I am pleased to report that Lowes in Fort Walton Beach has restocked its garden center with fresh cool weather seedlings, including short-day varieties of yellow, white and red sweet onions. Other garden centers have probably restocked, too.

If you have wanted to plant a fall/winter vegetable garden this year, don’t miss your chance!

Fresh lettuce, Brussels sprouts, collards, cabbage and broccoli seedlings can be purchased in nine-packs for about $3. Lettuce planted now will need to be protected from the cold if the temperatures drop into the mid-20s but the other cool weather crops mentioned above need no protection from the cold. Also, your cool weather crops are likely to have little pressure from pests.

This weekend I am planting strawberries, onions and lettuce. We are currently harvesting snap beans and lettuce from my front-yard vegetable garden and -- from my front-yard orchard -- sweet and juicy Hamlin oranges!