Posted on 12/21/2012 1:22:01 PM PST by greeneyes
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I plant them in late fall, and let them get started. Any time there is a frost or freeze forcast, I cover them up with a row cover, or maybe 2. Then uncover for sunshine on warm days, and harvest a little.
When we get deeper into winter, I cover the row covers with straw. Then if it gets cold enough, I cover up with a thin egg crate foam mattress from Walmart. Once the deep snow comes it seems to be fairly toasty under all that.
I should mention that the back of the bed is a concrete block retaining wall, and the front faces southwest. I place milk jugs of water around the sides and back.
The water and blocks will absorb heat during the day, if the sun is shining, and release it at night. Also, if the water in the jugs freeze, they actually release heat as they freeze.
I don’t like to get out in the cold, so I never harvest until it’s a nice winter day. Then it’s really easy to roll up the cover, pick the lettuce, and then cover it back up before dark. This will be my 3rd winter doing this. The first winter we had quite a bit of snow, and at one time had about a 6 inch snow cover for a while.
The last 2 winters have so far been milder, so it’s been great. I also choose a variety of lettuce than is more tolerant to cold such as miners lettuce, Winter Marvel, and Winter density.
I really like to be able to eat salad from my own garden vs the store because, I know that it has no pesticides, or bacteria transferred by unsanitary processing.
Well as usual I’m late to the party.
I picked a batch of collards and dug some carrots from the garden for our Christmas Eve dinner.
You can’t get it much fresher than that.
OK, the PO box was stuffed with garden catalogs today.
Anyone know how to grow asparagus?
I’d like to try. How big do the mature plants get during the summer? What do I need in the way of garden space for them?
Dittos here on the catalogs today...
I plan on getting my orders out by the end of the week.
I plan on getting my orders out by the end of the week.
Indeed. A new pleasure for Christmas. Homegrown Salad or veggies - one of the best of life’s little pleasures.LOL.
IIRC, you don’t plant them every year, but they also don’t produce every year. That’s all I know at this time. We have some wild asparagus that appeared in our yard. So far we are just letting it grow, and hoping to have something edible next summer.
I understand that they’re perennials and do produce yearly.
We don’t need a lot so only a few plants should do well for us. What I can do is plant one batch this year and one next and alternate if need be.
Yeh, I can’t remember exactly, just that it takes about 3 years before you get a harvest.
metmom~:”Anyone know how to grow asparagus?
I’d like to try. How big do the mature plants get during the summer? What do I need in the way of garden space for them? “
Buy fully developed plants; but, if you raise from seed , it will take about 3-4 years until you get a sustainable harvest.
Place plants in deeply prepared beds , with plenty of well rotted manure , mulch , and nutrient balanced fertilizer (10-10-10 or 10-20-20).
Initial stalks will be thin and spindly ; leave them in place for photosynthesis, structure and root growth .
A well planned and maintained aspargas bed can produce for 25 - 35 years +.
George Washington planted asparagas beds at Mount Vernon which still exist today , although they have been replanted several times in the same location.
Foliage is lacey and will grow to 4-5 fet in height .
Thanks. I had heard starting them from seed is not advisable but I also read not to buy plants TOO big either. One year old shoots is what’s recommended.
I was interested mostly in how big the mature plants got so I can know where to plant them. I need to give them enough room to grow and don’t want to shade anything else.
Thanks for the info. That’s interesting. Seems like a good veggie to cultivate, if you like it.
Thanks for that lesson in gardening. I wish you luck with your winter crop! I have hungry deer roaming thru my gardens and chewing down plants from the fall, down to the ground, so I will wait till Spring to plant.
I don’t blame you I would wait too if I had deer roaming around. We have lots of squirrels, bunnies, birds, neighbor’s dogs, stray dogs and cats, occasional possum, racoon, and I once saw a fox. Never have seen any deer, we are only about 1/2 mile out of town in a subdivision.
I’ve also had groundhogs and bunnies visit and one nite I flipped the lite on and saw something with a stripe.
I’ve also had groundhogs and bunnies visit and one nite I flipped the lite on and saw something with a stripe.
Was it Pepe le Pew?
hehe, it was right outside my patio door. Glad I didn’t step outside and surprise it.
He He thank your lucky stars! We got a little more snow too. I think we are up to 7” now. Not going out to check on anything or go anywhere!
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