Just because the temperature is dipping, doesn’t mean you need to abandon your garden. Let The Ranch Malibu Master Gardener Geri Miller help you transition your harvest into crops that thrive during the cooler season and enjoy the fruits – or vegetables – of your labor until the end of the year.

What temperatures are optimal for cool season crops?
As the phrase implies, cool-season crops grow best in lower temperatures than warm-season crops. Optimum temperatures for cool season crops range from 70/75° (21°- 23.8°C) highs to 40/45° (4°- 7.2°C) lows and soil temperatures between 40/45° (4°-7.2°C) during the growing season.

What makes these types of plants different?
Cool-season crops tend to have shallower root systems, remaining in the part of the soil that remains warmest the longest. They also need to be watered and fertilized less often as the lower temperatures lead to slower moisture evaporation and growth. Warm-season crops are typically fruits while cool-season crops are root crops and salad greens generally.

What are some examples?
We can break down the category of cool season crops further into two sub-categories:
– Cold Hardy – tolerates minimum temperature of 40°F (4°C) and short sub-freezing conditions.

Some of these veggies are: asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chives, collards, garlic, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, mustard, onions, parsley, peas, radishes, rhubarb, rutabaga, spinach, turnips.

– Semi Hardy – tolerates minimum temperature of 40/45° (4°-7.2°C) and just a few hours of sub-freezing conditions.

Some of these veggies are: beets, carrots, cauliflower, celery, celeriac, chard, Chinese cabbage, chicory, globe artichokes, endive, lettuce, parsnips, potatoes, salsify, sorrel and hardy herbs like dill, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme.

Best Ways to Prepare for the New Season?

1. Change your gear
No matter which side of the country or hemisphere you live in, this time of year is a transition from one season to another so prepare your gear for the change.
– Make sure boots, hats, gloves, aprons and tools are all clean and in good shape and weather-appropriate for the next season.
– Clean off, lubricate and sharpen all your tools.

2. Have a transition plan for tender plants
Prepare to protect or move certain plants in from the cold –
– If you have any citrus growing in pots and you live in a cold winter area, move them into a protective spot for the winter – like a greenhouse or garage.
– Grow your staple herbs in pots on your kitchen counter during the winter using grow lights if necessary.

3. Incorporate the best of your seasonal garden into your home.
Look for interesting sculptural elements in your fall/winter garden that would be a beautiful touch to your table, entry way or any room. Think branches, seed pods, leaves, or sprigs of pine.

GO THE DISTANCE

Whether you are training for a marathon or just looking to take your regular runs up a notch, Fall is the perfect season to get outside and work towards a specific goal. Your time in nature will not only benefit your mind, but the cooler air makes running for longer distances safer than it might be in the Summer. Here ultra marathon runner and Senior Program Guide Zac Barbiasz, from The Ranch Malibu offers his best tips for taking on a new running challenge so you can hit that 26.2 or improve upon your current mileage.

If you are 100% new to running it is wise to begin your training a few months out to avoid agonizing pain and to leave time to nurse training injuries. If you are already running consistently, say 10-20 miles a week, well, then you are well on your way and it is just time to up the mileage.

1) Begin your training a 2-3 months out.
This will allow for weeks of less mileage, rather than feeling forced to get your miles in, which may take away from the fun of running. It is all about having fun. It is part of the runners high.

2) In the first few weeks of your training, shoot for 3-4 runs a week.
Don’t be too hard on yourself, a good attitude is the biggest prerequisite a runner can have.
– Let these runs build up, increasing the mileage the following weeks, but not overdoing it.
– For example: Week 1 may look like this-> Monday, shoot for 5k, Wednesday 10k, Friday 5k, Saturday 12K.

3) Begin upping the mileage the following weeks, but never overdo it.
– Eventually the mileage should add up so that your big run of the week, say Saturday, is approaching the twenty mile zone. It is not necessary to run the full 26.2 during your training. You always have more miles in you than you think!
– Listen to your body. If you have a sore muscle or tendon, take note and walk for a few miles instead.

4) Take the recovery/pre-run as seriously as the running.
Input is more important than the output!
– Buy a foam roller to roll out your muscles, and support your posture as you are training. Lay on a 36 inch foam roller, tail bone on the bottom end of the roller, head on the top end of the roller, feet extended, arms out. This allows our limbs to fall away and safely align.
– Leg drains are a great way to remove the inflammation and lactic acid from you legs after your runs. Sit on the floor, bum on the ground, back flat, with legs extended vertically against a wall. Shoot for ten minutes.
– Begin each run walking for at least a half mile. This will allow you to break up the lingering debris and it will also give you a chance to do some self-auditing – recognize where you have pain, how you are breathing, how you are feeling.
– Do some active stretching beforehand and on off days. Leg kicks, side-to-side, front and back, arm rolls front and back, neck rolls both directions. Avoid static stretching unless you are well warmed up.

5) Use the days off to really relax.
– Get off your feet as much as possible and relax and foam roll.
– Eat healthy! These are not “cheat” days, so don’t pile on the junk food while resting the muscles. Think lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and WATER. Eat the rainbow and drink only (or nearly, only water). You should be drinking half of your body-weight in ounces per day. If you are exercising a lot, which you will be during marathon training, then this will go up. It will hydrate your body, mind, all the organs, literally everything.

6) Practice self-care
This is the fun part of training for a run. We have excuses to excessively pamper ourselves.
– See a chiropractor, our alignment gets thrown off easier than we expect it to which can lead to injuries.
– Get massages
– Sweat it out in sauna
– Hit the cryotherapy sauna or ice tank
– Sleep! Your body needs time to recover. Try to get 8 hours when you can.