Locally grown produce is becoming more and more popular-there’s something special about knowing the story of your food.
With that in mind, why not take it a step further and bring the farmer’s market to your own backyard?
Mid March is a great time to plant onion sets and seed potatoes. Then in late March, you can get out and sow some seeds, if the weather permits. Leafy greens, such as spinach, lettuce, beets, radishes and peas grow best in cooler climates between 45 and 65 degrees. You can even start tomato seeds indoors (if you have plenty of light) in early Spring so they are ready to plant in the garden about mid May. Purchas MVG’s soil amendments online for curbside or front desk pick up.
Coles Are Good for the Cold
Cole crops do best when daytime temperatures are below 68°F. Not only can they handle cooler weather, but most actually taste better after a light frost. Cole crops can all handle a frost, and cabbage can even handle temperatures down to 10°F. Kale and broccoli are not quite as cold tolerant, but with a cold frame or low tunnel, these crops can be grown in almost any area of the country, even through winter.
Planting
Select a sunny site with rich, well-draining soil to plant these vegetables. Working some good compost into the soil before planting is always a good idea, as they can be heavy feeders.
| Broccoli | A sun-loving, cool-season crop that is best grown in the chillier weather of spring or fall. It’s also incredibly good for you and has been dubbed the “crown jewel of nutrition.” |
| Brussels Sprouts | Brussels sprouts prefer a nip in the air. These are a perfect cool-weather crop. |
| Cabbage | A cool-weather crop. Grow cabbage in spring so that it comes to harvest before the summer heat or start cabbage in mid to late summer so that it comes to harvest during the cool days of autumn, winter, or early spring. |
| Cauliflower | A sun-loving, cool-season crop to grow in spring and fall. An annual plant in the Brassica family, cauliflower’s edible white flesh is extremely healthy and considered a “superfood.” |
| Collards | A close relative of cabbage and kale, collards form rosettes of leaves rather than heads. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, and have a delicious, mild, cabbage like flavor. Collards are easier to grow than cabbage, as they tolerate a wider range of temperatures and growing conditions. |
| Kale | A cabbage relative that is classified as Brassica oleracea. It is essentially a form of cabbage that doesn't have the tightly formed head associated with most cabbages. A powerhouse of nutrients, kale is usually grouped in the cooking greens category with collards, mustard, and Swiss chard. |
| Kohlrabi | A hardy biennial grown as an annual. Kohlrabi has a swollen globe-shaped stem that makes it look like a turnip growing on a cabbage root. It has a sweet-but-peppery taste reminiscent of broccoli stems. |
Cole Crop Planting Guide
| Vegetable | Sub | Maturity | Spacing Plants | Spacing Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | Full | 58-65 | 18" | 36" |
| Brussels Sprouts | Full | 90 | 18" | 36" |
| Cabbage | Full | 75 | 18" | 36" |
| Cauliflower | Full | 50-55 | 18" | 36" |
| Collards | Full | 70 | 18" | 36" |
| Kale | Full | 50-75 | 18" | 36" |
| Kohlrabi | Full | 55 | 12" | 18 |
MVG Popular Cole Varieties
| Vegetable | Variety |
|---|---|
| Broccoli | Premier |
| Brussels Sprouts | Jade Cross |
| Cabbage | Bravo |
| Cabbage | Copenhagen MKT |
| Cabbage | Early Flat Dutch |
| Cabbage | Late Flat Dutch |
| Cabbage | OS Cross |
| Cabbage | Red Acre |
| Cabbage | Stonehead |
| Cauliflower | Snow Crown |
| Collards | Georgia Southern Hybrid |
| Kale | Dinosaur |
| Kale | Prizm |
| Kale | Red Russian |
| Kale | Redbor |
| Kohlrabi | Winner |
A major perk of eating locally grown veggies is that you shrink your carbon footprint by eliminating the CO2 emissions that come with long-distance transportation. If you grow your own vegetables, that footprint shrinks even more substantially.
Once you see the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor, the possibilities are endless. There’s instant gratification in a fresh and truly homemade salad. If you’ve plotted a larger crop, you can also can or freeze your produce, ensuring that your family can eat home-grown vegetables all year. The canning and freezing process varies from vegetable to vegetable. The National Center for Home Food Preservation offers preserving guidelines on its website for nearly any vegetable you can think of, as well as simple recipes for canning salsa and spaghetti sauce.
Go one step further in this DIY venture by making eco-friendly pesticides. After you’ve made omelets with your home-grown tomatoes and peppers, hold onto those egg shells; they can be washed and mixed with your coffee grounds, then sprinkled at the base of plants in your garden to help ward off slugs and snails. Finally, add any leftover food (no meat scraps) or plant waste to backyard compost. The calcium from the eggshells, when used in compost, helps plants build cell walls, allowing them to grow better.
By growing, eating and recycling your own food, you can 1) shrink your household’s environmental footprint; 2) encourage your family to eat healthy, heart meals; and, of course, 3) make room in your grocery budget for more treats.