Garddwest is currently booking Cool Season Edible Garden consultations for Early Spring 2020

What is cool season gardening?

There is a whole category of vegetables and edibles is happiest in cooler temperatures, including many that can handle a light frost or even dusting of snow!  Here in Southern Ontario, that means seeding and planting in August, for harvest beginning September and usually lasting into November.  Cold frames, cloches, mulches and row covers with insulating fleece frost blankets can also extend this cool season right up until winter sets in.

Cool season gardening is defined more by temperature than date.  In our climate zone, cool season crops grow best when the air temperatures average around 20°C, and soil is 10°C – 20°C in the root zone, 12-15 cm beneath the surface of the soil.  Below 10°C, nutrient absorption slows and mycorrhizal fungi are less active.  Using a soil probe to monitor the temperature in a few areas of your garden can be beneficial as different pockets of soil will warm and cool at varying rates.  Finding a location in your garden that stays fairly consistent can be as important as finding the right soil temperature.

Katie, Garddwest’s horticultural technician, is available for on-site consultation and planting services during August and September.  Katie will spend 30-45 minutes with the homeowner or garden manager assessing soil, light, site structures and discussing goals, wishes, needs for the garden.  Homeowners and garden managers will select from the cool-season vegetables listed below and Garddwest will provide a customized plan for each individual garden.

After the consultation, Katie (Garddwest) will create a customized Plant List and Planting Plan tailored to the individual home or project.  Clients will receive a digital package containing their custom plans as well as detailed instructions for cultivating and harvesting their cool season plants, with hand-selected web links and access to the GrowVeg Garden Guide web-resource.  Katie will also advise on the placement of companion and other beneficial plants for deterring unwanted pests and insects.

• Beets

• Broad Beans

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Kale (Curly)

• Kale (Russian)

• Kale (Lacinato)

• Kohlrabi

• Leafy Greens (mixed)

• Leeks

• Onions

• Pak Choi

• Peas

• Radishes

• Swiss Chard (White)

• Swiss Chard (Rainbow)

References:
https://dirtcheap.ca/mulch-topsoil-grass-seed-delivery/when-to-plant-in-ontario/
https://growveg.com/guides/when-to-start-sowing-your-cool-season-crops/
https://growveg.com/guides/filling-out-your-fall-garden/
https://westcoastseeds.com/blogs/garden-wisdom/working-frost-dates/
https://preparednessmama.com/cool-weather-crops/