Did you know you can grow all 12 months of the year here in Central Texas? That’s right. Something beautiful and productive can be growing every single month, and we’ve got five veggies you’re gonna love to grow right now before the weather warms up.
Here in Austin, we’re currently experiencing our Cool (Winter) Season, but we’ll soon be moving into the Warm Season for spring. Some of the most delicious things you can harvest from your garden come from the Cool Season, so we’ve got five plants you can grow in just one month to take full advantage of the season.
5 Quick Veggies to Grow in the Cool Season
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radishes
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green onions
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lettuce
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spinach
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pea shoots
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One – Radishes Are One of the Fastest Vegetables You Can Grow
Radishes are ready to harvest in just 22 to 50 days, depending on the variety you’re growing. Radishes make great additions to salad, or if you grow too many to enjoy fresh, try pickling them.
Don’t forget that radish greens are also edible and can be harvested while you’re waiting on a nice root to form. Try roasting your greens or making a radish greens pesto.
How to Plant and Grow Radishes
Sow radish seeds 2-4 inches apart and cover with 1/4 -1/2 inch of soil in an area that receives 6-8hrs of sunlight. Keep soil evenly moist and harvest when the roots are about 1 inch in diameter.
Two – Green Onions Are Ready to Harvest in Just 30 Days
Green Onions are a wonderful, easy-to-grow addition to the garden.
You can grow them from simply chopping off the green part of the green onions you buy from the grocery store and replanting the bottom white portion with roots in your garden. The green tops will grow back quickly and give you continuous harvests.
How to Plant Green Onions
Plant the white bulb of the green onions 1 inch deep into the garden soil. Space 1 to 2 inches apart. Harvest the green onion tops as they grow.
Three: Lettuce Thrives in Cool Weather
A homegrown lettuce bar from your backyard just can’t be beat. Lettuce grows quickly and doesn’t require a lot of space in your garden, so you can play around with growing different varieties.
Some varieties are ready for you to harvest their outer leaves in just 30 days.
How to Plant and Grow Lettuce
Sow lettuce seeds 4 to 6 inches apart and cover very finely with 1/4 inch of soil in an area that receives at least 4hrs of sunlight. Keep soil evenly moist and start harvesting out leaves of plants within 30 days or let the lettuce grow to full maturity to harvest a head of lettuce.
Learn more about starting your own salad garden here.
Four – Spinach Can Handle Temps Below Freezing
Spinach is another leafy green that really loves the cool weather. Spinach leaves can be harvested when they are small and will be ready in 30 to 60 days. Take a few outer leaves from several plants as needed and leave the plant to keep on growing and producing for you.
How to Plant and Grow Spinach
Sow spinach seeds 4 to 6 inches apart and cover very finely with 1/4 inch of soil in an area that receives at least 4hrs of sunlight. Keep soil evenly moist and start harvesting out leaves of plants within 30 days
Five – Pea Shoots Are Ready in Just a Few Weeks
Did you know the entire pea plant is edible? Pea shoots will sprout in just a couple of days, and you’ll be able to harvest shoots, which are an immature version of the plant, in just 2 to 3 weeks.
How to Plant and Harvest Pea Shoots
Before planting, soak the peas overnight (but no longer than that) to soften the hard seed coat. Plant immediately after soaking. Sow seeds to where they’re almost touching each other and cover with a thin layer of soil. Harvest when the shoots are 2-6 inches tall and add to salads or sandwiches.
Are you ready to grow these veggies and more but don’t know where to start?
