Winter Gardening
“We cannot invent a new planet, but we can and must learn to use the resources of the current one more creatively.” Roger Doiron
Looking out your window at the frost and snow, probably the last thing on your mind is gardening. Yet, I have discovered that there are an increasing number of gardeners here in Canada, who are extending the growing and harvesting season through the cold months of the year, by using inexpensive and innovative techniques and structures. One such avid gardener is Niki Jabbour from Nova Scotia, Canada. Working with the seasons, along with careful planning, Niki produces a non-stop harvest all year long. In her fascinating book entitled “The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener,” Niki describes how she harvests cold-tolerant root vegetables in her garden which is located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
It is important to choose hearty varieties that grow to maturity in short time periods before the onslaught of winter. These plants are grown for their roots, stems, leaves, or immature flowers: Some examples are radishes, winter lettuce, spinach and broccoli. Certain vegetables will survive frost and snow: It is the limited amount of light available that is at issue. These crops need to reach harvestable size before the amount of day light drops to less than ten hours a day, dramatically slowing growth. Vegetables, like carrots, parsnips, leeks and kale are even sweeter in winter because their starches turn to sugar as a natural form of anti-freeze. Ah, the wonders of nature!
To protect against frost and wind, many gardeners use off-season gardening equipment. Fabric row covers made of spun polyester, bell-shaped cloches such as old milk jugs or glass jars, cold frames constructed with bottomless boxes hinged with clear glass lids, hoop houses or mini-tunnels covered with plastic sheeting, and adapted green.
One benefit of winter gardening is that it is possible to enjoy fresh salad such as mustard greens, spinach and bok choy. Vegetables like carrots and parsnips can be easily over-wintered when covered with an insulation made up of a thick layer of straw or a mulch of shredded leaves, topped with a row cover. Several options are available for storing produce. Root vegetables can be kept in earth clamps. Cellaring keeps food in optimum condition for an extended period by controlling the temperature, humidity and light.
In preparation for the evening meal, I can remember gathering potatoes, carrots, cabbages and onions from the root cellar (an unfinished basement with a dirt floor) in our farm house. In our home in town, we had a cold room (a finished but unheated room). Most produce is best stored for three to six months in mesh bags, baskets or containers that allow for plenty of air circulation.
Gardeners are a hearty group! While some people choose to sit by a cozy fire place during the cold winter months, others are outside gardening in order to enjoy nutritious, tasty, home-grown produce.
