Your Winter Garden

681 Views 18 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Buxtehude, Sep 1, 2011

Buxtehude

Discussion Starter · Aug 30, 2011

Now, I know some of you Northern yahoos live in harsh winter climates, so you can't do much gardening.
 
Or do you?
 
Anyway, tell me about your winter garden plans.
______________________________________
 
Mine are thus:
 
*Fava beans (Windsor variety. They're about 6 inches tall, so far. I look forward to some lovely favas in a few months. I also hope they improve the soil's bulk and nitrogen level)
 
* Peas (sugar snap, planted two days ago, from seed)
 
*Kale (tuscan/dinosaur/lacinato. the seedlings are really suffering in the late-summer heat. they're planted helter-skelter, wherever I found space)
 
*Broccoli (Green Comet variety seedlings, also suffering, planted a bit too early, live and learn. I'm also seeding some Waltham variety seeds in a feeble attempt at successive planting)
 
*Cauliflower (A self-blanching variety, doing well despite the heat)
 
*Cabbage (Copenhagen Market variety, suffering)
 
*Various lettuces (planted amongst the brassicas, which I have since learned is not a good idea, because they aren't good companions)
 
*Carrots (Red Cored Chantenay variety. We have rocky, clay soil, so I cordoned off a tiny plot, added sharp sand and purchased topsoil which I sifted into the plot. No. I'm not obsessed)
 
*Radishes (Cherry Belle, planted solely for their ease and quick gratification)
 
*Beets (Cylindria. Perhaps planting a long, cylindrical beet in pots wasn't the best idea...)
 
My Summer-grown sugar pumpkins, costata romanesco zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes are doing well. I'm especially thrilled at the prospect of curing and storing my sugar pumpkins.

See less See more

Save

1 - 4 of 19 Posts

Tech Tee

· #6 · Aug 30, 2011

Wow. Zone 9 would be nice. Fresh veggies all year long! I live in 6B, so, nothing outdoors in the winter. 
Regarding my tomatoes...I'm up to my knees in them. It's pretty awesome. Been bringing them into work there's so many. Picking about 5 a day, but sometimes 10. 
The rest of the garden, meh. Mild success with cucumbers. Jalapenos are pretty good, but the bell peppers, not too well, which disappoints me. Lettuce did well but it was a variety that was to bitter. I'm about ready to rip it out and replant. But, a different variety, of course. Matures in 50 days, so I can have fresh lettuce in October. it will still be warm enough.

Save

Tech Tee

· #8 · Aug 30, 2011

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011752" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Buxtehude <a href="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011752"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a> 
Do you envy my zone?
<laughing>
 
Anyway, it sucks that you have more frosts in 6B, but at least your evenings stay warm enough for your tomatoes to make fruit. Have fun with your lettuce-that's a fun and gratifying crop. Fast.
 
We have a strong coastal influence and while we don't actually see fog, the fog from nearby does have a cooling effect on our evenings.
 
Lord, I must be very boring these days, to other folks. I talk a bit too intensely about this stuff.
 

 
</div>
</div>
 
More frosts? Do you call -2 F frost? Last frost is usually about mid-May. We can grow until late October. 
Yeah, we have warm nights. Blech, some of them, especially this year, we too warm. Like, 70s and 80s. Blech. Since Irene has moved through, though, we're down in the 50s, and it's wonderful. I'm sure it will get horrible again in a week or so.

See less See more

Save

Tech Tee

· #14 · Aug 31, 2011

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011847" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by 4boysmom <a href="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011847"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a> We had a neighbor who would compost dog poop. They cut the bottom off a bucket, then buried it to just below the lip, then put a lid on it. They scooped about once a week. I don't remember if they added a layer of dirt or not. Once it was full, they'd remove the bucket and start all over again. I haven't gone that far, but I have buried dog poo. I mean, you can't compost it. You can't put it in with regular trash. And you have to scoop. What are you supposed to do with it?!
</div>
</div>
 
I thought carnivore poop was a no-no for composting.

See less See more

Save

Tech Tee

· #17 · Aug 31, 2011

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011887" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Grizzly <a href="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011887"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a> Multi comments:
 
On composting dog poop. Did it. Didn't put it on the vegetable patch, but it is possible. Not advisable, but possible.
 
On potatoes: Until I found out that I shouldn't eat 'em, we grew several varieties. Wonderful. No bugs. Worked well in our 3a climate. Viking were the absolute best.
 
On what we're planting: HA! We have perennials (rasps, strawbs, herbs, rhubarb... but nothing annual that will over-winter.
</div>
</div>
 
Asparagus is a perennial that does well in colder climes, I believe. i thought I read one time that you can have an asparagus patch that would last 10-20 years. 
Too bad I don't like asparagus.

See less See more

Save

1 - 4 of 19 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month