It’s a great time to savor the crops of fall
Patrice in Great Mills writes: “I have cauliflower, leeks, beets, spinach and lettuce still in the ground. They look absolutely beautiful and I’ve put straw over them to protect them from the cold. But, it’s getting really cold! I’m starting to eat the leeks, spinach and lettuce. The beets I figure will be good for a while yet. Not sure when to harvest the cauliflower. Should I cover it all with a floating row cover and hope for the best? Or just pull everything up and eat it?”
Harvest the beets before they get woody from being in the ground too long. Bring in the cauliflower while the heads are still nice and white, even if they’re still a little small. A really hard freeze might turn them black.
Then protect the rest of your fall crops with a floating row cover — spun polyester blankets that come in rolls and are available at larger garden centers. The extra frost protection these great accessories provide will allow you to harvest those greens