Your Winter Garden

682 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.
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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.

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Buxtehude

Discussion Starter · #2 · Aug 30, 2011

Oh, and lettuce not forget the ornamentals!
 
I have grand, grand, grand plans for a sunny bed in the front yard involving catmint, lavender, bog sage, lion's tail, santa barbara daisy and olive shrubs.
 
Grand.
 
(back to the edibles, our persimmon tree is heaving with green fruit.)

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Buxtehude

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 30, 2011

Houseplants certainly count.
 
We didn't have a good tomato year, either. Our nights have been too cool. I'm in USDA zone 9, for what it's worth. We should have decent tomatoes.
 
Have you heard of the "fruit salad" tree? I believe it has four different fruits grafted onto it: apricot, plum, peach and...can't recall the fourth. It's all stone-fruit. That might be a fun tree to grow, as a novelty. Kids would love the idea of a fruit salad tree. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by 4boysmom <a href="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011715"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> I have house plants. Does that count?
 
My garden has pretty much been a dud this summer. Tomatoes came on late this year and I'm only getting enough for salads. There will be no canning this year. I did plant an apple and a peach tree. The kids asked why I stuck half dead sticks in the ground. I suspect it's gonna be several years before we get any produce from them--and we'll have to figure out how to keep the deer from eating them!
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Buxtehude

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 30, 2011

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 class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Tech Tee <a href="/t/75034/your-winter-garden#post_2011749"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> 
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.</div>
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Buxtehude

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 31, 2011

On an aside, sort of...
 
We just started vermicomposting, with red worms, in addition to regular composting. We bought a worm bin cheaply from the county.
 
Anyway, I'm damn sure these red worms will change my life for the better.

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Buxtehude

Discussion Starter · #12 · Aug 31, 2011

Oh, and tech tee, I saw your other comment about growing potatoes in another thread.
 
I've also heard folks rave about homegrown potatoes,as if they really do taste better. I may try them next summer, if I decide they're worth the extra space they require. I've heard you can grow them in a grow-bag. But yes, afficionados seem to think there is a substantial difference in flavor when homegrown. My curiosity will overwhelm me, I'm sure.
 
Speaking of next summer, I may try growing honeydew melons in buckets, with drainage holes drilled into them. But I cannot, for the life of me, find a compact honeydew variety. I thought I'd just let the vines sprawl onto unused concrete flooring.
 
Well, I'm starting to bore my own damn self.

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Buxtehude

Discussion Starter · #19 · Sep 1, 2011

Speaking of the care it takes to grow things in ill-suited climates,
 
I'd like to take a shot at rhubarb, gooseberry, apple, cherry and pear.
 
But they need more chill than we get here.
 
I shall find a way to carry on living...

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