A Santa Cruz friend tells me that she has given up vegetable gardening during the dry season, but that she always plants a winter garden because it is so little work. Once winter rains begin, all she has to do in her raised beds is put in the seed or plants, wait for them to grow, pull a few weeds and then enjoy the harvest. You can't ask for an easier way to garden, though if rains are sparse, irrigation may be necessary between showers.
In my own garden, without raised beds, winter veggies aren't entirely labor-free but I do agree that I spend much less time tending and fussing then. Snail and slug control is still necessary, though most other insect pests are absent. Application of a non-toxic snail bait, Sluggo, at planting time seems to take care of the problem, allowing tiny plants to harden off a bit before the onslaught of the slimy critters. Gophers also seem to take a vacation in winter.
Because most winter vegetables are heavy feeders, I work in compost or composted manure at planting time, plus some organic fertilizer. Then, like my friend, I look forward to a more leisurely season in the garden.
Warm season vegetables, like corn, tomatoes and squash, must wait for next spring. So what can we grow in our mild, and hopefully wet, winters? If you can keep up with the watering until the rains begin, plant now, especially if you are using seed. Seed gives you a much wider selection of veggies than if you buy plants, and it is considerably more economical. The still-warm soil will encourage good germination and root growth. The list of vegetables that thrive here during the winter is long and, in fact, most of these vegetables are grown commercially in Santa Cruz County.
Lettuces and salad greens Most seeded loose-leaf salad greens will mature in 45-50 days and head lettuces within 60 days. Continue planting every three to four weeks for continued harvest through the fall and winter.
Leafy greens for cooking Spinach, chard, beets [for tops], mustard, collards, kale and Oriental greens are all cool season crops. The selection grows each year, as our taste for international foods increases: seed for greens formerly unknown to most people, such as Tat Soi or Joi Choi, are now readily available from specialty growers. These plants are all easy from seed.
Root crops Carrots, kohlrabi, radishes, turnips and beets all love our winters. Provide loose, rock-free soil for these plants so that they don't develop misshapen or forked roots. Also easy from seed.
Onion family members Leeks, onions and garlic should be planted now. Plant leeks from seed or started plants. Onions are available as seed, started plants or in "sets," which are small bulbs packaged and ready to go in the ground. Garlic heads are available for immediate planting. Break into cloves and plant in soil rich in organic matter. Garlic will grow all winter and be ready for harvest in spring or summer, when flowers have formed and tops begin to wither.
Peas English peas and edible-podded peas are especially easy as seed, in either vine or bush form. Provide a trellis or some form of support for the vining forms. Protect from hungry sparrows and snails/slugs. Harvest begins in 8 to 10 weeks.
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower love our cool winters, though these plants can be somewhat labor-intensive because two pests love them. Spray with BT, an organic caterpillar control, if you notice the white cabbage butterfly hovering about. Wash off any aphids or spray with a soap-water mixture. Or cover with Remay or floating row cover to prevent infestation of either insect. Light, rain and breezes flow through the fabric but insects cannot penetrate it.
-Sharon Hull
