.
- Baby greens are leaves harvested after 3 or 4 weeks of growth.
- Greens can last a long time. You can pick the entire plant or remove leaves as needed, starting with the outer leaves at the base of the plant. The inner leaves continue to grow and produce new leaves from the center.
Note: The advice regarding seed sowing times is for the northeast United States and should be adjusted according to the planting zone for other areas.
 |
 |
