slow growing

[ibadreamer]

i have recently started a winter garden. i have planted spinach, kale, beets, lettuce and carrots. i planted the first batch about 7 weeks ago. then another batch 2 weeks later. the first batch is only about 3" tall so far and seems to be growing real slow and the same with second batch. i live in so cal and the weather has been cool. the seed package for the spinach said it was like 60 days. mine will sure not be ready in that time. what should i expect for growing time? thanks

[shelleybean]

Hi, IB. I don't know a thing about gardening where you live but I can tell you this about fall gardening here. Between the planting schedule provided by Southern Exposure for this area and the schedule they have at my local garden center, I try to get most of my stuff in the ground by September. It's still very hot here at that time of year but I try to follow their guidelines. I start cabbage and broccoli indoors at the end of July and plant out about six weeks later. The stuff that I put out on time grows much better than the things I put out later, when it's cooler. I did two plantings this year, kind of like you did, and the earlier stuff is doing great. The cabbage is almost ready, I've already eaten broccoli, pulled carrots, turnips and greens, etc. The stuff I planted in October and still small and I doubt it'll catch up. I don't know why it happens that way but it seems to turn out about the same each year. Even though these are cool weather veggies, they seem to need some heat in the beginning to get going. I hope things speed up for you.

[Luvgardening2]

Hi, I also live in Southern California and I am having the same problem. My seedlings are taking FOREVER to become mature.

I also purchased seedlings (spinach and lettuce) from the nursery and those are taking about a month to mature. The broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage looks like it will be a very long time. I can be more specific because I wrote down dates on them but it is RAINING right now. Finally!

Nancy

[ibadreamer]

thank you michele and nancy, i was begining to think i did something wrong, i guess i will just have to be patient. it is nice to have some rain for a change. i will keep you posted as things ( improve ) i hope. dave

[Ruth_10]

Even if the daily temps are favorable, you'll be getting fewer hours of sun and the sun you do get will be less intense because it is hitting from more of an angle rather than from overhead. This will cause things to grow more slowly and that is most likely what you are experiencing. Not much you can do about it other than planting out a bit earlier so more growth occurs when the sunlight is more optimal. Then you'll be able to eat from the winter garden all winter long.

[shelleybean]

I found a nice surprise in the garden today. Suddenly, a bunch of carrots had grown large enough to be pulled. I'd been checking them and was getting a few here and there. Today, though, I got a nice big batch and we had some of them with dinner. They were very sweet and well worth the wait. These were from that first planting I mentioned. I hope things pick up for all of us and we get to sample more!

[Ruth_10]

I am getting some nice-sized carrots from my garden. The tricky part now will be getting them out of the ground before the ground freezes. What I need to do but haven't done yet is put a straw mulch over them to keep the ground from freezing.

It sure is nice to have something fresh out of the garden this time of year!