# Growing for Winter



## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

I am looking to start a garden and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about gardening in Texas, in what is "supposed" to be winter season...although it doesn't really get cold a lot here....

I would like to know as much as a possible so if you can tell me everything or refer me to sources that will provide the appropriate information. Please don't refer to books, I'm not looking to go to school for this, just doing this as a hobby.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I have a cool little planting guide that came from Homestead Heritage that has all the recommended planting dates for Texas. Lemme go see if I can find it and scan it..........

I know garlic, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage must all be done in the fall. We are getting ready to plant those soon at our place. Also getting ready to plant the winter wheat.


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## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

LincTex said:


> I have a cool little planting guide that came from Homestead Heritage that has all the recommended planting dates for Texas. Lemme go see if I can find it and scan it..........
> 
> I know garlic, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage must all be done in the fall. We are getting ready to plant those soon at our place. Also getting ready to plant the winter wheat.


Cool, that would be very helpful thanks!


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I didn't get around to it yesterday - it was FINALLY a cooler day, so i busted my butt outside!!!

I did a search for "planting dates for Texas" and came up with:

http://easttexasgardening.tamu.edu/homegardens/VEGeTABLE.html

Vegetable Planting Dates for the Tyler, Texas Area

(copy and paste didn't work, you will have to go there)

This one splits Texas into 5 different zones:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/fallgarden/falldirect.html


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I've had people tell me about "Homestead Heritage", would like to visit them someday when I find a lul in the storm. It sounds like a pretty interesting place.

http://www.homesteadheritage.com/



LincTex said:


> I have a cool little planting guide that came from Homestead Heritage that has all the recommended planting dates for Texas. Lemme go see if I can find it and scan it..........
> 
> I know garlic, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage must all be done in the fall. We are getting ready to plant those soon at our place. Also getting ready to plant the winter wheat.


iForgeDesigns, dont know where you are in Texas but I'm about 40-50 miles west of FT Worth and I usually grow a winter garden. I nurse my collards, kale, chard, broccoli and other cold hardy plants that I planted in the spring, through the heat of summer and they usually produce like crazy during the winter.

I also plant cabbage about now and if I can keep the grasshoppers from mowing it down as soon as it sprouts, it will be of good size around the first of the year. Around September is a good time to plant fall spinach, it needs to be below 70 degrees for it to germinate reliably but if you soak the seeds in water, inside a fridge for about a week then plant them they will sprout just fine even if it is too warm. I set up a framework over the spinach patch so if it gets too cold, I can just spread plastic over it and keep it growing until spring. Even when its cold it will produce and wont bolt until the weather warms or it sucks all the nutrients from the soil.

Around the first frost, I plant a round of beets, turnips, carrots, (more)broccoli, cauliflower and sometimes even dill and fennel.

Their are quite a few things that will grow through winter in this part of the state.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Davarm said:


> I've had people tell me about "Homestead Heritage", would like to visit them someday when I find a lull in the storm. It sounds like a pretty interesting place.


Yes and no - a lot of it is for "show". 
Water wheel grist mill is run by water pumped with an electric pump?? 
Horse drawn farm equipment - - but the blacksmith shop makes ONLY "twisted" fireplace pokers and such? (no machining capability)

They "claim" they want to become "self-sufficient" but they are going about it in a strange way... and supposedly the leaders (or "elders") have just a little too much power over how the folks there live their lives.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

That adds a little to the picture, doubt I'd last long there with "Elders" trying to tell me how to do my specialty.

Really, the mill runs with water pumped by electric pumps? Guess they would be down like everyone else if a CME or EMP fried the grid.


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## Oneshot (Oct 8, 2012)

Hey Dave,
This reply has nothing to do with the subject...Just thought I'd let ya know ...After 30 + minutes. The site finally comes up.
With that being said..If any of you Computer wizards on here have any idea why this is the only site that I goto that, takes forever and a day to open up..Please let Davarm know and he can pass it on to me via E-mail. This is a good site but after 300+ times of waiting and seeing lil' or nothing. Just gets frustrating. Sorry for the Rant.
Thanks folks!


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## leninski (Aug 31, 2013)

Not many things that grow easily like salad can last a long time in winter. Dried beans. Yes. But are there ways to get vitamin C-rich vegetables you can grow in winter?


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

leninski said:


> But are there ways to get vitamin C-rich vegetables you can grow in winter?


It really depends where you are and your climate.

I can(and do) grow plenty of things here in North Texas that are high in vitamin c. If you are in a colder region, you could possibly use a greenhouse to accomplish it.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Davarm said:


> It really depends where you are and your climate.
> 
> I can(and do) grow plenty of things here in North Texas that are high in vitamin c. If you are in a colder region, you could possibly use a greenhouse to accomplish it.


We have a lean to and added another greenhouse this summer ,but heat is what ends up being a problem even down here it can get In the teens sometimes.

I was thinking maybe lights this year along with propane on really cold bights? Also the covering is poly or plastic. Or We could use homemade wood burner.

How do you heat yours?


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I plant in the ground and have hoops made of PVC that I cover over with plastic, when we have really low temps forecast I just open one end and put an electric space heater in and so far that has been enough.

Most of the winter vegetables I grow are pretty hearty and dont often require the space heater. My Collards, Cabbage, Beets, Carrots.... dont even get covered for cold weather and they've done fine(so far).

One of these days when I get some things marked off my "ToDo" list, I'd like to build a real "walk-in" greenhouse but thats way on down the line.

Last month I saw a greenhouse that was made of 1/2 inch electrical conduit, covered with shade mesh and used water filled barrels inside to help keep it cool in the summer. It had tomatoes, salad greens and several other types of plants thriving inside, One of these days I'd love to build one and try it out.



Meerkat said:


> We have a lean to and added another greenhouse this summer ,but heat is what ends up being a problem even down here it can get In the teens sometimes.
> 
> I was thinking maybe lights this year along with propane on really cold bights? Also the covering is poly or plastic. Or We could use homemade wood burner.
> 
> How do you heat yours?


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