November is a two-fold season for me. First, it’s a time to gently put the summer garden to bed and prep the soil for next year. At the same time, just because the temperature is dropping doesn’t mean the growing has to stop!
Right now, I’ve got collard greens, broccoli, beets, cauliflower, and cabbage started from seed in both my raised beds and some large pots. I just got them going, so we’ll see how they fare during this transition into the colder weather. To be completely honest with you, I’m a little skeptical about the beets and the cauliflower. I haven’t had the best of luck with them in the past, but part of the joy of gardening is having the courage to try again. I’m also checking my inbox daily, waiting on that email letting me know my winter onion starts are ready for ordering and planting. I love growing winter onions!
At the same time, I’m starting to clean and prep my summer beds. But here is my golden rule: we do not have to do it all at once. Nature doesn’t hurry, and neither do I. Besides, I’m from Mobile, Alabama, and we Southerners don’t do "hurry-up" too well anyway! We have several months of cool weather ahead of us. Spreading these chores out over the winter gives us plenty of time to sit back, sip something warm, and dream about the spring. (I’ve always wanted to open a "You-Pick" garden for the public. It hasn’t come to fruition yet for a lot of reasons, but a guy can dream while he works!)
The Science of the Fall Garden: Food as Medicine
One of the things I love most about a cool-season garden is that it keeps feeding our bodies and souls, just at a slower pace. Now, it might just be my imagination, but it seems like the fall and winter months drag by a little slower, and the crops take their sweet time to produce. My collards are ready now, but those onion starts won’t go in until later this month and won't be ready until late spring. That’s alright. Good things take time.
And these winter veggies are well worth the wait. As a nurse, I look at these crops and see a prescription for better health:
The Joint-Soothing Cruciferous Crew (Broccoli, Cabbage, and Cauliflower): These veggies are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Inside our bodies, these compounds help neutralize free radicals and reduce systemic inflammation—which is music to the ears of anyone living with stiff, arthritic joints.
The Blood-Pressure Builders (Beets, Spinach, and Turnip Greens): When we think of heart health and blood pressure, we have to talk about natural nitrates. While beets are famous for them, dark leafy greens like spinach and turnip greens are also absolute powerhouses. Our bodies convert these plant nitrates into nitric oxide, which naturally relaxes and dilates our blood vessels. This lowers vascular resistance, helping to bring down high blood pressure (hypertension) and easing the workload on the heart.
The Blood-Sugar Balancers (Collards, Spinach, and Turnips): For my friends managing diabetes, these same leafy greens, along with fiber-rich turnips, are magnificent allies. They are loaded with dietary fiber, which acts like a gentle brake in your digestive system. Fiber slows down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, preventing those dreaded blood sugar spikes and keeping your energy steady.
The beauty of it all is that these wonderful veggies don't just do one job. You’ll notice some overlap here because nature is generous like that—spinach and turnips, for instance, pull double duty by helping both your blood pressure and your blood sugar. Truly, you just can’t go wrong with any of these selections. Every single seed you put in the ground is an investment in your own well-being.
You might ask, "Why go through the trouble of growing these when I can just buy them at the grocery store?"
There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying store-bought or supporting your local farmer's market. But growing it yourself is a different kind of medicine. Getting outdoors and putting your hands in the soil stimulates your senses and boosts "feel-good" brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. It gets us moving, which naturally helps lower blood sugar. It gives us beautiful, unique varieties, and a rainbow of colors and flavors we may not find in stores, and it gives us the joy of gifting a bundle of fresh greens to family or friends. It keeps our minds sharp, our spirits high, and our hearts connected.
The "How" and "Why" of Cold Weather and Your Body
Before we head out into that crisp November air, we need to understand what the cold weather actually does to our bodies. As we age, our physiology changes, and the cold presents some very real biological challenges:
Why our joints hurt more: When the temperature drops, barometric pressure often changes too. This can cause the tissues and fluids inside joints (like your knees, hips, and hands) to expand, putting extra pressure on nerves. Furthermore, cold weather causes blood vessels to constrict to keep your core warm. This reduces blood flow to your extremities, making muscles, tendons, and ligaments tighter, stiffer, and more prone to strains or flare-ups of tendinitis, carpal tunnel, and trigger thumb.
Why our lungs struggle: Cold air is naturally very dry. When you breathe it in, it strips the moisture from your airways. For folks with COPD or asthma, this dry, cold air can cause the bronchial tubes to spasm and narrow (bronchospasm), leading to shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue.
Why our skin needs protection: Older skin is thinner and produces less natural oil. The cold wind and dry air can quickly compromise the skin barrier, leading to painful cracking, tearing, and susceptibility to infection.
Hope & Solutions: Gentle, Restorative Interventions
Instead of looking at autumn garden prep as a grueling checklist of chores, I want you to look at it as a gentle, restorative practice. We can adapt our methods to protect our bodies while still enjoying the soil. Here is how we do it:
Warm Up the Engine: Before you step outside, do a few gentle stretches in your warm living room to get the blood flowing to those joints. Personally, I perform lighter chores indoors and outdoors before I start any heavy garden tasks. I find that these lighter chores are sufficient for me to get warmed up.
Dress in Layers and Hydrate: Wear layers to trap body heat, and protect your lungs by wearing a soft scarf or mask over your nose and mouth to warm and humidify the air before you breathe it in. Keep a warm thermos of tea or water nearby—hydration is just as important in November as it is in July.
Pace Yourself: Go inside to warm up before you feel chilled or exhausted. If you use a tiller like I do—which is wonderful because it does the heavy weeding and hoeing for you—remember that the vibration can be hard on arthritic wrists. Pace your tilling sessions, and always wear earplugs to protect your hearing from the engine noise.
Protect Your Hands and Skin: Always wear a good pair of supportive gardening gloves. They keep your hands warm (which keeps blood flowing to your fingers), protect your skin from tears, and cushion your joints. If you are weeding smaller areas, use long-handled tools so you don't have to bend and strain.
Take a Seat: Never bend over when you can sit. Bring a lightweight stool, a rolling garden chair, or a thick kneeling pad out with you. Sitting down to prune, harvest, or weed takes the pressure off your lower back and knees, conserving your energy so you can garden longer and with more joy.
A Quick Note from the Nurse: Now, remember, friends—I might be a registered nurse, but I’m not your personal healthcare provider. Before you head out to tackle any new physical activities in the chilly air, be sure to have a chat with your doctor about what’s safe and right for your individual body.
Let’s take our time, listen to our bodies, and enjoy the quiet beauty of the season.
Let’s Garden, Create, and Thrive Together!