Ready or not, tonight winter arrives. The temperature will drop to 19 degrees and there will be four nights of bitter cold. Outside is gray, dark, and dreary
I didn't think there would be a winter garden because it was started so late due to the drought and heat. Seeds just wouldn't sprout in the blistering hot soil; now it seems, they knew best. When it finally cooled down a month later than normal, they began to grow at record speed and made up the difference. There isn't the usual large variety of vegetables as has been grown in years past, just the hardy, faithful few in larger amounts. My goal was something is better than nothing. The lesson learned is: be patient. The plants know what they are doing.
The second lesson I have learned is that this area is always going to be in a drought during growing season. Period. It will rain all around us but for some reason, the clouds on the radar screen can be seen parting as they get close. We wonder if there is some kind of updraft caused from the heat of so many rocks in this area. There is a whole section on this site dedicated to all the rocks. Droughts are normal for my neighborhood and I need to expect it.
We are still trying to get the hoop houses ready. It is slow going because I mulch every bed before closing the covers. Weeds will grow quickly underneath causing the beds to stay too wet.
I'm trying some new ideas this year. Whenever a Golden Cabbage head was harvested, a seed was dropped in the hole. This is against all gardening rules, I know, but I want to see how maturity effects the survival rate.
This one is destined to be sautéed with an onion in butter for supper tonight.
Next on the menu is a row of Detroit Red Beets. Not as sweet as Sugar Beets but still good enough.
Albino beets were put in the empty spots in this tomato bed. Onions were planted later when frost killed them.
Last year's experiment of not covering half of the carrots proved a hoop house didn't make any difference in their growth. I don't claim this will work everywhere but it did work well here in zone 7a. The carrot bed will remain unprotected.
The goal is to find as many winter hardy varieties as possible so as to use fewer hoop houses. If they don't need the extra protection, why go to the bother of putting them up? We are almost finished with preparations for winter and then we will huddle down and hibernate until spring. All that is left will to be venture out on occasion to harvest an armload of fresh greens.
Isn't it a pleasure, to harvest fresh greens, during the cold months? I'm glad your Fall garden ended up doing well. We also notice most storms split before making it to us here, perhaps having to do with the Uwharrie mountains nearby (very ancient and worn down). We've never been sure. I always enjoy reading of your experiments, and am curious about the cabbage. We enjoy a fresh apple beet salad. How do you and Bill enjoy your fresh beets?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you have the same problem with storms splitting as they approach. It has happened here too many times for it to be coincidental. Neither you nor I have city water so rain is of the utmost importance. Everything depends on it. I need to stop getting so upset but that is quite hard to do.
DeleteBill enjoys the beets - I tolerate them because they are so healthy. Occasionally, there is a super sweet one that is too my liking, but it is Bill that loves them. He ONLY likes them fresh, boiled, skinned, then chilled and added to a salad. I have tried them roasted, sautéed, canned, frozen, dehydrated, slipped in soups or casseroles, stir-fried, and other ways I can't remember but he doesn't like it. This winter I want to try pickling them for me. I recently opened a jar of my pickled red onions and went wild (only used white vinegar and nothing else). It was dumped on everything. Nobody else liked it so I won't have to share! Come spring I will only plant red onions and can them in bigger jars, not the little half-pint ones. (Sheesh! I'm already looking forward to next year's garden.)
I looked up apple & beet salads and there are many. I will pick one and give that a try. Who knows? Maybe he will like that. Thanks for the idea.
The apple beet salad I use is from Helen Nearing's Simple Food for the Good Life, basically equal parts shredded beet and apple (though if one is preferred, just add more of that one), then dressed with honey and fresh lemon juice to taste. I used to pickle them for salads, which I love them in, but alas, can no longer have vinegar. It's always great to have plans to plant favorites in the garden!
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