Don't fall off the winter wagon- start seeding now for this winter

Extend your season and seed winter hardy vegetables now. Johnny's Selected Seeds has released their recommendations for varieties that are superior at overwintering. For instance, 'Nelson' carrots and 'Winter Density' lettuce were the best in their trials with unheated low tunnels. For more information, go here.

Last winter was the first year of my season extension experiment in Wisconsin. I will post results from last year very soon. Quick recommendations for superior winter greens crops would include mache, spinach, and arugula. If you've never heard of or tasted mache, it's time to try. Mache is an incredible winter green with a sweet flavor and buttery texture. However, be careful when Spring rolls around with 70F and above days. If you have warm days, harvest it immediately. But in the meantime, here are the crops and varieties that I will be growing this winter season.

Johnny's Seeds has some great, free low tunnel articles. For a more in-depth resource, I thoroughly enjoyed Eliot Coleman's new book, "The Winter Harvest Handbook", by Chelsea Green Publishing. It's available in print and as a kindle edition on Amazon.

The week of July 21

Carrots, 'Mokum', Fedco Seeds

Carrots, 'Red-Cored Chantenay', Fedco Seeds

Carrots, 'Shin Kuroda', Fedco Seeds

The week of August 7:

Yokatta-Na, Fedco Seeds

Kale, 'Red Russian', Seeds of Change

Dill, 'Fernleaf', Fedco Seeds

Cucumber, 'Poona Kheera', Fedco Seeds

Cucumber, 'Calypso', Fedco Seeds

Cucumber, 'Super Zagross', Fedco Seeds

Calendula, 'Resina', Fedco Seeds

Lettuce, 'Jericho', Fedco Seeds

The week of September 10:

Arugula (Rouqette), Fedco Seeds

Parsley, 'Krausa', Fedco Seeds

Mache, 'Verte de Cambrai', Fedco Seeds

Kale, 'Beedy's Camden', Fedco Seeds

Minutina, 'Erba Stella O', Fedco Seeds

The week of September 17:

It's the first day of the winter lettuce trial. All lettuce varieties are from Fedco Seeds in Waterville, ME.

'Winter Marvel'

'Red Salad Bowl'

'Salad Bowl'

'Cardinale Batavian'

'Jericho'

'Winter Wonderland'

'Lollo Rossa Cutting'

'North Pole'

'New Red Fire'

'Lingua Da Canarino'

'Red Tinged Winter'