Summer is almost over…but there’s still more planting to do! Here come the Cold Crops, um we mean, Cole Crops!

Your mind may be on back-to-school, but there’s one more thing to add to your to-do list. Cole crops are almost ready to be planted! What veggies are considered cole crops? Well, they’re some of our favorites – and hopefully yours too! Here’s a short list of things to consider planting:

Broccoli

Cauliflower (and don’t only think white! They come in some very cool colors – like orange & purple)

Brussel Sprouts

Spinach

Kale

Cabbage 

Collards

(see the article below for more ideas)

And here’s more information regarding cole crops:

 

The terms “cold” and “cole” sound the same but have different meanings. “Cold” of course refers to temperature. “Cole” refers to any of various plants belonging to the Cruciferae or mustard family. Even though you might not be familiar with the impressive scientific name or enjoy eating mustard you are certainly familiar with other members of this family which furnish gardeners with many gourmet delights during the winter months.

The mustard family includes cool season crops such as Brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, broccoli, turnips and watercress. All of these familiar garden crops can trace their history to a common ancestry of wild cabbage originating in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor area. The close kinship of these crops enable diversified usage of plant parts. For instance, Brussels sprout plants are grown by most gardeners for a miniature heads (sprouts) which develop in the axils of the leaves. However, the leaves of Brussels sprouts are considered by some to be milder and sweeter than those of the collard which is especially grown for leaf production. Most gardeners are familiar with the fact turnips can be grown for the greens (leaves) or for the turnip roots. In other words, when growing a member of the Cruciferae family the saying “what you see is what you get (to eat)” truly applies!

This group of cole crops enjoy cool seasons and are somewhat cold tolerant. Cabbage for instance can withstand frost down to 20 degrees or even 15 degrees F. Cauliflower and chard are more sensitive to cold than broccoli, collards, kale, kohlrabi, or mustard. The conditioning of the plants as influenced by weather conditions prior to exposure to cold temperatures determine plant survival. Maturity of the plant also has much to do with the amount of cold which cole crops can survive. When broccoli plants have produced buds, even a light frost may cause considerable damage since clusters freeze, turn brown and ultimately rot.

The cole crops grow best at a monthly mean temperature of 60 to 70 degrees F. This occurs when temperatures are 80 degrees F or less during the day and 60 degrees F or less during the night.  In order to produce the best quality of the slower maturing cole crops, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli should be planted in gardens in mid to late August. These crops can be directly seeded or transplanted into the garden area. Faster maturing cole crops such as collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, and turnips can be directly seeded into the garden as late as September (for warmer regions – check with your local nursery on when to plant). When you plant depends on where you live.

When you plant cole crops in the garden you are investing in a healthful life. Gardeners are in the business of producing health foods even though they may not know it. Vegetables contain essential elements for health and the enjoyment of eating fresh garden vegetables makes health fun. Exactly how necessary are vegetables to the healthy body? Some animals can synthesize vitamin C, but man, apes, birds, and a few other animal species lack this ability. Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, making a daily supply essential to good health.

Cabbage is high in vitamin C, and Germans are known as “krauts” because they have traditionally consumed large quantities of this vegetable. Broccoli, collards, and other vegetables of the cabbage family are rich in vitamin C, as are leafy vegetables such as kale and turnip greens supply carotene, which the human digestive system converts to Vitamin A.

Proteins are nitrogenous compounds which are composed of amino acids. All vegetables provide some protein. The percentage protein in vegetable legumes is as high or higher than that of meat. Even non-legume vegetables such as sweet corn, Brussels sprouts, collards, and kale contain more protein than does milk.

 

Potato Time!

For those of you who planted potatoes this year, it’s time to harvest! There’s nothing more fun than digging up the potatoes you planted – especially for kids! Since potatoes are underground, it’s like finding a little prize. And more & more we’re hearing how we should only be eating organic potatoes instead of conventionally grown…which makes sense. When you consider all the chemicals that leach into the ground from pesticides, they go right into your root veggies. So grow grow grow!!!

Great links for new gardeners (or just if you want to know)

My First Garden – Planning my Garden

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/firstgarden/planning/dictionary/veggies/index.html

 

Vegetable Gardening Basics

 

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/planting.html

How will we be Growing up Green (or in other words, what the heck are we doing?!)

FAQs

 

Thanks for being a part of our Sprouts Gardening program! Since we’re just getting started, we’re still working out the kinks so please bear with us. Friday was a perfect example – wow, chaos! But anyway, we promise it won’t be so insane once we break out into 2 smaller groups (meetings will last an hour+). We wanted to lay out the goals & objectives of the Sprouts Garden program since there seemed to be quite a few questions about what this is, what we’re going to do and what you’re going to do.
 
So, who are we? We’re a couple of moms trying to teach kids about the benefits of gardening, sustainability, their environments and healthy minds & bodies. We’ll be guiding you to set up your own garden and working with kids & parents to plant & maintain their gardens, do some yoga, crafts & even a little cooking to make the concept of growing vegetables relatable to their own lives.

What constitutes a garden? For the purpose of our project, we’ll consider whatever you’re growing & whatever you’re growing it in as your “garden” (so, if you’re using pots and not a plot, you still have a garden!).

 

What do you do? You’ll be responsible for setting up & maintaining your gardening space (in the weeks we aren’t at your house), working with your child & purchasing your own tools and supplies for your garden project. During the weeks that we’re at your house, it’ll be good to have a pitcher of water on hand for anyone who needs some extra to drink; other than that, we’ll touch base with you at the beginning of each week (if you are scheduled to host) and discuss your needs & goals and talk about what, if anything, you’ll need to have on hand. Once we have actual veggies coming up, then we’ll start making little snack items so that the kids can relate what we’re growing to what we’re eating.

What will we do in the Gardening program? Each week your group will go to 2 houses to help plant, weed & water gardens (and then we’ll do the other fun things w/ the kids that are outlined above). We’ll look at what’s growing, what stage it’s in and what’s going to happen next. We’ll also be going on field trips, such as heading to Dearborn Farms to look at what they have growing in their greenhouses!

 

What supplies & tools will we need? We’re working with Dearborn Farms and will have answers soon on what kind of discount they can give us and what items they have for us to purchse (ie, plants & kid-friendly tools). We’ll also be posting a fairly comprehensive list of tools & supplies you’ll need for your gardening project. 

What if I have a shady area? Can I still have a garden? YES! There are many vegetables that prefer shade – such as root vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes, etc), lettuces and on and on. We’ll also put up lists & links for you to peruse so you can decide what you want to plant – whether you have sun or shade.

How do I know if my garden is considered “sunny”? If the area you want to have your garden gets at least 4-6 hours of sun, then you have a sunny area and can grow most vegetables. Please see our link & list of veggies you can grow.

What should I grow? After you’ve decided that your garden is sunny or shady, then talk to your child/children about what veggies they want to grow & eat. You might also want to spend a few minutes with them in the food store pointing out different veggies and see what interests them. They may surprise you!

Can I grow fruit? Yes, some fruit can be grown in our climate. Strawberries, blueberries & raspberries can be grown in pots or plots. However, you may never actually see fruit unless you cover them with some kind of screen or hutch. We can’t grow citrus fruit in our climate (that we know of…). Pumpkins will grow, watermelon and potentially other types of melon. Hey, we can try – you never know!

What’s the Garden Journal for? Your garden journal will be very helpful in keeping track of what you planted, when you planted it and what you need to do from week to week and also just for jotting down ideas & tips that you might hear along the way. It’s also a great tool to get your kids involved – let them sketch in it. Let them draw what they want their garden to look like or veggies they might want to eat. Again, you can keep reverting back to the idea of eating all the colors in the rainbow! They may not want to hear about eating healthy, but if they eat a variety of colors, then they’ll be sure to get the nutrients they need without even knowing it. When you have your garden again the following year, your journal will be very helpful in remembering what you did and when you did it and if you should change something the following year. For instance, we had some trouble with squash, watermelon & pumpkins last year and now I know what to do differently this year. And it’s a memento for your kids – when they get older it’s something they can look back on.

When do we meet? We’ll be meeting weekly on Thursdays or Fridays (depending on which you signed up for) at our designated times. The schedule will be posted so that everyone knows where to go on what date. Once school ends, we can then discuss changing days/times to accommodate Summer schedules.

How do I join the Sprouts? As of right now, we’re full for the 2010 Spring/Summer season. But please follow us on our blog at sprouts.posterous.com to follow our progress and to learn what you need for your own garden. And stay posted, there may be a Sprouts in your community soon! 

A word on Safety. Please read our Guidelines and Tools & Supplies section for safety tips. Also, it’s very important that the kids don’t eat anything in the garden without adult supervision & approval.

Don’t eat the MUSHROOMS! The mushrooms you’ll see on your lawn are poisonous. Yes, poisonous. Do not touch them with bare hands and absolutely don’t eat them. Please make sure the kids know this and are aware. If you touch one, wash your hands immediately. HOWEVER, these same mushrooms are fantastic for your soil. Put them into your compost or directly onto your garden dirt – people pay a fortune for mushroom dirt and you can have it for free.

Still have questions? Check the blog (sprouts.posterous.com) for links, info & tips. Still can’t find what you need? Shoot us an email at ahsprous@gmail.com.