Keep your garden growing with cold crops and herbs through Thanksgiving

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Just because summer is coming to an end, it doesn’t mean your veggie and herb garden has to as well.

Let's start with herbs. Many can grow through spring, summer and fall, but they do require some attention.

“I always tell people with your herbs, you always want to make sure that even if you’re not using them, make sure they don’t go to seed. What that means is, make sure they don't flower. Anytime your herbs are going to start to flower, they can get kind of tough, and they don’t taste as good and can have a little bit less taste,” said Jeff Wallitsch of Wallitsch Gardens.

If your herbs are in this situation, cut off the flowers right before a set of leaves and that will promote new growth.

Now to the veggies. We started with cold crops in the spring and now they’re coming back after a summer vacation.

“These are vegetables that you can plant in the cooler weather. I know you're thinking, ‘Oh my gosh it’s so hot, why do I want to plant these guys?’ But this is a great time of year, typically mid to late August and even the first week of September you can put in your cold crops,” Wallitsch said.

That includes -- lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, cabbages, carrots, and brussel sprouts.

“I always tell people what you think of as cold crops are things that you could put in a coleslaw.”

At this point in the year, you likely know what to do. Just add some fresh dirt, fertilizer, and of course water when planting your cold crops.

“And they will go typically, maybe even through Thanksgiving if we don't have a very hard frost,” Wallitsch said.

More Gardening Stories:

From tree problems to shrub suggestions, we're answering your questions with Wallitsch Gardens

The best plants and flowers to handle the transition from summer to fall weather

From flowers not blooming to weeds popping up in yards, we’re answering your questions

The easiest house plants you can keep alive to help purify the air in your home

Use your garden veggies and herbs for dinner and drinks

Fertilizer is food and your plants might be looking hungry mid-summer