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Prepping and planning for winter garden

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First week of September marks the time when I begin transitioning summer to fall and winter gardening. To make room I’ll need to pull up a few things like beans, kale, and maybe even a tomato plant or two, which really hurts!

I counted 16 different crops that I grow for winter. All do well in our freezing, snowy winters. As long you know how to put up a simple structure for protection and match the crop to the season anybody can enjoy the winter bounty. And, it’s so fun to do. The taste? It can only be described as awesome. Freezing temps turn starches to sugar so your carrots are delicious. The same for spinach and baby lettuces. Arugula is less spicy.

I’ve also mass planted several grow bags with lettuce varieties that will begin to be harvested in 40-45 days and will last until about the end of November, though I will have them under cover when the temperatures get to cold. I continue to discover great varieties that can’t be bought anywhere in the stores that have great taste. When those are done the salad greens planted today and through mid-October will all be ready. Those crops will last our family until about mid-March.

On October 25 I will sown a cold frame with lettuces. Lots of lettuces. That will be ready by the time all winter greens have been harvested-third of 4th week of March. That’s my rotation anyway.  

Delicious food out of the square foot garden

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If you’ve never had the experience of growing and eating your own food, you’re missing out. The taste is better. The quality is better. It’s healthier. In the SFG the soil reigns supreme, which greatly affects the taste of the food. And it’s also more economical. Growing your own food is like printing your own money.

This past week I harvested some leeks and turnips. The recipe I was making-a leek/turnip soup, called for more turnips than I had, so I made up the difference with a few radishes. I’ve not grown this radish variety before but it was outstanding. It’s Red Head from Territorial. And the soup-it was outrageously delicious. 

One of these days I’m going to have a SFG class at my home and combine it with a lunch, where others can taste what things are like coming out of the garden. All I have to do is serve a salad and you’ll be hooked. Fresh off the vine cherry tomatoes, a few slices of a European cucumber, candied nuts, a thin slice of red onion, and some homemade croutons to go along with one of the 28 different varieties of lettuce that I grow. It doesn’t get any better than this. Coming soon. 

This past week I upped an order from Johnnys which include 3 different types of salanova lettuce. It holds up very well in our hot summers once you know the 5 tricks to have lettuce available during July and August. And, now is the time to think about summer lettuces. Give salanova a try. 

Dinner tonight

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twe evening dinner salanova, butter chard, carrots 061813Everything is coming up like mad right now with our 90+ degree weather. I went out and pulled some carrots(minicor), some butter chard, and some lettuce. And the lettuce didn’t cost me $3.00 a head at the fancy stores. You can grow this for pennies and you’ll never, ever beat the taste of freshly harvested lettuce. I rinsed, cleaned and dried it, then made us a tasty Caesars salad. I usually have a batch of Caesars salad dressing made up in the refrigerator. For those who love Caesars but end up being disappointed by the store-bought dressings, you ought to buy my ebook. Although the book is about square foot gardening, it’s got a great recipe in there for Caesars salad dressing. It’s a shortcut version-one that you’re not slaving over when guests arrive. It’s made ahead of time, and it’s very good. You can add as much anchovy paste as you want, or you don’t have to add any. You won’t go anywhere that you’re not asked for the recipe. Oh yes-the things that the lettuce, carrots, and chard are resting on? Whelatgrass. I hate the stuff, but I grow it for a few people who love it. I’m telling you, square foot gardening is the easiest way to go.

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Salanova

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salanova 061013A brand new item from Johnny’s-this is Salanova. It’s been sold as a great tasting new “mix” that’s available. Given the results from our gardens, I agree. This stuff tastes excellent! Look at that, 4 perfect heads of lettuce-no room for weeds, no pests, just delicious lettuce. It’s made to be mixed in with other salad greens more than as a stand-alone lettuce, but I’ve used it as a stand alone for the most part. It’s a bit pricey, but I’ll be ordering a lot more. Just like everything else, the more you order the cheaper it gets. I think I paid 7 or 8 dollars for 25 seeds. It was so good I ordered the 100 seed packet. Give it a shot.

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