Winter Crops FOR SUBTROPICAL GARDENS

THE DAYS ARE GROWING shorter, the temperatures are dropping, the leaves are falling, and gardeners are cleaning out their garden beds and tucking them in for the coming winter. A sense of accomplishment makes shiny jars filled with the preserved fruits (and vegetables) of our labors a beautiful sight. The season is over, and now we can rest, relax, and dream of next spring, while winter gently covers our garden beds with a blanket of snow.

OK, perhaps in temperate climates this beautiful tableau is a reality, but in subtropical climates we’re clearing out our summer gardens so we can replace them with winter gardens.

Here in Zone 9, we seldom get anything colder than a light frost.