What a nice fall we’ve had so far…how’s your garden doing?  Did you plant any winter veggies? I just love the nice green veggies in the winter.  They look pretty and they taste great.  We container gardeners have it all over the dirt gardeners…we can just pick up our plants and move them inside when weather gets nasty…or  cover them with a sheet if your pots are sitting on the ground.   If your pots are on a balcony, you may want to bring them in for freezing temps.  Just like bridges, balcony containers will freeze before those on the ground.

So here’s what I’ve got growing so far: carrots, spinach, mustard, lettuce, beets, onions, cilantro, parsley and snow peas.  Looking at my garden today…wow…my winter garden has grown since I started. Last year I attempted to grow broccoli, brussell sprouts and cabbage in containers without success, so I’m skipping those this year to focus on what can be grown easily in my smaller containers.

And of course, I have to try something new:  I just bought some dwarf blue kale seeds. I’m hoping to use them to edge my tiny garden beds in the front yard…and that the deer don’t find them appetizing! I certainly love it in hot soups, so I’m not holding my breath against her penchant to nosh.  Bright Lights Chard certainly makes a beautiful planting too…I’m wondering how it would be stir fried with a little garlic and olive oil…hmmm. If you decide to try either of these seeds or beets, don’t forget to soak them overnight or nick their seed coats with a fingernail file before planting.

In the meantime, keep planting lettuce every two weeks. You should have switched to the heading lettuces now…romaines and butterheads.   Thin previous plantings of lettuce to an approximate spacing of 3”-6” depending on the variety.  Carrots can be spaced closer together (to 1”).  Lettuce thinnings make great salad additions.  Don’t forget to start more radishes and carrots too and give the ones already sprouting a nice dose of compost now.

That’s about all I have today…get out there and enjoy this brisk fall weather! Don’t forget all the nice fall festivals going on now!