"laurie (Mother Mastiff)" wrote in
message hlink.net...
Jo,

My winter garden is my main one, I no longer plant food for bugs, which is
what a spring/summer/fall garden is in NC.

I plant about 6 varieties of collards, leaf lettuces (mesclun blends), and
fancy kales. Bok choy and other chinese cabbage relatives do well in
winter, as does spinach. I have had great luck with Bright Lights chard.

Broccoli did better than expected last year, so this year I am planting
more
of it. Am trying brussels sprouts this year too, and promised a friend
I'd
plant kohlrabi for him, so I need to order seed. (It's like a pale green
or
purple turnip where the bulb part grows above the ground).

Other good winter veggies for the area are cabbage (I like the ones with
those little conical heads or the old English variety that has such
colorful
heads) and cauliflower including the broccoli-cauliflower crosses that
have
such interesting shapes and colors.

I am looking for my purslane seeds, I love purslane and it does well in
winter here. I love to grow mustards in winter as well, the mild purple
ones or the lacy ones.

Oh, and I usually plant a 10x10 patch of turnip greens for my handyman's
84-year old mother. She is almost as old as my own mother, so she
deserves
to be coddled a bit.

Winter is my only busy time in the garden! In summer I now grow just
flowers. Am up to my coccyx in zinnias. Especially love the pale lime
green ones.

Hope this helped. laurie (Mother Mastiff)


That helps a ton!
I noticed the bug garden this year, as it was my first, but I had luck with
my ladybirds and praying mantids for most of it eating them nicely.
I have noticed my eggplant have become munchables for something or other.
Other than tomatoes and hot peppers, I would probably enjoy eating what the
winter garden produces much more.
Thank you again for the help, now to print out a list and go shopping!


Jo