Fall through spring garden of greens, herbs and vegetables

We are so lucky to have fairly mild winters in the Mesilla Valley, which allow us to grow vegetables year-round — no greenhouse required. I think winter gardening is easier and more productive than summer gardening — especially during the last few years of drought and extreme heat.

We can plant winter herbs and greens in a raised bed or multiple pots. Find seeds or seedlings of green and red lettuces, rainbow colors of chard, and the dark greens of kale, collard greens, and mustard at local nurseries—or start them from seeds.  

Establish an herb bed or pot planted with parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, and cilantro for their fresh aromas, colorful flowers, and to season winter stews and sauces. Most of these herbs are perennials, so by spring they will be well established, to provide continuous herbs for cooking. 

If you are ambitious about your winter gardening, now is the time to plant crops such as beets, turnips, carrots and other root vegetables. 

Place your pots of greens and herbs where they receive at least a half day of winter sun and are easy and convenient to water. I keep frost cloth on hand to cover the pots if we have any extremely cold nights.

A soil thermometer for checking the soil temperature is useful to determine if the soil is the correct temperature for sowing your seeds of choice. Some seeds germinate well in a wide range of temperatures, while others are quite sensitive and have a narrower range for successful germination.

If you are planting a raised bed, take the following steps:

1. Replenish garden beds with an inch or so of compost and/or a balanced fertilizer. Spread the amendments over the area to be planted and then dig the materials into the existing garden soil. For root vegetables, such as carrots, the soil must be very loose for at least 12 inches.

2. Sow seeds according to the package directions in the prepared garden beds. Soak the beds with a soaker hose or a sprinkler for about 20 minutes, so that the soil is moist down several inches. Until the seeds germinate, irrigation should be regular but not deep.

3. Keep seedlings damp so they do not wilt, but not sopping wet which can cause root rot or damping off. Protect young seedlings from too much sun and wind and from critters such as birds and other garden pests. Row cover works well for this.

4. If planting seedlings, the ground should be prepared in the same manner as for seeds. When the seedlings are planted, be sure to water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots. Apply root stimulator at planting.

5. Water the vegetable garden regularly throughout the fall and winter. Fertilize

every 6 weeks or so with a balanced fertilizer.

Whether this is your first winter garden or you plant every winter, the rewards of gardening in the more temperate months are beneficial — providing a healthy dose of nature and as well as food for the table.