Every year at about this time, many garden enthusiasts experience the dilemma of the viable tomato plants. Where space is limited, it can be difficult to remove tomato plants to allow for cool season vegetables if the tomato plants are still producing. Unfortunately, it is necessary to start most cool season vegetables between August and September; and it is getting late.

Green tomato fruit that is still on the plants when removed need not be discarded. Much of it can eventually ripen on a sunny window sill. In fact, most tomatoes in markets were harvested when beginning to ripen but still green. They ripen during transportation to the market, even without sunlight. Of course, fruit ripened on the sill is not as well flavored as that formerly ripened on the vine, but they are better than no tomatoes at all.

After productive summers, when there are many late, green tomatoes, I would rather utilize them in recipes that require green tomatoes. Fried green tomatoes is a classic when cooked by someone else. I can’t seem to get it right. They can also be good in salsa, but do not can well. My favorite recipe is for pickled tomatoes. Because this recipe is intended to be canned, it may utilize an abundance of fruit and enjoyed through the year. (Now enough of the Martha Stewart stuff!)

The main difference between warm-season and cool-season vegetables is that most of the warm-season vegetables are actually fruit, but most of the cool-season vegetables are ‘vegetables’. That is not as confusing as it sounds. Warm-season vegetables that are fruits containing seed, such as beans, corn, cucumbers, melons, peppers and tomatoes, require warm, stable weather to ripen. Activity slows or ceases during cool weather.

Cool-season vegetables are generally other vegetative plant parts that do not contain seed, such as roots, stems or leaves. They grow slower in cool weather, but are not encouraged to bloom. Bolting (blooming) of many such vegetables compromises the production of the desired vegetative part. For example, bolting lettuce stops producing edible foliar parts when it begins to produce the tall central stem and flowers.

Peas are one of the few cool-season vegetables that is actually a fruit. Cauliflower and broccoli are also different from most because they are floral parts rather than vegetative. Beets, carrots, radishes and turnips are all roots. Cabbage, chard, lettuce, spinach and onions (greens as will as bulbs) are all foliar parts. Potatoes are distended subterranean stems known as stolons. (Honestly, they are not roots.)

Brussels sprouts and celery that are generally not grown in the Santa Clara Valley are interesting foliar vegetables. Celery is distended petioles with the diminutive foliage removed. Brussels sprouts are the axillary buds of a larger cabbage-like plant. The larger, coarser foliage on the main stem is abscised as the axillary buds develop.

Vegetables that should be planted as soon as possible include broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, peas, radishes and turnips. It is late for beets, chard and potatoes; but they can be planted in very early spring with the second phase of the other vegetables. Spinach can be planted anytime before spring. Onions can be planted from sets anytime before winter.

Cauliflower, broccoli and even cabbage may be planted as nursery grown seedlings. Potatoes and onions can be planted from sets also known as seed potatoes and seed onions. All others should be planted as seed.