6 Steps to Prepare for the Winter Vegetable Garden

This year I’m determined to grow more out of my vegetable garden than the typical summer tomato!  In the past I’ve managed to sustain herbs like cilantro throughout the winter but haven’t been determined enough to nurture many vegetables other than spinach throughout the cold months. (It’s hard to get psyched up to run out in the cold for garden maintenance!) The spinach I’ve done in the past usually lasts fine on it’s own for a while but my garden could produce much, much more.  I’ve even had lettuce make it through the winter to produce in the spring but it really wasn’t harvestable during the winter months. If we could have fresh garden greens rather than the greens from the store we would not only be saving money but eating healthier too.

Here’s what I need to do to get ready for my winter vegetable garden:

1. Finish cleaning out a few more garden beds. 
2. Prepare the soil by adding some additional compost and organic fertilizers.
3. Plant more seed for cool season vegetables.  Lettuce, spinach, and radishes are doing great at the moment.  Our current rain streak is giving me hope for a great crop! I may need to start some vegetables indoors and transplant to the garden.
4. Prepare a cold frame structure for my vegetable plants to live under. The shelter of a cold frame is the key to keeping my vegetables going through the winter.
5. Cover my cucumber/melon trellises that can double as garden greenhouses with plastic.  I won’t do that until frosts are in the forecast.
6. Cover when the frosts are on their way!