Crystal Rae
Every plant has its own specific needs. These needs support them in their proper growing and healthy growth when correctly and adequately provided. Among these needs are proper nutrients, water, soil, sunlight, and the weather or climate. Some plants love to grow only in highlands and some in lowlands. Others grow well during sunny weather, while some plants grow in colder temperatures.
Whatever needs they have, they need it for a purpose. Like if they need cool weather, the plant’s physiology needs a cool environmental adaptation to such conditions. That’s why, if you plant cool-weather crops out of season, you can not expect a good harvest and high productivity. So if you plant crops in your garden, always ensure that you know the weather and environmental adaptability of the plant. For cool-weather plants, here are a few to list:
Cauliflower
Cauliflower belongs to the Brassicaceae, or the mustard family, and is grown for its edible inflorescence flower. The plant has broad leaves that cover the curd and protect it from discoloration. The typical commercial cauliflower is the white variety, but green, purple, and brown cultivars exist.
The plant needs a consistent environmental temperature of 60 ° F (16° C) and grows well in nitrogen-rich soil mixed with organic-rich or compost soil and mulch. If not given the right temperature and soil, the plant will produce only small heads curd.
Plant cauliflower in rows spaced at 30 inches apart and the plant at 18 inches apart. Cover the young plants to protect them from frost; likewise, cover the young curds using their leaves by gently folding them over the head to protect the flower. So for your plant selection, add cauliflower to your garden this fall.
Carrots
Carrots are root vegetables commonly known for their orange color. But some cultivars yield yellow, purple, red, and white colors. There are several varieties of carrots that you can grow in your garden, like Red-Cored Chantenay- best grown in clay soils, the Thumbelina, which is a great snack variety, and Scarlet Nantes. You also have the Short ‘n Sweet variety, the Purple Dragon, and the Sugar Snax. Either of these varieties is excellent to grow with proper care.
Carrots need loose soil or a mix of clay, silt, sand, and organic matter, which has high moisture absorption and retention capacity. It is also essential for carrot plants to receive the proper nutrients like moderate nitrogen, low potassium, and low phosphorus levels. Reminder: never use fresh manure to fertilize your carrot because it has a high amount of soluble nitrogen that easily attracts diseases and pathogens.
Cabbage
Cabbage is also a cool-weather crop that is best grown in spring. Propagation of cabbage can be through direct planting of seeds or through vegetative reproduction using the same plant to regrow a new cabbage. When growing seeds, germinate the seeds in a container in an indoor location and transplant the young sprout after 4-6 weeks. You can also sow the seed directly to your garden, but it needs extra care to stabilize the plant.
Grow cabbage in soil with neutral acidity at pH between 6.5 and 6.8. You can adjust the pH accordingly by adding lime when a disease infects the plant. For a bountiful growth and harvest, plant the cabbage in a planting bed, which you should prepare ahead by adding compost mix to the soil.
Spinach
Spinach is a fast-growing plant that loves a cool-weather environment. When you grow spinach, aim that the plant will yield many leaves and aim to make the plant last long. You can do that by planting well-grown and vigorous young spinach ready to mature when transferred to your garden.
Spinach grows in well-draining soil with a pH of 6.5 – 7.0 and rich in organic matter under partial to full sunlight. Plant spacing should be 12 inches apart to give leaves full-size reach when mature.
Turnips
Turnip is an annual vegetable native to Europe and is familiar with its white and purple variety. You can propagate turnips by greens or seeds. Under proper growing care and nutrition, you can harvest the plant in about two months. You can do germination and transplanting, but you can also do direct-seeding to a prepared garden.
The plant needs sandy, well-draining, and slightly acidic soil, and it needs a partial to the full sunshade. For quality root development, never forget to water them regularly. And since turnips grow fast, there is no need to introduce fertilizers as long as they grow in an appropriate soil condition with proper growing care.
Takeaway
You got a long list of cool-weather plants that you can start to plant in your garden. When you decide to plant one, always make sure to assess the climate in your area when you plant a particular crop. It would help if you gave them the needed temperature aside from the other growing and cultivation needs they should get. All these will ensure a successful planting, good growth, and abundant harvest.
