Cool Season Vegetables

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that can be long lived. An established asparagus plant can produce for 10+ years! We offer one year old asparagus crowns in mid-March. See our planting information for asparagus.

Varieties:
Jersey

Using transplants is the most reliable method of growing broccoli. For the largest heads, plant them 24" apart. Our varieties offer a cental head followed by secondary side shoots for later harvest.

Varieties:
Packman
Premium Crop

Brussels Sprouts produce well here but will take some time to mature. Plant in spring and harvest in fall. As sprouts begin to form, remove lower leaves. Pinch out the center growing point at the top of the plant around mid-September to help speed up the development of the sprouts at the top of the plant. Harvest from the bottom up as sprouts reach 1" in diameter. As with Kale, sprouts harvested after a mild freeze will have a sweeter taste.

Cabbage is quick to mature and can be planted in both spring and fall. Plant cabbage in a different location each year to avoid disease. Harvest when heads become firm.

Varieties:
Stonehead
Ruby Perfection
Pacifica
Late Flat Dutch

Photo Courtesy Sakata Via BHC

Another short season vegetable that can be planted in both spring and fall. Each plant will produce one head. We carry a self-blanching type that will fold up and cover the heads to protect from yellowing.

Varieties:
Self Blanch

Collard greens are VERY easy to grow and great for beginners. They withstand the summer heat well. Harvest tender top leaves for the best flavor (adding onion and bacon helps too;-)

Varieties:
Georgia

Garlic is best planted in early Fall (late September or early October) for harvest the following season. Come see us during this time period for a good selection of gourmet garlic bulb starts.

Chesnok Red Purple Stripe

Sue Phelan loves her kale for it's nutritional properties! Makes wonderful kale chips (think potato chips from kale) and works well in soup recipes. Plant 8"-12" apart. Clip the leaves and leave the plant to produce more. A light frost in Fall helps sweeten the flavor.

Varieties:
Lacinato (Dynasaur) (below)
Red Russian (left)

These cool weather plants are shallow rooted so make sure you keep the soil moist to avoid damage from drought. Eat the bulb portion raw or steamed with butter. We offer white and purple varieties.

Variety:
Early Vienna White

Leeks take a long time to mature from seed. So, we offer plant starts in March. Place in 6" deep furrows. Space 4" apart. Fill in the furrows as plants grow to blanch the leek stalks. Harvest when stalks are about 1" in diameter. Leeks provide a wonderfully mild onion flavor.

Varieties:
Lancelot

Lettuce is quick to grow. So, you can plant in both Spring and Fall. However, it does not do well in the heat of the summer. Easily grown from both seed or plant starts. Most varieties we sell are leaf types (as opposed to head types). So, you can pick some leaves for your salad bowl and let the plant continue to grow more for a continuous harvest.

Varieties:

Bistro Salad Mix
Buttercrunch
Mesclun Blend
Red Sails
Romaine Parris Island
Simpson Elite

 Romaine

Red Sails

Bistro Salad Blend

Photo Courtesy of Seminis via BHC

Simpson Elite

Photo Courtesy Ball Horticultural Company

Mesclun Blend

Photo Courtesy Genesis Via BHC

Onions are one of the earliest vegetables you can plant. We offer onion set starts as bulbs (usually available around Mid-March) and onion set starter plants (usually available around late March). See our onion planting instructions.

Onion starter sets (bulbs) are available in red, yellow, and white.

Onion Plant Starts (approximately 50 plants per bundle)

Varieties:
Candy Apple (red)
Red Zeppelin (red)
Walla Walla (yellow)
Candy (yellow)
Copra (yellow)
White Sterling (white)
Super Star (white)

Peas may be planted thru mid-May and again in the Fall for a second crop. We offer an edible pod type and a garden pea type (those removed from pods) as plant starts. See our seed depot for many pea choices from seed. If you plant a pea pod type--harvest often to keep the plant producing and you will be rewarded with a crop into late summer from a single planting. If you plant a garden pea type--plant at 10 day intervals for the best harvest. Provide support for vining types.

Varieties:
Sugar Snap
Oregon Sugar Pod

Oregon Sugar Pod

Photo Courtesy Terra Organics Via BHC

In March and April, we offer certified seed potatoes in red, yellow, and white. Potatoes are both a long season AND cool season crop. They need 4 months or more to produce. So, you should plant between April 1 and April 15 but will have to protect young shoots from freezes. See detailed growing instructions for potatoes.

Treat Shallots as you would onions...plant in loose soil about 1" deep (pointy side up)and about 8" apart. Milder than onions, they are popular in gourmet recipes.

Varieties:
Golden Gourmet
Red Sun

Another easy crop that can be planted in both Spring and Fall.

Varieties:
Bloomsdale
Tyee... NEW! Mild flavor on heavy, dark green leaves that are thick and glossy.  Upright habit, slow to bolt.  37 days.

Tyee

Photo Courtesy Ball Horticultural Company

Chard may be seeded directly into the garden or planted with starts.  It is an easy crop to grow, producing an abundant amount since it can withstand heat from the summer sun.  That tranlates to more greens for you!  Harvest the outer leaves and let the centers grow on.  We offer white stalked varieties and also brightly colored 'rhubarb' types.

Varieties:
Bright Lights
Lucullus (heirloom)