Gardening in the Winter?

[jacquelynrose]

I am moving into my own Apartment (YAY!) I understand that Winter is near and I will not be able to do Container Gardening...but is there a way around this? Fruits or Veggies I CAN grow in the Winter? Use a special light or something? Please Help, I want to be able to do this now and not wait till Spring.

Thanks,

Jacquelyn

[PauletteGoddard]

Re: Gardening in the Winter?

I just attended, on Sunday, a seminar on fall harvesting/winter gardening! Mind you, I am in Zone 8, in the Maritime Northwest.

Root crops (rutabaga, turnip, parsnip), garlic, onions, shallots and radishes do well in the winter.

Eliot Coleman wrote a book called The Winter Harvest Manual

http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/main/books/books_eliot2.html#manual

and FOUR SEASON HARVEST: Organic Vegetables From Your Home Garden All Year Long

Go look at his books -- he will probably have more and better ideas, and definitely more wisdom and experience than I.

[jacquelynrose]

Re: Gardening in the Winter?

Oh THANK YOU!!! You are such a dear!!! I am so happy now! I knew there was always a way around to do something like this....but I just wanted to be sure and you answered it for me! You have no idea how happy this makes me!

Jacquelyn

[PRICEPLUS]

Re: Gardening in the Winter?

Sounds like an intriguing concept. Something I shall look in to!

[contrary1]

Re: Gardening in the Winter?

I've been successful gardening into the fall & winter here in NW WA state........but I confess, I'm not much into it when it really gets rainy, dark early and I'm having to be pulled from in front of the wood stove to go outside.

I do plant lots of crops that I leave on the vine or in the ground until it looks like we're going to get the first real frost and then I harvest like crazy and store things in the garage.


I've got a late planting of spinach and lettuces here now, that will probably take us through Thanksgiving.......and squash of all kinds, some mystery ones even, that will be on the vine until the first freeze. Tomatoes I leave out in the garden too, or pick some green ones as time goes by, and let them ripen up inside.

I can swing some radishes if I put them in up by the house, to keep them a tad warmer.........but that's about it for my off season gardening. Not so much a limitation from the gardens' perspective, but the gardeners!!!
I'm a fair weather gardener when it comes right down to it!!

[Lindsey28]

I've never done a winter garden, so don't have much helpful info to provide, but I wanted to suggest if you try it, try protecting your beds or cold frame with straw bales. We get so much cold weather, wind and snow; I figured a winter garden wouldn't work where I am. However, I try to plant cool weather stuff like lettuce and spinach in fall to get one last crop. This past fall, I had lettuce seedlings to go in, but then it got too cold, so I was thrilled when they grew inside in pots all winter. Wish I had a sun room or greenhouse!!