I live in an area of Texas where the ground doesn't freeze and we can grow a winter garden. I planted a square 8 x 8 ft bed and 4 round beds three or four feet across. I have lettuce in the 4 round beds and in the square bed I have two rows of carrots, two rows of brussel sprouts, two rows of spinach and a row of swiss chard and a row of kale. This has kept us in salad greens since about the first of November. The carrots are about two to three inches long now. I'm thinking of looking for more cool weather into spring vegetables and making a couple more small gardens. We don't have room for a large garden and several smaller ones tucked into unused spaces makes sense to me. As the weather warms I want to plant things a couple weeks apart and things that will weather the summer. In summer I would like to start things that grow when it's cooler and into the winter season with more cool weather crops. I'll be 71 on my birthday and I'm slowing down and I think I could tend several smaller gardens better than one large one. Our neighbor plans a large garden and plans on canning most things to carry the large family over winter. She also works two full time jobs. I'm thinking if I can plan out a year around garden I can have some kind of fresh vegetable without canning or preserving things. I know there is not a lot of things that can survive winter frosts and freezes. In fact, I have to find something to cover the small beds this week as freezes are predicted. Can anyone think of cool season vegetables other than the ones I mentioned. I know that beets and root vegetables can be started earlier. I remember I grew snow and snap peas and they were covered with snow a couple of times. So peas are an early crop and maybe could be grown again in the fall. What do you think, can I grow a year around garden in small beds? I realize some things are strictly summer vegetables and some are strictly cool weather vegetables but by planting every few weeks I could maybe always have something ready to eat. dooley
I have turnips, spinach and lettuce and something else that I forgot. Although mine are only about two inches tall and just sitting there. Cabbage does well in cooler weather as well as collards that they say is sweeter after a frost. Sweet potatoes are good if planted early and they say that the sweet potato greens are good. But I think they need to be bedded out.
dooley, i've been reading up alot on winter gardening and am really wanting to try it. i like your idea of small plots. i know you don't get snow like this (we do!), but check out this site and their ideas and what they're growing. i think i might try a few rows... http://subsistencepatternfoodgarden.blo ... eason.html
