{"id":5997,"date":"2025-11-03T13:56:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T19:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cooking2thrive.com\/blog\/?p=5997"},"modified":"2025-11-03T13:56:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T19:56:23","slug":"winter-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cooking2thrive.com\/blog\/winter-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s time to get serious about the winter garden. Due to my neglect this summer, it\u2019s in need of more prep than usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work has begun. I removed long weeds and a black widow spider. I stepped around the ants and squash bugs to harvest green beans and arugula that produced to the end. Next, I need to till in some high-quality soil or fertilizer, prep the rows, and plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But all that prep work won\u2019t matter unless I have something to plant. Even though I\u2019m woefully behind, I\u2019ll most likely use seeds. There\u2019s just something about going from nothing on the surface to a shoot peeking through that\u2019s especially satisfying. Not to mention, I have seeds on hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also have row markers I always intend to use but never do. Hopefully, I\u2019ll be more diligent with this planting.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Rainbow
Vibrant bunches of rainbow Swiss chard with bright stems and green leaves, a nutritious and organic vegetable<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

My hardiness zone is 8a. That means leafy greens grow adequately in winter. My top choices are bok choy, chard, and arugula. I may attempt more traditional cabbage as well. Radishes, beets, and turnips don\u2019t flourish in my moderately rocky soil even though they\u2019re climate friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I always wonder why chard isn\u2019t more popular in the US. My first encounter with it was in New Zealand where it was called silverbeet. I loved it from the first bite. I now grow several varieties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you value the benefits of a Mediterranean diet, you may want to add chard to your repertoire. In a 35-calorie serving, you\u2019ll get almost 4 grams of fiber, 300% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin K, half of the RDA for vitamin A, and a decent amount of vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Pretty impressive nutrients for not many calories. It\u2019s also high in antioxidants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These characteristics make chard the perfect choice for a home gardener. Our gardens don\u2019t need crops with long, sustained growing seasons like commercial farms may.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re not familiar with chard (also known as Swiss chard), take a look at photo. Rainbow chard is beautifully colorful. And it\u2019s tasty raw or cooked. The stems have a texture akin to celery and soften beautifully when cooked. If you can\u2019t find it in local stores, consider growing some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n