It is nearing the end of the planting season for gardeners. With summer’s bounty over and the days getting colder, you may think that you are out of time to make the most of your garden. However, this is not the case, as many vegetables actually thrive in frigid temperatures.
During the colder months, not everything can grow. Therefore, you have to plant specific plants called cold crops that will survive the lowering temperatures. Cold crops are fruits, vegetables, and legumes that are hardy and resistant to frost. This means that they can survive during the fall and even during the early days of winter.
Not all cold crops are the same. To figure out what you should plant and when, you should know what planting zone you are in. Planting zones are different zones that the world is split up into to tell you what the temperature in your area is generally during certain times of the year. This can be helpful to know what plants can and can not grow in your area and when to plant things. Here in Northern Illinois, we are zones 5A and 6B. This means that you should plant cold crops in late September to early October.
One of the easiest and most popular things to grow in the fall is hardy leafy greens. Kale and some lettuce can be grown. Spinach thrives and actually grows better when it is a little bit cooler outside. Arugula and other greens like chard are good choices.
Another option to grow is root vegetables. Radishes are fast-growing and are fairly resistant to the cold. If you plant them soon enough, you might be able to get a few harvests. Turnips and carrots are also easier to grow in the cold. Some varieties of carrots even become sweeter when planted in the fall.
Other cold-resistant vegetables are broccoli and cabbage. Later in the season, November is the ideal planting time for garlic. However, garlic takes a long time to grow, so it will be ready next summer. Planting garlic now would give you bountiful amounts in the future and can be preserved, saving you a bunch of money in the long run.
The end of the year can be bittersweet for avid gardeners. However, if you do your research and make sure to plant everything on time, you can squeeze a few more harvests into your year.
