A note: The former post "Garden Guidelines" can be accessed at the bottom left of the page. Just click on 2009/October under Blog Archive. So far there are only two posts, so it shouldn't be hard to find.
Territorial Seed Company is mailing its Spring Catalogue for 2010. It's a great resource. Not all of their seeds are certified organic, but many are. And they add new things all the time. If you don't have a catalogue, you can write to them at: Box 158, Cottage Grove, Or 97424. I understand they have an outlet in Cottage Grove as well. So if you're ever down that way.....
Spring is still a promise, but there are signs that the energy is beginning to rise out of the earth. The days are getting longer and lighter. And the nurseries are sending out their seed catalogues. So this is the time to plan for spring vegetables.
And this is an excellent time to take stock of your garden. What worked for you last summer, and which of your winter greens made it through the freeze? Varieties of chard, kale, collards, cabbages, brussels sprouts and spinach were a good bet for over-wintering. I was also surprised by the vigorous growth, through the freeze, of a few Chinese greens. These are listed as "cool weather" plants. And they were flourishing, far better than their first plantings last spring and summer. The spring plants grow fast and have to be harvested before the bugs begin to look for them when the weather warms up. Summer was disappointing for that reason. But winter growth! Ooh la la. I am going to try planting more of them again for winter. And there will be no bugs to rob them of their vibrant green leafiness. Tat Soi (good for salad greens! as well as stir fries or steamed veggies) is also a good green to grow in cold weather. I didn't plant them this fall, so I don't know whether they would have gone through a freeze here on the river. I'm assuming they would. I had some all winter last year in a colder site. So make note of what made it this time and you can pretty much count on a winter garden in this climate, next year. Just look at the boxes planted for Food Share. They were planted in the Fall as a winter garden. They made it through the freezes just fine and are putting out abundant growth.
As for spring, start your tomatoes and peas indoors, beginning in February. Just about anything else that is too tender for our weather can be started indoors and then put out to harden off when the weather begins to warm up, before you transplant them. Transplants happen when the ground is warmer.
Generally, plants such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant and brussels sprouts have a longer growing season than spring greens and may not mature before the first frost. (Brussels sprouts are usually mature or beginning to mature in November. I harvest mine in December) Surprisingly, tomatoes and peppers seem to do well in our garden. We have a little micro-climate that grows tomatoes and peppers that can't be grown anywhere else. You can start them indoors as well and transplant when the soil warms. There are planting "sleeves" (available at our nurseries) that you put around the plant and fill with water. The sun warms the water and keeps the plant warm, encouraging ripening. This helps if you're in the wind or don't have the benefit of reflection off the house.
For growing indoors, it's best to use 2 inch peat pots that you can put right into the soil without disturbing the roots. If you can't find them, use any small container or seed flat, and in the spring transplant use a fork to get under the roots and gently lift the plant out and put in a hole that has had some water added to it. That's the economical way to go, but if you don't have the time, by all means buy starts at your favorite nursery. Just remember to ask for organic ones. Even if they don't have them, it may alert them to try it next time.
For now, it's time to clean out the bed and begin to plan your next planting. I know it's not fun to go to the garden in our weather, but try a sunny day and check for dead plants that should go into the compost, and deal with any structures you may have lying around. If you have any compost, grass clippings, leaves, well rotted manure, green kitchen scraps, you can turn these into the soil to improve its fertility and quality. Turn the soil a foot or more deep. Then cover with black plastic and let it do its soil transformation until you plant. When it's time to sow seeds, you can add a good fertilizer to the top layer of soil, but make sure it isn't one that will burn the plants. Down To Earth has a wonderful fertilizer at our nurseries. Please use an organic one like this. Our beds are passed on to others and some don't want chemicals in their soil when they receive a bed. The soil constituents are the basis for plant health and our health. And also, please make a note of anything you put in the soil. If you opt out of gardening any time, the next tenant will want to know what makes up the soil content.
If you have questions or additions please leave a comment and we will respond. Good dreams!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
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