Starting Seeds for Fall, Winter, and Spring Harvest in Portland

It hit 89 degrees the day I started this post (today it's a perfect 70-something), and while the last thing I was thinking while munching on the first cucumber from the garden is the February hunger gap, I suddenly realized, it's time to start thinking about it.

Coming from Maryland, where we grew one enormous garden in the spring and summer, then ate what we canned, froze, and stored all winter, the idea of harvesting fresh vegetables year-round still feels like magic. The abundance of juicy, colorful fruits like tomatoes and cucumbers is a sensory thrill, but the hardy and humble cool-season leaves and roots that provide fresh, hyperlocal nutrition the rest of the year deserve our appreciation. These are the vegetables that carry us through the darker months and provide the first greens, and purples (I'm looking at you, purple sprouting broccoli) when the summer garden is still in a newly delivered seed catalog.

March bouquet, potatoes chitting on the shelf in the background

Our mild Pacific Northwest climate is perfect for cool-season gardening. The cooler weather makes working outside enjoyable again, cabbage worms and aphids finally begin to ease up, and many vegetables actually become sweeter after a few frosts.

The trick is that you have to start thinking about winter while it's still summer.

Most fall and winter crops need to do most of their growing before the days become short in late October. Once that happens, plants slow down dramatically. Some crops are harvested in the fall, some hold beautifully through winter like a living refrigerator, and others simply wait until spring before taking off again.

What can you plant now?

The table below assumes you're sowing seeds or transplanting starts in late July through August in the Portland area. The East Portland Plant Buying Club's vegetable seed collection includes varieties best suited for fall and winter growing in the PNW.

Crop	Fall Harvest	Winter Harvest	Spring Harvest
Arugula	✓	✓	✓
Beans (bush)	✓
Beets	✓	✓ Roots store well in-ground
Bok Choi / Pak Choi	✓	Mild winters
Broccoli (heading)	✓
Broccoli (Gai lan)	✓
Broccoli (sprouting)		Establishes over winter	✓ Main harvest
Brussels Sprouts		✓ Best after frost
Cabbage (Heading)	✓	Storage varieties hold well	Overwintering varieties
Cabbage (Napa)	✓ Excellent	Harvested before hard freezes
Carrots	✓	✓ Become sweeter after frost
Cauliflower (Fall)	✓
Cauliflower (Winter)		Establishes over winter	✓ Main harvest
Chard	✓	✓ Often all winter	✓ Fresh flush
Chrysanthemum Greens	✓
Cilantro	✓	✓ Often survives mild winters	Flowers in spring
Collards	✓	✓ Excellent	✓ Fresh growth
Daikon	✓	✓ Store well in the ground
Kale	✓	✓ Peak season	✓ Fresh growth
Komatsuna	✓	✓
Lettuce	✓	Some varieties
Mustards	✓	✓	✓
Parsley	✓	✓	✓
Peas	✓
Spinach	✓	✓	✓ Excellent
Turnips	✓	✓

Many crops appear in more than one column because the exact harvest window depends on the variety you grow, when you sow it, and the weather. One of the joys of Pacific Northwest gardening is that the same planting can often provide food for months.

Direct sow or start in pots?

Not everything likes to be transplanted.

Direct sow

These are happiest when planted directly where they'll grow:

• Beets

• Carrots

• Peas

• Daikon and storage radishes

• Radishes

• Spinach

• Turnips

Start in pots or seed trays

These usually transplant well and are easier to establish during hot summer weather:

Tender greens, purple, and reds of spring

• Broccoli

• Brussels sprouts

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Collards

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Napa cabbage

• Pak choi

Tips for summer sowing

1. Plan ahead. Figure out where your fall garden will go before your tomatoes and squash come out. You can start seedlings nearby, but leave enough space that pulling summer crops won't disturb their roots.

2. Keep seeds cool and moist. Hot soil dries quickly. Use a moisture-retentive seed-starting mix, water consistently, and provide afternoon shade for seed trays.

3. Shade is your friend. Morning sun and afternoon shade produce much happier seedlings than baking them in full afternoon sun. A piece of shade cloth or even a lawn chair can make all the difference.

4. Harden seedlings off gradually. Move them outdoors for increasing amounts of sun and wind for about a week before transplanting.

5. Prepare the soil. Summer crops are heavy feeders, so replenish beds with compost and a balanced organic fertilizer before planting your fall garden.

6. Mulch after planting. A light layer of straw or other mulch keeps the soil cooler, conserves moisture, and helps young plants get established. Just keep mulch pulled back a couple of inches from the stems to reduce the chance of rot.

One last thought

One of the biggest mindset shifts for new Pacific Northwest gardeners is realizing that August isn't the end of the gardening season—it's the beginning of the second one.

While everyone else is mourning their tomatoes, you'll be sowing the vegetables that will feed you through fall, winter, and into spring. There's something deeply satisfying about harvesting kale in January, pulling sweet carrots in February, and cutting the first purple sprouting broccoli just as everyone else is paging through seed catalogs and waiting for spring.