Melinda at One Green Generation is offering up another edition of The Growing Challenge. I've participated in her challenges before. She challenges gardeners do do much of what we've been doing all along: Plant something new, grow a plant from seed to seed (seed saving basics), tell others about gardening and trying to get them to plant something. She encourages local foods and sustainable living. This year the growing challenge is getting a bit more extreme.
She is challenging us all to a 4 season garden! Now, that may be all fine and nice for some people, but here, we've got a foot of snow on the ground (although it's melting quickly with the warm up we're having) and we get temps into the negative teens- if not colder on occasion- in the winter. This will definitely be a challenge for me. But, expanding the seasons of the garden was one of my hopes for the year anyway, so this fits right into my plans. Mwahahaha. Good thing I've already been calculating the fall planting dates for things.
But, not only does she challenge us to plant so we can harvest in all 4 seasons, she is throwing down the gauntlet and challenging us to grow at least one new thing each season. Hmmm, things I've never grown before. Well, let's see, This year, I'm planting melons I've never grown- that will be a new thing for the summer. I'm also growing kale for the first time this year so I'm thinking that will be my winter harvest. For fall, hmm, I've got some black radish seeds that I'm going to try. And, I've decided to try my hand at leeks this spring. So, I guess finding new things wasn't as hard as I thought.
Come on, join in. It should be fun.
What a cool challenge! I would love to figure out how to do that myself (and I'm sure it'd be much easier this far south) but I never know how long we'll be here, have to contend with fire ants in the pots and can't plant an actual garden. Hmmmm, I wonder if I could make it work anyway...
ReplyDeleteThe challange will be a challange! Will be fun following along to see how you are coming with 4 season gardening. You'll have fun!! ...debbie
ReplyDeleteEven with my relatively mild climate I can only hope for leeks, parsley, chard and sometimes spinach - I can't wait to see what you can dream up - I see definite hoophouses for you!
ReplyDeleteThis has actually been running through my mind this last month. I came across a youtube video where a guy planted carrots in the fall and covered them with straw and other organic matter. This last Jan he went out and brushed the Minnesota snow and straw away and pulled up UNFROZEN carrots. He said, he remembered his dad growing some other things in the dead of winter, but since he was a child at that time he didn't pay attention.
ReplyDeleteI thought it very interesting.
I'm in! I've been thinking of ways I can grow veggies in the winter. With snow still on the ground I'm wondering if setting something up in my basement would be more successful. Good thing I've got time to figure it out. I hope it's as easy as putting straw down on the ground!
ReplyDeleteHooray! I'm so glad you've joined the challenge again! :)
ReplyDelete