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Growing Your Own Growing Your Own Vegetables | Composting | Container Gardens | Fall/Winter Gardens | Fertilizing | Insect Pests | Plant Diseases | Planting Guidelines | Raised Beds | Regional Tips | Site Selection | Slugs | Soil Improvement | Tilling | Warm-season Crops | Watering | Weeds Fall and Winter Gardening Getting started Planting Preparing plants for winter If you live west of the Cascades, there's a good chance you can garden almost year-round with a little extra effort. Many cool-season crops produce well in the fall and even hold through the winter if protected. Good crops for fall and winter gardens include salad greens, cabbage, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, carrots, leeks, beets, turnips, scallions, parsley, cilantro, spinach, and parsnips. You can plant these vegetables in mid- to late summer after you harvest spring crops and space is available. Getting started The first key to a successful fall and winter garden is location. Good drainage is essential, and raised beds are best. If your soil doesn't drain well, amend it with organic matter such as compost. (See story on improving soil.) Don't plant in a spot that is prone to early frost (for example, at the bottom of a hill) or exposed to the wind. Look for an area that gets as much sun as possible during winter. A south-facing slope is ideal. Make sure your winter garden is easily accessible. It's no fun to slog through mud and cold rain to harvest your crops. Choose varieties that are suited to fall and winter harvest. Some varieties are designated specifically for fall planting, while others perform well only in the spring. Consult seed catalogs to find the best varieties. To prevent disease problems, don't plant crops where a related vegetable was growing. For example, put broccoli in a spot vacated by peas, not by cabbage. (See story on plant diseases.) Planting It can be tricky to know when to plant a fall garden. The crops need to have time to mature before cold weather and short days curtail growth, but if you plant too early the young plants might wilt in the heat or be too mature to hold well into the winter. To determine when to plant a particular vegetable in your area, you need to know the average date of the first killing frost and the number of days to maturity for the variety. The formula below will help you determine when to plant:   Number of days from seeding or transplanting outdoors to harvest  + Number of days from seed to transplant (if you grow your own transplants)  + Fall factor (about 2 weeks to account for the fact that plants grow more slowly in the cool, short days of autumn)  = Number of days to count back from first frost date Before planting, rework the soil by rototilling or spading to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Then apply 1/2 cup of 5-10-10 fertilizer for each 100 square feet of row space. (See story on fertilizing.) Add organic matter if needed to improve drainage. If it's hot and sunny when you plant, your young plants will need extra care. Water transplants daily at first. You might need to sprinkle seeds and newly germinated seedlings twice a day. (See story on watering.) To keep the soil moist and protect young plants from the sun, temporarily shade them. Boards and umbrellas make good shade structures. Enlarge photo Many cool-weather crops thrive in western Oregon's mild winters. By covering plants with a cold frame or cloche, you can protect them from cold rain and frost and enjoy fresh vegetables throughout the year. Preparing plants for winter When thinning, leave extra space between plants that will stay in the garden over the winter. Closely spaced plants are more susceptible to rots and slug damage in cool, wet weather than are those with adequate ventilation. Control slugs as soon as fall rains start. By reducing the population in early fall before the breeding season, you'll have less trouble during the winter. (See story on slugs.) Fall also is the time to protect your plants from the weather. Cold frames, cloches, Walls-o-Water, and other protective devices keep the environment inside slightly warmer than the surrounding air. They also protect plants from frost and, just as important, cold rain.

Produced and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension work is a cooperative program of Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties. Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials without discrimination based on age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran's status. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Copyright © 1995- Oregon State University. Disclaimer.