Planning The Southern Winter Garden

Written By Lindsey Kosut

The August heat is oppressive here in southeast Texas. I am procrastinating with all of my outside chores and it certainly doesn’t feel like winter garden time. I will be honest I am usually pretty burned out with the garden by this time of year. The tomatoes, cucumbers, and weeds are pretty fast and furious and I am usually wanting a break. I hear all these Northern Gardeners talking about putting their gardens to bed and I will be honest it makes me a little jealous. I want a break too! Thankfully I love the winter garden and  it is a little bit of a slower pace, including the weeds, plus it is the only time I can grow many of my favorite herbs and vegetables. Yay Carrots!

So as we head into the end of August I am cleaning out the many of the summer plants. This can be a hard process because some of them seem like they are still producing, but this is where experience comes into play. I know those cute baby watermelons will never make it to maturity before the cold weather sets in and not pulling them will mean that I can not plant a productive winter crop in their place. I am planting a last round of french beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes, yes I am a glutton for punishment. I am also planting some summer squash because the vine borer beetles won’t be quite as bad as they are in the spring. I am sorting my seeds and looking to see if there is anything I need to order for the fall. I am a seed hoarder and I am determined to plant mainly from what I have this year. 

So here’s my plan for fall:

Beginning of September

Start Fall Transplants

  • Cabbage

  • Broccoli

  • Cauliflower

  • Brussel Sprouts

  • Kohlrabi

  • Celery

  • Leeks

  • Fennel

  • Onions, if starting from seed

September and on ……

Direct Seed

  • Carrots

  • Radishes

  • Beets

  • Sugar Peas (End of August - Fall)

  • Spinach

  • Arugula

  • Turnips

  • Lettuce (Later Fall to avoid heat)

  • Kale

  • Swiss Chard

Many of these can be succession planted throughout the winter. My sugar peas and root vegetables, especially carrots are some of the first things I plant.

September and On …….

Transplant or Direct Seed

  • Swiss Chard 

  • Kale

  • Beets (I prefer to direct seed, but they can be started in a large flat)

  • Dill 

  • Parsley

  • Cilantro

  • Calendula

These things I will probably direct seed, but if I have room I may start as transplants. I am terrible with thinning my plants, so I do better at spacing the transplants. I have a lot of other things that have to be started as transplants so we will see.

Plants to be considering

Transplants I’m pre-ordering if needed for planting in the later fall .

Garlic 

Softneck, Heat-tolerant Varieties. The hardneck varieties will give you scapes, but the bulbs are very underwhelming and usually a disappointment. I usually plant a couple hardnecks for the scapes, but not a lot.

Onions

If I decided not to start from seed. Make sure you get short-day for here in the South. Do not trust the big box stores that their onion starts are the right varieties. I order straight from Dixondale here in Texas or from my local feed store and I always double check the variety with them, but they are usually pretty aware.

Strawberry Crowns or Transplants

I will transplant these in early November

Good Luck and Remember Timing and knowing what to plant is 75% of Gardening, especially here in the South!

Lindsey Kosut