If you planted a vegetable garden, October can be a busy month as this is the time of year when the garden produce gets harvested, and the garden gets cleaned up. Most gardens in the Prince George area have been affected by a killing frost.
Tender vegetables such as corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers etc. should have been harvested before the frost. The hardier vegetables can handle a few degrees of frost, while other vegetables have their flavours enhanced by a good frost.
Vegetables such as brussels sprouts and kale, and root crops such as leeks, turnips, parsnips, taste sweeter after a good frost. The starches convert to sugar in root crops, while kale and brussels sprouts increase the amount of sugar after a frost. These vegetables are the last vegetables to take out of the garden.
Potatoes can be left in the ground for a couple degrees of frost, provided they are covered with soil. Potatoes that are on the soil's surface and exposed will go bad if there is a frost. These should not be put into storage as they will rot.
Harvest potatoes after the foliage has died back and the potato skins have hardened, for the best storage. Dig out the potatoes and allow the surface of the potato to dry for a few hours before storing. Only store healthy, disease-free potatoes. Potatoes that have scabs can be eaten and stored. Toss out any potato that is green as these are not healthy to eat.
Potatoes need to be stored in a cool ( 5 to 10 C) dark space such as a root cellar or cold room.
Brussels sprouts are picked from the stem of the plant from the bottom up. Remove the lower leaves as this makes it easier to pick them. Break the sprout from the stem. Sprouts can remain on the plant till the snow flies as they are able to withstand a lot of frost.
There are different varieties of cabbage. Summer cabbage matures first in mid-summer and does not store well. Mid-season to late-season cabbages require a longer growing season and when mature will store for a few months if in the right conditions. For best results the cabbage must be firm, and disease-free. Do not remove the outer leaves. Store cabbage in a cool, dark space with good humidity, such as a root cellar.
Carrots in the ground are able to handle a few degrees of frost if they are properly covered. They should be dug up before the frost sets into the ground, usually around mid-October. When digging carrots for storage, remove the tops by breaking them off and then store the carrots in sand or vermiculite and put in a place where there is good humidity and the temperature is a few degrees above freezing. If you only have a few carrots they can be stored in a plastic bag and then placed in the fridge. Beets can also be stored in this manner.
Onions should be cured to store well. Usually by mid to late August the green leaves will bend over at the neck (few centimetres above the bulb), which is a sign they have reached maturity. Dig the onion out and allow the onion to air-dry for a few days. When the green leaves are dry and brown and fall off easily and the skin on the bulb part of the onion is dry, along with the roots, the onion is ready to be stored.
Mild, sweet onions (spanish onions) do not store as well as the stronger regular cooking onions and should be used up first.
Leeks are able to handle a lot of frost and can be left in the ground until the ground begins to freeze. Just before the frost sets into the ground, dig up the leeks, trim the leaves and roots and store them upright in sand or place them in a cold room or cellar. They can be stored for two to three months. Leeks can also be chopped up and put in the freezer and be used in soups, stews, etc. Leeks can be left in the garden until next spring if you have a well drained soil.
Parsnips are another crop that can be left in the garden until next spring if the soil is well drained. Dig out enough parsnips to eat during the winter months and store them as you would store carrots.
