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Garden Gate:  Anyone plant a fall/winter garden?  |
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BlueApple
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Julia
Oregon
USA
430 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 07:32:18 AM
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I am going to be honest and say I didn't even know that people plant winter gardens! I would love to plant (pretty sure it's too late now) but am not sure how it would do here in very rainy Oregon? I would think it would be just plain too wet? I've been seeing building plans for small cold frame boxes - maybe that is what I would need to do? Any thoughts?
Julia
BlueApple Farm |
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BlueEggBabe
True Blue Farmgirl
417 Posts
Susan
PA
417 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 08:04:16 AM
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Julia,
Eliot Coleman is the king of year round gardening and a great inspiration to me. I have a friend whose daughter apprenticed at his farm in New England and was blown away by the food that comes out of a small space. I purchased his book "Four Season Harvest" a few years back and have yet to implement all of his fine examples. But I just saw on his website that he has a manual out for winter gardening.
Check him out ...you won't be dissappointed.
http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/default.html
www.feedsackfarmgirls.blogspot.com
"If more of us valued good food, cheer and song above hoarded gold,the world would be a merrier place."
J.J.R.Tolkien |
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BlueApple
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Julia
Oregon
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 08:16:37 AM
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Thank you, Susan - definitely checking this out!
Julia
BlueApple Farm |
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BlueEggBabe
True Blue Farmgirl
417 Posts
Susan
PA
417 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 08:38:03 AM
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oh julia,
I forgot to mention that while Eliot works on a larger scale than most homeowners do, the information that he provides can be scaled down and used in a cold frame or a growing tunnel.
Don't be put off by his perfect greenhouses!! 
www.feedsackfarmgirls.blogspot.com
"If more of us valued good food, cheer and song above hoarded gold,the world would be a merrier place."
J.J.R.Tolkien |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 09:17:55 AM
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| In the south, the best gardens are winter gardens! Less bugs and heat. Right now I have broccoli and caulifower and tomatoes and green peppers in the ground. And sweet basil. The peppers are yielding like crazy. I love winter gardening best of all. |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 10:24:01 AM
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I think I'm probably in the same gardening zone as you Julia...the wet coast! In early September after the warm weather veggies are out of the garden, I take my seedbox and literally replant the garden - just like it was spring - with all cool weather crops. (And plant the fall rye between the rows). Sometimes it works great, other times its just too cool and wet..but other than an afternoon's time and a few seeds, it's a minimal investment and what I do get to grow from it is worth it. This year the beets didn't do so great, but we've had some great arugula, spinach, chard and baby lettuces. Also, chard, kale and leeks will stand all winter here so I always plant extra to last us til spring.
Another benefit is that in January/February I will open the garden gate to the chickens. It becomes party time in there and they will scratch up the soil and eat all the overwintering slugs and bugs before we begin spring planting again. It's actually quite comical to open their barn door in the morning and watch them make a hasty beeline to the garden gate waiting for it to be opened.
I have tried coldframes and plastic tunnels, but find it becomes a haven for mold and fungus. It's just too mild and wet here and they offer minimal air circulation, even if vented.
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 2:52:36 PM
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Julia -
Even in our wet Oregon winters - I find that garlic and onions (well mulched) do good. I even had potatoes grow all winter with and early spring dig up along with carrots if you can get them started before the soggy weather. As for lettuce, I think a cold frame would work good, but the slugs might be an issue - heck in the summer they are an issue  . I keep thinking I could do more in the winter, but haven't been able to get some things to produce yet. Let me know what works for you since we're in the same area, maybe together we can come up with a list that works here.
Anne
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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CityCat
True Blue Farmgirl
198 Posts
Catherine
Toronto
Ontario
Canada
198 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2005 : 6:21:42 PM
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I am in awe of people, like my Dad, who, in the thick of winter, wander outside, open their cold frames and harvest things like fresh spinach! I don't know how he does it, and I've seen his set up! I guess the gardening gene has skipped me by...
Cat |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2005 : 6:20:36 PM
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| I'm trying it for the first time this winter. So far I have garlic, peppers, onions, basil, and lemon trees growing. I have a make-shift greenhouse that DH built me for when the frost comes but this is all still an experiment for me. I don't have the greenest of thumbs. |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2005 : 04:00:11 AM
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COLLARDS MUSTARD TURNIPS! Don't knock 'em 'till you try em'!
All can be cooked alone or in a mixed greens salad. Boil till tender. You can add olive oil. When I have the time, remove greens from the water place in skillet add piece of fat back or sausage, bit of onion salt, pepper to taste....pretty good!
The collards are usuallt sweet enough to really need minimal doctoring. Maybe just a dash of hot sauce or salt.
Turnips are mild tasting too. Peel, boil 'till tender, drain, season as you like.
My dog LOVES all these winter type veggies. |
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JO AND AL
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Jocelyn
parrsboro
nova scotia
Canada
235 Posts |
Posted - Dec 01 2005 : 08:58:37 AM
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HI ALL THE WINTERS HERE IN NOVA SCOTIA ARE BAD AT TIMES COULD I EVEN TRY THIS WINTER GARDEN! I DO A HUMMER OF A SUMMER JOB ON A GARDEN TEE HEE! I LOVE IT. I SUPPOSE SPINACHE AND LETTUCE WOULD DO OK IN A COLD FRAME EH?OH AND MAYBE EVEN BROCKLIE? JO!P.S. HOW WOULD U BUILD A COLD FRAME??
love is all you need |
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Dec 01 2005 : 10:42:26 AM
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I'm still learning what winter crops I can grow here. In Florida my winter garden was better than my spring/early summer garden! No bugs, weather was great, just run and cover the tomatoes if a freeze is forecast...
Yes I am missing my winter garden. haha!
However, I'm also enjoying the break - it's a good time to make new raised beds, build that potting bench, turn all the fall compost and have a really great garden in the spring! |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2005 : 09:31:02 AM
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Jocelyn -
Just by accident I picked up an issue of Western Gardener (Nov. '05) and in there are complete instructions on how to build several different cold frames. After reading the article it looked pretty easy to me. I am thinking this next year during the spring and summer I am going to build one to try next winter.
Anne Portland, OR
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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Juliekay
True Blue Farmgirl
237 Posts
237 Posts |
Posted - Dec 06 2005 : 06:43:27 AM
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AnnaB,
I love collard and mustard greens. I usually saute either mushrooms, onions, or both in olive oil first, then wilt the greens in the pan. I have served this alone as a side dish or mixed with pasta.
Julie |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2005 : 09:36:04 AM
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Julie,
I do something similar like this. Our mustard greens usually need a little doctoring, but this year the collards have been especially good. The older folks say they are best after the first really had frost. We have been eating on them for nearly 2 months now. You just have to boil a bit longer these days.
And, what mess of greens would be complete without cornbread! For that I squeeze a dab of honey into the mix. My hubby sautees his style of greens this way. Talk about sweet! |
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JO AND AL
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Jocelyn
parrsboro
nova scotia
Canada
235 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2005 : 03:18:21 AM
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 Thanks Ann i will see if i can find one here,? I can almost imagine how to build one but, would be nice to have percise directions eh? thanks again Jo~
love is all you need |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Dec 12 2005 : 03:45:32 AM
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SOmeone correct me if I'm wrong, but a cold frame is either a box with a lid that shields crops from the cold or piping bent into a U shape with cover cloth draped and stretched over the top.
Ask for the cloth at garden stores or some other place like Tractor Supply or any farming type store. It comes in a long roll sheet and feels like cotton. It's gauzy enough to allow water and light to the bed but durable enough to keep snow and frost away from the ground and crops. You can secure the bottom with sod staples or bricks or whatever is handy and heavy enough to keep the cloth from blowing off. This is a 2 person job. |
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Garden Gate: Anyone plant a fall/winter garden? |
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Anyone plant a fall/winter garden?
