Growing a Winter Vegetable Garden in Austin

Those of you who live in Zone 9 planting areas will be happy to know that the high summer temperatures come with an unseen benefit – a long planting season. While most gardeners are tilling up their gardens before the first frost hits in October, most people in Zone 9 will be able to start a winter vegetable garden mid-month and have a harvest a few months later.

Winter Vegetable Garden Preparation

Winter vegetables require a little bit of forethought and extra attention. If you’ve never planted vegetables before it’s probably a good idea to start an easier spring/summer garden. Winter gardening is considered by some to be very advanced, but in the Zone 9 area it’s actually pretty easy because there is no snowfall and the winter temperatures are relatively mild.

The most important thing to do is to keep your plants safe from the cold weather. You can use a cold frame to protect your plants. It’s constructed out of a PVC pipe frame with greenhouse plastic spread over the top. The cold frame can be set out when you know there is going to be a frost overnight.

Choosing the Right Vegetable for Your Winter Garden

Salad vegetables are the most popular type to grow in your winter vegetable garden. Since salad vegetables have a short maturity cycle they can normally be harvested before any of the really cold weather hits. Most winter salad vegetables can be matured within 30 to 60 days of planting.

The winter vegetables that do best are those that are grown close to the ground or in the ground itself. This way they take up some of the earth’s heat even on the coldest days. This means that low growing salad vegetables like spinach, all types of lettuce and kale normally do quite well in this growing season. In ground vegetables like carrots, beets and turnips are also a good choice. Potatoes are perfect for winter vegetable gardens as well. Other winter vegetable garden choices include broccoli, radishes, Brussell sprouts and peas. Although not technically a vegetable, strawberries can be grown this time of year.

Taking Care of Your Winter Vegetable Garden

Timing is everything when it comes to caring for your winter vegetable garden. In Zone 9, there are a few less concerns than other areas have but there are still things to watch out for. Most vegetables need to be planted after the temperature drops below 75 degrees. Look at the weather forecast to make sure that you’ve passed through the hot weather before planting your vegetables. Otherwise, you’ll have sun-burnt seedlings on your hands.

Once you’ve successfully grown your plants from seed to sprout, be sure not to water them too much. Unlike summer gardens which need lots of water, winter vegetables don’t need quite as much and they should only be watered sparingly. Be sure to check with the weather and avoid watering during weeks where there is an expected frost. The plants will be able to get enough water from the ground to survive.

About the Author:
Joe Cline writes articles for Austin Texas Realtor. Other articles written by the author related to Cedar Park real estate and Austin real estate can be found on the net.