Winter planting in the garden

My first gardening experiences were in northeastern Oklahoma. There, the gardening season ended when the tomatoes quit producing.

By then, there was a nip in the air. The zinnias were stained brown and crispy. The nasturtiums were shriveled and starting to be hidden by falling leaves. Crisp, juicy apples were filling the bins at the local grocery and it wasn't pleasant to hang around outdoors unless you were moving -- fast.

My parents not being natural gardeners, we never did much seasonal clean up either. My parents were great believers in letting the winter snows and spring rains do the work of beating down the dead stalks. Then in the spring, you could start digging and turning the old under to make room for the new.

So now, living in California where winter is an abstract concept, I'm ignorant about winter planting. I've heard of winter wheat, but have no inclination to plant Fink Farm with wheat.

Cleared for winter planting

We got the garden cleared down to the ground and then went to Sego Nursery -- our favorite because of its huge and ancient cats and its cheerful Japanese family owners -- I was amazed at the choices for planting.

Salvia

Brussells sprouts

We had selected several types of leafy greens (arugula, Swiss chard and spinach). We also got some Brussels sprouts. We selected some thyme because the last thyme we had died in the heat and drought. We've planted it along the garage wall where it gets more shade and is easier to water. The oregano growing nearby is thriving.

Lastly, we got a California native, some purple salvia, which attracts butterflies and will help pollenate the plants as well as giving some color without taking a lot of maintenance and water.

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