Zone 10 - What to Plant in November

Zone 10 - What to Plant in November

November is here and the growing season is here for zone 10 gardeners. The hot and humid days of summer are behind us and we can start growing the garden. Now is a great time to start and grow all of the items we have below. Some should be started inside and others should be directly sowed into the garden.

Dwarf Essex Rape (Brassica napus) is a fast-growing, cold-hardy forage crop commonly used for livestock grazing, wildlife food plots, and soil improvement. This leafy brassica produces high-protein, highly digestible forage that remains palatable even in colder temperatures, making it an excellent choice for fall and winter grazing. It is drought-resistant and can thrive in various soil types, providing a nutritious food source for deer, cattle, and other grazing animals. Additionally, its deep root system helps improve soil structure and reduce erosion. Due to its rapid regrowth, Dwarf Essex Rape is a valuable option for sustainable pasture management.

Red Jewel is early maturing and produces good size cabbages. This variety is a high-yielding red cabbage hybrid with uniform maturity. Red Jewel offers a deep red head with a short core and is ideal for both fresh and shredder markets.

Great Lakes 118 lettuce is a classic butterhead variety that has gained popularity among gardeners since its introduction in the mid-20th century. Known for its compact, dense heads and vibrant green, slightly crinkled leaves, this lettuce offers a pleasing texture and rich, buttery flavor. The taste is mildly sweet and crisp, making it ideal for salads and sandwiches. Harvesting typically occurs around 60-75 days after planting, when the heads are firm and fully developed; gardeners can either cut the entire head or pick individual leaves as needed. Great Lakes 118 thrives in cooler temperatures and well-drained soil, making it a favorite choice for spring and fall planting, and it’s particularly valued for its ability to withstand heat and maintain flavor.

Riverside is a smooth spinach with dark green leaves. Grown mostly for its spade-shaped baby leaf harvesting. Riverside produces at normal rates with an upright plant habit. Excellent for growers who want premium quality product. Riverside is also very resistant to downy mildew.

Lakeside smooth leaf spinach with dark green leaves. It has a round to oval leaf shape with an upright plant habit that makes it easy to harvest. It is a very versatile variety it can be used for baby leaf, bunch or clip.

Green Ice is a crispy loose-leaf lettuce that does well in hot weather! This variety produces an abundance of crunchy loose leaves. Green Ice's leaves are curled with deep green color. This lettuce is ready in just 45 days, it is among the earliest, yet will last well into summer thanks to its superior heat tolerance. Green Ice is one loose-leaf that just won't bolt!

The Knight Pea is the highest yielding, early maturing pea that we have! This pea variety's vines are short and therefore require no staking. Its huge pods can grow to be 4 inches with up to 10 peas in each pod! Knight is a favorite for its tender and sweet flavor, making it the perfect side dish.

The Common Alfalfa is a somewhat winter hardy perennial legume, but it grows more quickly than other regular alfalfa varieties. As an annual green manure, this cool-season "Summer" alfalfa can produce up to 10 tons of organic matter per acre. Its long taproots break up compacted soil and bring up subsurface minerals. High nitrogen fixation and great bee forage. Alfalfa is basically good at everything, as it great for nitrogen fixation and bee forage! Just look at all it's uses below! Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Cool season, broadleaf, Perennial, Legume (N-fixation), Upright plant growth, Crude protein: hay or silage 14-22% Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Chicken Forage, Compaction Control, Deer Attractant, Erosion Control, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

Alexandria is a delicious alpine strawberry that produces delicious fruit. Deep scarlet and fragrant aromatics, these strawberries are the size of wild berries. Alexandria is an everbearing strawberry that can produce the first year if planted early. These day-neutral plants stay compact and produce few runners. Excellent for pots and window boxes.

The Vivian lettuce is a tightly bunched romaine with broad dark green crisp leaves. Its leaves are 12-16 in. long and 4-6 in. across. Vivian is bolt resistant and suitable for commercial and home growers. Its erect dark green leaves are great for baby leaf production.

The Tom Thumb Lettuce is a tennis ball sized Bibb type with a great flavor! This slightly savory, bright green lettuce produces small compact heads that have slightly crumpled leaves with a sweet, delicate flavor. One head will make a salad for two! Tom Thumb will grow beautifully in small pots, window boxes, hanging baskets and planted under trees. This variety is the oldest American lettuce still grown, dating back to 1830's! This rare find is a good one!

The Little Caesar Lettuce is a very attractive tall romaine type with crisp, bright green outer leaves and golden-blanched inner leaves. This lettuce has a sweet, crunchy flavor that is delicious on any sandwich or salad. This variety is easy to grow and is perfect for smaller gardens. Little Caesar is best picked right before eating.

De Cicco broccoli, known for its exceptional taste, is a popular heirloom variety of broccoli (Brassica oleracea) that hails from Italy. This Italian heirloom has been cultivated for generations, making it a favorite among gardeners and chefs alike. De Cicco broccoli is classified as a compact, semi-dwarf type of broccoli, and it is highly prized for its versatility in the kitchen and its relatively quick maturity. De Cicco broccoli boasts a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of nuttiness. Its tender, dark green florets are surrounded by a profusion of lush leaves. The compact plant typically reaches a height of 18-24 inches, making it suitable for smaller gardens or container growing. De Cicco is known for its relatively short days to maturity, typically taking around 48-65 days from seed sowing to harvest. This broccoli variety is characterized by its vibrant, dark green color, which is indicative of its high nutrient content. De Cicco broccoli exhibits strong disease resistance, particularly against common broccoli ailments like downy mildew and clubroot, which can be a relief for growers. When properly cared for, De Cicco broccoli can yield a bountiful harvest of small to medium-sized heads, often producing side shoots after the main head is harvested. For optimal growth, it's recommended to sow De Cicco broccoli seeds in well-drained soil with full sun exposure. Plant the seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, spacing them about 18-24 inches apart to provide enough room for the plants to mature and thrive. Additionally, consistent watering and adequate fertilization can help ensure a successful De Cicco broccoli crop.  

The Green express is a bright green mini cabbage with excellent flavor! This favorite is now available as organic. The early maturing cabbage has a mild flavor and crisp texture that can't be beat. The Green Express can be sown directly in Fall gardens or transplanted in Spring.

The Elbon Rye is a grain that is the best choice for fast, cool-season germination that prevents erosion and builds organic matter in the soil! Plant this variety early to late fall; in mild climates fall through early spring. This grain captures soil nutrients in the fall to release in spring when worked into the soil. The Elbon Rye can reach up to 5 feet! Cereal Rye (Secale cereale L.): Cool season, grass, Annual or perennial, Upright plant growth, Crude protein: straw 4%, grain 14%, C:N ratio: 40-48, Self pollinator (wind) Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed suppression

Early maturing cabbage with tight heads! Stonehead is a fast grower with 6" heads that average between 4-6 lbs. when mature. Good texture and flavor. This hybrid resist yellow and black rot very well. A great market variety that matures early, won't split and holds well after harvest. Grows well throughout the United States. An All American Selection winner in 1969.

Just like its name, the Tom Thumb Pea is a tiny bush pea plant perfect for containers! If you are hurting for space but want to grow some delicious peas, try the Tom Thumb! This pea variety produces pea pods on a tiny pea plant.

The Winter Rye is a tall grain cover crop that can reach up to be 5 feet tall and prevents erosion and builds organic matter in the soil. This grain can be planted early to late fall and in mild climates, fall through early spring. This grain is the best choice for fast, cool-season germination. The Winter Rye captures soil nutrients in the fall to release in spring when worked into the soil. Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed suppression