CityView Magazine

20 October 2022 Top, Mercer opens a bitter melon. Above, fennel is grown in Mercer's garden. Several home gardeners have asked me how to keep kohlrabi roots from pushing up out of the ground. e fat, thickened roots, actually thickened stems, naturally grow above ground. Don't try to bury them. Here is a roundup of great vegetables to grow now: Broccoli: It's late for seeds, but they will still work. Starting with plants will work better. Probably the healthiest of the cole crops, it matures quickly and steams beautifully. Harvesting is an art. Never wait until the flower buds open. Cabbage: Plants will be available at planting time at garden centers and plant sales. Swiss chard: Start seeds in good potting mix in foam cups. Put four seeds in each cup. Check for area fall and spring plant sales, usually in September and April, to see what's available. Sales usually are held by Fayetteville Tech's horticulture students, the Master Gardener volunteers and Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Chard can be notoriously slow to sprout. When the plants have four true leaves, set them out in the garden. Chard will grow all season in a mild winter. It usually regrows aer cold kills it back. Plants are oen offered for sale in garden centers and plant sales by Fayetteville Technical Community College's horticulture department. Carrots: Start now or in late February or March. Begin harvesting in late November. Mulch well and harvest through winter. Start another crop in late winter through May. Mulch well to keep the soil cool and moist and harvest into July. Red-veined sorrel: Also called bloody dock, this is a beautiful perennial that can be harvested and eaten when young and tender. It makes salads beautiful. I consider it a good ground cover. Keep it well watered and you will have it for the rest of your life. is is quite acidic and is used in place of vinegar in French salads. Endive: Another tart and slightly bitter part of your salad. Also plant Simpson, romaine and other similar loose-leaf lettuces. I like spicy mustards in salads, too. Kale, cabbage, collards and other cole crops: Kale has wonderful flavor and

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