Whatever the Weather

One of the difficulties of gardening in a fickle year is trying to intuit what plants will shine no matter what.

In our case, here on the north coast of Oregon, we receive an inordinate amount of rainfall, winds have been higher and later than usual and we have at times, very little actual sun. With high overcast skies the norm, most of our plants wilt when the sun finally does appear and the temperatures rise from 45-55 degrees to the "70's or higher.

Wherever you are, you may be laughing about us thinking those temps are hot, but we tend to wilt a bit, both humans and plants when the sun finally shows it's pretty face. We can plan for such vicissitudes and vagaries by planting a wide range of vegetables and planting more of what we know can take the middle road, which in our case is the cabbage family including, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, mustard and Asian greens like Bok Choy. Most of this family are very adaptable and comfortable in our climate. Many also over-winter and are a major source of green food for the "other six months" of gardening.

In a fickle year, kale is the "Queen of survival gardening". I've grown White Russian, Winter Red, a nameless lacy heirloom variety (let's call it "Victorian Secret"), Nero Di Toscana (also called "dino" or "palm" kale), Peacock kale and Dwarf Siberian.There is a kale for everyone and for every purpose from raw in salads to kale chips and soup.

Other plants grooving on the damp and cool gloom are: peas, radishes, beets, lettuce, most of the herbs, potatoes, Swiss chard, French sorrel and Purple Sprouting Broccoli (an overwintering/sprouts-the-following-spring brassica).

Major "pouters" include: tomatoes, cilantro, beans (except Runner bean and some purple beans), carrots (slooow), onions, cauliflower and amaranth. These plants need higher soil temperatures to go forth and multiply. Some plants, like tomatoes, can vacation in a greenhouse while waiting for the weather to become tolerably warm enough for them to venture outdoors. I like to buy mine from a nursery greenhouse with fruits already setting. I always get ripe tomatoes that way.

It may be challenging to garden here at times, but we are the champions of kale-culture.