The Farmer's Basket

What are Cold (Cole?) Crops?

The first plants to go into the garden every year, ahh, cold (or is it cole?) crops!

Well, here is what I found after I asked myself the same question.

The terms "cold" and "cole" sound the same but have different meanings. "Cold" of course refers to temperature. "Cole" refers to any of various plants belonging to the Cruciferae or mustard family. Even though you might not be familiar with the impressive scientific name or enjoy eating mustard you are certainly familiar with other members of this family.

The mustard family includes cool season crops such as…

brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, broccoli, turnips and watercress.

This group of cole crops enjoy cool seasons and are somewhat cold tolerant. Cabbage for instance can withstand frost down to 20 degrees or even 15 degrees F. Cauliflower and chard are more sensitive to cold than broccoli, collards, kale, kohlrabi, or mustard.

The conditioning of the plants as influenced by weather conditions prior to exposure to cold temperatures determines plant survival. Maturity of the plant also has much to do with the amount of cold which cole crops can survive. When broccoli plants have produced buds, even a light frost may cause considerable damage since clusters freeze, turn brown and ultimately rot.

When you plant cole crops in the garden you are investing in a healthful life. Gardeners are in the business of producing health foods even though they may not know it. Vegetables contain essential elements for health and the enjoyment of eating fresh garden vegetables makes health fun.

Cabbage is high in vitamin C, Broccoli, collards, and other vegetables of the cabbage family are rich in vitamin C, as are leafy vegetables such as kale and turnip greens supply carotene, which the human digestive system converts to Vitamin A.

So, when you are “itching” to get your garden started, begin by planting some of these cool, cold, or cole crops (whichever you prefer)

Will my tomatoes get blight again this year?

This is another question that I have been asked quite a few times this year by shoppers at the Farmer’s Basket.

For those of you unfamiliar with blight…Picture your tomato vines looking robust and full of fruit. Within 3 days, your vines AND fruit turn black and withered, THAT is tomato blight.

Blight affected the tomato crops of home gardeners and commercial farmers alike up and down the east coast last year.

What caused it? Unfortunately there is not a simple answer… let me explain.

Blight is a fungal infection. Some say it is caused by nutrient-deficient soil. Others say a lack of lime is the problem. Still others say heavy rainfall and high humidity.

Whatever the cause, the question is how do we prevent if from happening again this year?

The first step in stemming the spread of blight is to remove all of the damaged leaves. This is a painful process, but it must be done in order to keep the disease from spreading. Wash your hands in between plants so as to keep from spreading blight to healthy plants or leaves. Dispose of infected leaves away from your garden (burn them if possible). Blight lives in the ground, and by leaving infected leaves on the soil you will be furthering the spread. In our area, freezing winter temperatures should deal a killing blow to the vegetation and to the nasty organism that causes blight.

So, the short answer, if blight is not treated or does not freeze, YES you can have tomato blight again. Treat your soil, don’t over water in wet conditions and buy local (that way you know where your plants are coming from)