Ozark springs used to be warm and short. This year, like last year, is cool and wet. Cabbage loves cool and wet.
Cole Crops
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage are all cole crops. When we lived up North, these crops grew big. They tasted great.
The summers up North were cool by Ozark standards. Frost could happen most months and did. That was one reason we moved to the Ozarks.
Garden Experimenting
For several years we tried growing many of the crops we were familiar with. Cole crops taste bitter when they grow in the heat. In the Ozarks, these crops became fall crops.
New crops moved into the garden. Tomatoes are a real challenge up North as they love heat and need a longer summer. Peppers and okra joined the tomatoes. All of these are good summer crops in the Ozarks.
Squash
Everyone thinks squash loves heat. It is frost sensitive. Up North squash grew big. Winter squash got huge.
World record pumpkins come from places cooler than the Ozarks. You can grow giant pumpkins in Missouri, but they are not world record sizes.
Still, squash, both summer and winter varieties, do grow well enough to give good crops. The winter varieties store well. But the summer varieties are soon over producing and the gardener’s neighbors quickly learn they need lots of squash recipes.
Cabbage Loves Cool
I started cabbage seeds the end of January. The little plants moved to the garden in March. Now there are small heads forming.
When the cabbage first moved to the garden, I had to water as the Ozarks, like much of the country, was in drought. Rain does fall every week now. Most storms only drop half an inch, maybe an inch. It’s enough
Each storm brings in cool weather. The last one brought light frost at the end. Cabbage doesn’t mind.
Frost is a worry now. My tomatoes have moved out into the garden.
