Facing a week of lows in the single digits, I harvested all the collards, broccoli, and cabbage.
Part of me wanted to see just how cold it could go, maybe with a row cover, but, as I mentioned in the post title, I’m a coward when it comes to these things. I left a couple of smallish collards and a runt cabbage for experimental purposes. I’ll be kicking myself in the spring if these make it through the winter to burst into fierce and gargantuan growth.
Problem is, I just don’t know enough about how much winter the winter vegetables can take.
I do know, however, that if I had it to do over again, THIS . . .
. . . would be my bridal bouquet.
AWESOME.
Looks like a bountiful harvest. I started brussells to late I think. By Thanksgiving they were some about the size of dime. I hope to make progress with that this year and start my seeds earlier. Going to do a blog about these anytime soon, and share your knowledge? I have garlic overwintering in the garden as we speak. We planted it on Oct 11, and it didn’t freeze or frost until November something. The garlic was coming up, I hope that didn’t confuse it.. Looking forward to your spring gardening blogs…
It does make a lovely bouquet, doesn’t it? Do let us know how the trial veggies make it through the bit of real winter the South is having!
Jealous! 🙂
I’d totally marry you with that bridal bouquet!
We eloped, so no bouquet for me..but I wouldn’t change a thing!
All our crops are long gone–I’m drooling on my monitor, looking at your fresh greens.
Our cows got into our winter garden while at my Grandmother’s funeral. Second year in a row they got to my winter garden. This year the cows didn’t survive. I’m going to eat my brussel sprouts one way or another!
Emily–That would make great old fashioned country song lyrics!
Kat–High five!!
TL–
This is a wee-bit off-topic, but it seems that the DEEP FREEZE has a small benefit– it’s killing the Late Blight Spores that were spread Nationwide by Bonnie Garden Starters last year.:
via UMASS
“Will late blight survive the winter?
The fungus Phytophthora infestans needs live tissue to survive. Potato tubers that are infected with late blight and don’t freeze or decay during the winter can carry the pathogen over the winter to next spring. Tubers can survive in several ways:
-Left in the ground at harvest, down several inches in the soil.
-Disposed of in a compost pile that does not fully decompose and does not freeze.
-Disposed of in a large pile of culled potatoes which does not freeze completely.
-Kept in storage until late winter, and then put outside in spring.
-Purchased for home use, and then disposed of (in compost or cull pile, as above)
Potatoes that freeze or fully decompose will not carry the pathogen overwinter. Tomatoes will not carry late blight over the winter, because freezing kills the whole plant. Tomato seed, even from fruit that was infected with late blight, will not carry the pathogen. Thus you can use your own seed or purchase seed to start next year’s crop without fear of late blight. Certain perennial weeds can become infected with late blight, but none of their aboveground tissues live through the winter. Greenhouses where tomatoes were grown could allow survival only if they never freeze and the crop lives all winter…”
More at the link, but this is great news– especially for readers in the Northeast, who’s gardens were infected with Late Blight via Garden Starters from Bonnie Gardens last year, and spread by the heavy rains.
TL– I also have some AWESOME tomato seeds to share with you. My own salad tomato hybrid. HUGE plant, VERY productive. See my blog (scroll down a bit to the pictures). I have enough to share.
I **think** we might have a mutual friend– a Navy/Commercial Appeal photographer, named Chris Desmond. Do correct me if I am mistaken. Let me know if you’re interested in the seeds. I can attest for their viability.
Are you the Tomato Girl of Tomato Baby Company? If so, we are practically neighbors!
BTW– Nice Winter Garden harvest. I have my raised-beds “greenhoused,” (two layers), and with “the thaw,” today, it looks like everything survived. I DID fill jugs, which I painted black, with water and some anti-freeze, and set them every four feet. They managed to absorb and radiate just enough heat to keep the tunnels at the “OK” temp zone. I was worried for some time. Even the Lettuces and Parsley survived.
Cheers!
–mf
Emily 01/11/2010 at 3:18 pm
Our cows got into our winter garden while at my Grandmother’s funeral. Second year in a row they got to my winter garden. This year the cows didn’t survive. I’m going to eat my brussel sprouts one way or another!
Emily, I have to agree with TL– That’s even better than Haiku! Did the not survive from meeting you .308, or … ummm … ??? …
Please send surplus brisket and brussel’s sprouts to: 100 Egypt Canals, DeNiles, TN… !!!
🙂
–mf
errr… THEY not (not the not) and YOUR .308 (not you .308)…
stoopit fingers never type what I want them to!
–mf
Now, why didn’t I think of a boquet like that? Love it!! You are too funny.
I am so excited – just went to look at a FREE greenhouse today and it is MINE!! SCORE!! Going to take some doing to dismantle but, hey, it was the right price! Maybe next year I too will have veges in January! That is a feat in NW Ohio!
To Emily – OMG that is too too funny!
To Kat – I’m with you there – my crops are a distant memory buried under the snow drifts!
Looks beautiful! We did the same with our tomatoes. They are currently ripening on the counter. By the way, your chickens would love those broccoli greens. After we harvest the head and the extra shoots, I cut off the greens for the chickens. They love them!! Enjoy the harvest and stay warm!
Betty
mf–I was hoping some good would come out of this miserable week.
Nope, not Tomato Girl of TBC. Is that a nursery?
I bet Ivory knows the photographer–she has had her mug in the paper a couple of times.
I’m super impressed by your greenhouse system. I wish I had done something like that. We are missing our lettuce/salad greens like nobody’s business. Next winter?
I’m going to check out your toms. Tomato season can’t come soon enough, and thinking about tomatoes is going to have to do for now. I won’t take your seeds until I can prove to myself I can successfully raise sturdy little plants from seed NOT accidentally in my compost pile. Once I crack the code I will take you up on your offer.
Betty–I mixed them with collards and ate them myself! Not too bad. The chickens got the tough part of the stalks. I feel for you in Florida. It isn’t supposed to get this cold down there!
Carla–I will. So far they look sad but alive. Time will tell.
Faith–Garlic will do that, it’s normal. It will just keep on going until summer.
I’ve never grown brussels sprouts. I might try some this fall, though. I’m looking forward to spring, too. The seeds have been ordered . . .
Wow, that a lot of green. Enjoy it!
oh I am very jealous !! Everything I had left is frozen dead. We don’t usually get down to 10 in East Texas… Upper 20’s yes, but below that ? Rarely !!
We left our collards but covered them….we”ll see how they did…..they were getting HUGE!! I can’t make enough collard greens!!! LOL*
We left our collards but covered them….we”ll see how they did…..they were getting HUGE!! I can’t make enough collard greens!!! LOL*