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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] off season eating? was Whole Foods

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: "mtncats" <mtncats@myway.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] off season eating? was Whole Foods
  • Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 07:32:37 -0400 (EDT)


Harvey convinced me to give winter growing a try. All I did was cut off the
tomatoes and remove the cages. What all was growing underneath, variety of
greens, was left. I added height to the bed sides with 2x4s and flopped some
lites salvaged from fogged sliding doors on top.

These panels are everywhere, generally free for the hauling. Almost all
tempered, so they're stronger than standard window glass. I added a 2x4 down
the middle of the bed so the span would only be 30", knowing I could get a
foot of snow on top and there was no slope.

Nights got down to 9ยบ, nothing froze (I threw a tarp over the whole thing
that night). Next winter I'm following Coleman's advice, with everything.
It was wonderful, picking fresh all winter (when it wasn't too icy to get to
the beds). Did have a problem with voles moving in, toasty dirt and a salad
outside their front door. We still ate well.

Better next year.
Tom (in central Virginia)


--- On Fri 03/30, TradingPostPaul < tradingpost@riseup.net > wrote:
There's a question I've been waiting for someone to bring up. Well, we
won't have homegrown strawberries and bananas in January for sure. Here,
our farmers markets are pushing it to open May thru Sept. I'd think you'd
be able to grow some things ten months in central TX.

However, there are root crops that can be left in the ground in winter till
needed (carrots? beets? turnips?), and leafy greens that can survive all
but the coldest months or longer with some protection. Swiss chard for one,
held on till November. And of course root cellar or cool room storage for
certain vegetables and fruits. Some things get better in storage or at
least after some frost. We've kept winter squash inside all winter before.
We still have some sugar loaf delicata (very tasty) given to us in
September, but they have to get eaten soon so we can start the seeds in our
(undersized) seedling greenhouse.

What else? Jump in here, anyone!

Rats. It's snowing now.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net


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