Winter gardening in Southern California feels like cheating. You don’t have to worry about frost or freezing temperatures. You also don’t have to worry about frostbite or snow boots or heavy coats. I love complaining about how cold it is when it’s 65 degrees outside. After surviving four winters in Boston during college, I feel like I’ve earned the right to whine.
The cool fall weather this weekend got me inspired to finish planting my winter garden. Between rain showers, the sun came out long enough for us to get the job done. I was especially excited to discover that my new roommate has a green thumb too! I wouldn’t have been able to get it all done without her.
Even though this is my first attempt at winter gardening, I was feeling brave and decided to plant everything from seed. The best gardening advice I ever got was this: If it doesn’t grow, don’t take it personally. Just start over. So I’m hoping we’ll see some sprouts in the next few weeks. We planted spinach, kale, lettuce, arugula, radishes, carrots, leeks, chives, beets, and turnips. Back in September, I also planted some broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. I’m dreaming of oven roasted vegetables, hearty soups, and sexy leafy green salads straight from garden to table. I dream about food… a lot.
