Winter seems like a good time to begin writing about the garden. It is time to think about the future. Seed catalogs arrive, tempting thoughts of planting. Fair weather prowling for garden chores, pruning, and cleanup, reveals what has already been planted by nature.
In the soup season. Onions and Garlic, harvested in July are used daily, stored Potatoes of various ages and varieties need to be consumed, Carrots & Beets, & Jerusalem Artichokes are stored in the ground where they grow, in raised beds, armored against subterranean rodents with 1/2 inch “hardware cloth” screen. The exotic Andean tubers Mashua & Yacon have just been dug up before a hard freeze. An abundant selection of Kale; planted, volunteer, & perennial offer a spectrum of leave shapes, sizes & colors, Various Endives, Chicories & Radicchios take the cold in stride. A few lingering Cabbages continue to fill the endless Kraut jar. Brussels sprouts are still producing, and some tiny Broccoli flowers can be gleaned before the plants regenerate for an early spring burst of florets. Carpets of delicate & colorful Mustard and Arugula are spreading, Leeks are growing, Parsley is both lingering and sprouting, Chervil is weathering well, & Celery offers small stalks & leaves to flavor the soup. Garlic planted in November is showing green shoots. Neglected Shallot bulbs should be in the ground by now, but will still produce if planted soon, in a few weeks I will start Onion seeds under glass, followed by Peas & Lettuce
