Garden Planning...to cope with the cold!

[Rowanwood]

So since it's the dead of winter here in the north, I love to plan my garden now, so I can think about green instead of freezing my booty off.

I haven't really done a lot of gardening in recent years, with my kid being so little and my mom getting sick. But the kid is older and mom is doing surprisingly well, so I want to get back in the dirt.

Today I tried lingonberries for the first time and I think I'm in love. Anybody grow these? I've failed hard with blueberries, but this look a bit more forgiving.....


What are you planning?

Lets talk veggies/fruits/flowers/shrubberies/Knights who say Ni...er, yes.

[DanieMarie]

Re: Garden Planning...to cope with the cold!

I've never tried lingonberries, but they survive in Sweden so they must be semi-forgiving. They do like acidic soil though, so that's something to keep in mind.

This year I want to grow the usual tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, eggplant, lettuce, cherry, and strawberry mix. We also got gooseberry and blueberry bushes last year, so we'll see how those turn out!

[Heka]

Re: Garden Planning...to cope with the cold!

I'm planning to plant again when the tomatoes die off. We can keep things going here through the winter without too much issue, except for frosts. We've just built a big enclosed shade house for the garden, and are hoping that will help keep some of the frost out. I'll be going for carrots, leek and beetroot going into autumn, and over winter I'd love to do some lettuce and some other brassica, but I don't know what will grow here well, I haven't done a winter plant yet, so this will be my first try.

We're also planning to put more beds in, and put some snow pea, and a few varieties of cucumber in.

[DanieMarie]

Re: Garden Planning...to cope with the cold!

I'm planning to plant again when the tomatoes die off. We can keep things going here through the winter without too much issue, except for frosts. We've just built a big enclosed shade house for the garden, and are hoping that will help keep some of the frost out. I'll be going for carrots, leek and beetroot going into autumn, and over winter I'd love to do some lettuce and some other brassica, but I don't know what will grow here well, I haven't done a winter plant yet, so this will be my first try.

We're also planning to put more beds in, and put some snow pea, and a few varieties of cucumber in.

Jealous!

Though, lettuce could probably grow here this year as well. We've had the odd frost but it's been a very oddly warm winter this year. I haven't had any luck though for some reason. I think it's because the balcony is in full shade all winter (it gets a ton of sun in the summer but the sun is too low in the winter and we are in the courtyard). Leafy things don't need a lot of sun, but they seem to need an hour or so at least.

[Heka]

Re: Garden Planning...to cope with the cold!

It's taken us a long time. We've lived here for 3 years, and though we had lawn spinach and tomatoes last summer, this year has been much better, and we've moved everything around and re done the soil etc. Our problem is usually too much sun! That's why we moved next to the fence, and we're making it fully enclosed with iron to 1500mm and shadecloth up and over at 2 metres. Only space that won't be closed off will be above the gate!

[thalassa]

Re: Garden Planning...to cope with the cold!

It's taken us a long time. We've lived here for 3 years, and though we had lawn spinach and tomatoes last summer, this year has been much better, and we've moved everything around and re done the soil etc. Our problem is usually too much sun! That's why we moved next to the fence, and we're making it fully enclosed with iron to 1500mm and shadecloth up and over at 2 metres. Only space that won't be closed off will be above the gate!

What about doing something like a trellis with some luffa plants to create partial shade?

[Heka]

Re: Garden Planning...to cope with the cold!

What about doing something like a trellis with some luffa plants to create partial shade?

Well we won't need it now haha! But that was some of what I was thinking with the snowpeas and cucumber - make em climb! Mostly though it's because I have space for a narrow bed (bit over a foot, perhaps?) and want to put things in it that grow up. I would like to try some beans too.