As the sun hangs lower in the sky and crisp chills fill the air, the gardening season in Archuleta County begins to shift toward harvesting and tending to our gardens before the first hard frost.
This is your chance to enjoy your garden’s final gifts of the growing season.
Below are five tips for preparing your garden and your harvests for winter:
1. While frost can happen in some locations in Archuleta County any day all summer, most areas are just starting to see their first frost about now. Your growing season can be extended using greenhouses, plastic garden tunnels or row covers. Some plants that will do well in these colder nights with protection are basil, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers and summer squash.
2. Store your root crops, including potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, rutabagas, radishes and parsnips at near freezing with a high relative humidity. One way to store them and maintain a high relative humidity is to place vegetables in plastic bags or place them unbagged in the crisper in your refrigerator.
3. Onions harvested for dry storage should be left in the ground until 20 to 50 percent of the tops have fallen over. After you dig the onions, allow them to dry and cure for three to seven days out of direct sunlight. Before storing, remove the dried tops 1 to 3 inches above the onion and trim the roots, but keep the dry, protective skin on the onion. Cured onions will store for one to eight months.
4. Drying is a creative way to preserve your homegrown fruits (and vegetables), extra produce and farmers’ market specials. Note that drying does cause some nutritional changes, such as vitamin C loss. Select fresh and fully ripened fruits ,and thoroughly wash and clean them. Discard any fruit that shows decay, bruises or mold. Such defects can affect all foods being dried.
5. Freezing is an excellent way to preserve fresh vegetables (and fruits). It is important to get the produce from the garden to the freezer in as short a time as possible. Blanching and prompt cooling are essential in preparing most vegetables for freezing. Most vegetables maintain high quality for 12 to 18 months at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once your harvest is complete, it will be time to transition your garden beds for winter. This process protects the soil and reduces the risk of pests and diseases next season. Then, take some time to reflect on your growing season before beginning to plan for your next season.
When you have questions, Colorado State University (CSU) Extension has research-based answers. Contact your Archuleta CSU Extension Office to learn more about gardening in the southwest at https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu.
Resources:
Robbins, Jo Ann; Colt, Wm. Michael; Raidl, Martha. “Harvesting and Storing Fresh Garden Vegetables.” University of Idaho Extension, July 1982, revised January 2014.
Ells, J.E. Jorgensen, C.J. Whiting, D. “Fruits & Vegetables, Storage of Home-Grown Vegetables.” Colorado State University Extension, November 1992, reviewed March 2008.
Tour de 4-H
Join us for Tour de 4-H Sept. 25 at 4:30 p.m. at the CSU Extension building located at 344 U.S. 84. Learn about our local 4-H program and all of the projects we have to offer. Visit Archuleta.extension.colostate.edu to register today.
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