It has taken me a long time to embrace the concept of winter gardening. I lived for many years in Southern California, and my understanding of winter as a distinct season was a bit dim and was built around day length.

     Here in Napa County, even though the winters are mild, we undergo a shift in behavior. Out come the fleece and turtlenecks, and away go the shorts and flip-flops. Gardening does not have to end with winter, however. Instead, it becomes a more laid-back pursuit with different types of chores and plants that enjoy cool temperatures.

     There are some distinct advantages to winter gardening. We are unbound from the shackles of watering and the constant vigilance of monitoring the garden’s moisture needs. There is only so much you can accomplish in a day when the sun goes down at five o’clock. The pace is slower, lacking the fervor that spring induces. Pest control is pretty much limited to snail and slug abatement.

     A surprising number of vegetables thrive in winter. Some can be harvested quickly, while others should be planted now for harvest in spring or even early summer.

     Peas are delicious and sweet when home grown, especially the edible-pod varieties such as Sugar Snap. Planted in fall from seed, they will germinate and spend the winter establishing a strong root system. As temperatures begin to warm in the early spring, they will leap into production phase.

     Lettuces are one of my winter favorites, especially the leaf varieties that can be harvested daily for months. Spinach, arugula and mustard greens are also excellent cool- weather leaf crops. Complete your winter salad with some zesty radishes. Some varieties are ready to eat as soon as three weeks after sowing.

     Cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts, prefer cool temperatures. Ask your local nursery professional about varieties and planting times for these crops based on your specific location.

     Garlic can be planted now for harvest in spring or early summer, depending on the variety. Onions might scare you off with a lot of intimidating rules about short-day and long-day varieties. You can always grow scallions (green onions), which are easy from seed and produce over a long period. Seeds are also a better choice for bulb onions. Suitable varieties are not always available in sets (small, immature onion bulbs). Nursery sets tend to be generic and not specific to our region.

     In addition to planting edibles in your winter garden, consider flowers that prefer lower temperatures. Look for pansies, violas, snapdragons, Iceland poppies, ornamental kale, stock and the colorful English primrose. All of these plants will perform well if planted in fall and allowed to mature over the winter months.

     Many old-fashioned annual seeds should be sown now, including love-in-a-mist, larkspur, poppies and sweet peas.  Nothing is more festive than spring annuals blooming  with your fall-planted daffodils and tulips. And few sights are more welcome after the winter rains.