Putting the garden to rest and preparing for spring is very important as it will determine the following year results. It’s when the nighttime temperatures start dropping into the 30°’s F and during the day they are staying in the 50°’s F to low 60°’s …
Garlic Lovers – Grow Your Own! It’s the end of October about four to six weeks before frost hits – the best time to plant garlic. If you choose to plant very early in the spring, you will get a smaller yield. Garlic has many …
Season extenders are simple ways that we can extend or lengthen our growing season through various means using different methods, materials or products. The concept is to start the spring earlier and end the growing season later. Some things we may use are row covers (garden fabric), grow tunnels, hoop houses, cold and hot frames, and greenhouses. Every day we see new ideas and products being developed all with the same idea: protecting your plants from the wind and cold.
Depending on what is used and how diligent you are, you can easily extend the season in the north to a year–round garden. The possibilities are endless.
Grow tunnels and hoop houses are placed over a garden bed. I use 1.5” PVC pipe. The ends of the pipe can be buried and then you anchor the cover at the ends with clamps. Also, you can bury two-foot lengths of rebar, leaving 10” or so above ground, and then place the ends of the PVC into the rebar. The PVC pipe should be around 8’ – 10’ length for a bed that is four feet wide. The hoop tunnels are coming smaller and are not as tall. Therefore, you only need a short wire that goes across the bed. The height of the hoopa are around two feet tall.
The hoop or grow tunnels can be covered with plastic, which should be tucked in on the sides or held with a piece of wood. Another option is to roll any extra material and anchor it with rocks.
They are a special garden fabric that are very popular due to their lightweight nature, ease of using them, as well as being able to store them once the season ends. The material used feels and looks like fabric but is made of a polyester or polypropylene They have some that are of a heavier material and others are of a light material. The lighter weight ones are good for the spring and the heavier ones for the fall. Both allow light, water and air to come through. Place material over hoops or wire mesh and hold it down along the sides the same way as with the hoop or grow tunnels.
A cold frame is a structure made of wood, hay, bricks, cinder blocks or some other material that creates an enclosure or square, ending at a 45° angle at the top. The cold frame is facing the south side. It is covered with glass, plastic or Plexiglas. Cold frames are used to start seedlings, or to harden them off before planting them in the garden. They are used to grow leafy crops during late fall or late winter months.
Place them facing the south side in order to draw maximum heat from the sun during the day. There are automatic vent openers’ that can be added to close the opening when it starts to get cold inside or if it starts to get too warms it opens. Hot frames are cold frames with heat.
Heat is needed during the winter months. By placing black 55-gallon steel drums filled with water and stacked two high on the north side of the greenhouse it will keep the temperature inside above the mid 40° F. The greenhouse has to be covered with a double layer of plastic. Use the area with southern exposure to grow vegetables.
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Green leafy vegetables do best under low winter light, irrelevant of how much warmth you have. Any type of leafy vegetable will do fine – either in a greenhouse, cold frame or hot frame. Tomatoes and the like will grow but not go into a fruiting stage due low light conditions. Radishes and some of the root crops will produce but the bulbs will be small.
Season extenders are a great way to lengthen the season. It’s a real pleasure, especially in the late winter, to be able to have leafy greens right from your garden. Enjoy!
A good summary of the many vegetables that can be planted in the fall. In addition, there are links to blogs on the various vegetables for greater details.
Restoring the soil is the key to having a fabulous organic garden. By nurturing and feeding the soil organisms, we bring the soil back to life. Understanding the soil and its composition is the key to this process. Some of the main helpers that keep …
When we think of growing turnips, we naturally think of the root crop. The reality is that turnips are probably one of the most nutritious vegetables you can possibly eat. Therefore, how to grow turnips is easy and important for good eating.
They are prolific vegetable that keeps on giving. The production of turnips during the cool month be it spring of fall is simply awesome. You can broadcast them or plant them along the row. Either way, the harvest will be double what you expect.
You can plant as close as 1” to 2” apart and, as the plant develops, pull every other plant out. This will give more space for those left behind. Eventually pull out enough turnip plants to a spacing of about 2” to 3” wide. It takes 40 to 60 days for turnips to mature. You can leave some in the ground another two to three weeks extra to allow for them to further develop. To increase my greens harvest; once the plants are spaced out to where I like them to be, I harvest the outer leaves only for a few weeks. This way, I benefit from the greens and then I leave the plant alone in order for the bulb to develop.
Going for the greens only? Then you leave all the plants in place and use them for greens. Harvesting the outer leaves, the plant will continue to send out more shoots from the middle and, as the leaves develop, they can be harvested. You can do this until the temperature gets too hot in the late spring/early summer or too cold in the winter. In the summer heat the turnip greens bolt (go to seed) making them bitter. To keep them growing longer in the summer plant near the shade or see that they don’t get sun in the afternoon sun. Plant them near a tree on a raised bed. This way, the tree will provide the necessary shade. You will probably not get any root development during the summer growing under partial shade conditions.
Read about cabbage another member of this nutritious family. How to grow cabbages easily.
In the fall they will be more prolific and will continue to grow late into the fall. They will tolerate light frost, making them sweeter in taste. Harvest before they get hit with a hard frost as the leaves will die, and the roots will get damaged. See video on using a row cover to lengthen the season
Cabbages – are used as a detoxifying agent in many cultures. Cabbage has lots of fiber and can be eaten raw, cooked, or fermented into sauerkraut. It has very few calories and highly beneficial to the body. Cabbage belongs to the Brassica Family, along with …
My giant beets – Many times I’m asked, “How did you get those huge beets?” This is because my beets consistently weigh in around 2.5 lbs. to 3.3 lbs And… they are sweet, non woody and absolutely delicious!!! So what are my secrets? Soil and Fertilizer …
Organic gardening is popularly thought of as growing things without the use of synthetic fertilizers or chemicals such as pesticides. The USDA adds bioengineering and ionizing radiation to that definition. Actually, the concept of organic gardening is much greater than this. Organic gardening encompassing the ideas of being in harmony with nature and recognizing the interconnectedness of all species both plant and animal.
All gardening was “organic” because there were no chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers to poison our food or the environment. Since that time their prevalence has resulted in the need to go back to the soil, clean it, and grow food without any artificial aids. Reclaiming our natural heritage takes time and patience as we nurture our organic gardens, but, in the end, the tastier results coupled with the knowledge that we are preserving and cleaning up the earth, make it worth the effort and hard work!
In addition, we must not lose sight of something as simple as caring for our bodies by eating healthy. Teaching our children that food does not come from a box or a can is critical. Showing them that organically growing our own food, even if just for a small portion of what we eat, is the way they will learn to appreciate good food. In this way they will learn how it should taste and how the earth provides delicious food. Being aware that the tomatoes which are purchased can be thrown halfway across the room and land perfectly fine, since they are bred to endure abuse versus flavor and nutrition. Compared this to the richness of biting into a tomato fresh from a vine which has a richness and incomparable flavor that clearly imprints a memory of goodness and comfort.
Unless there is access to a local organic farm, community supported agriculture or a small organic garden of our own, these experiences and appreciations will be missed forever by a generation who sees food mostly in a package. A food that is alive, filled with earth’s energies can only bring a smile to those who consume it. The only memories most kids have is what they see on TV. The real flavor of fresh food is long gone by the time food is presented to them to eat.
Get started with the blog on growing great tomatoes.
The word environment has become almost a dirty word, highly politicized and twisted. The environment is simply our surroundings which we occupy along with all other type of organism that exist. But a fundamental principle exists uniformly across the whole planet. The most fundamental principle of organic gardening is to treat the soil as a live organism. 
Get my paperback copy: ‘Garden the Organic Way’ and become an expert gardener. Garden the Organic Way is a comprehensive guide to organic gardening, designed for all skill levels. The book provides methods for growing delicious, pesticide-free vegetables using sustainable practices. https://gardentheorganicway.etsy.com
Pest in the garden and its infestations– All year long we have to be vigilant of what’s eating our gardens. If it’s not the squash bugs (as seen in the nymph stage along with its eggs on featured image), or cabbage worms early in the …
Unless you live in a climate with enough of a growing season for many vegetables, growing and transplanting seedlings is a must. These seedlings take 6 to 7 weeks to be ready for transplanting outdoors. At this point of development they have 4 or 5 …
Growing radishes is fun and the easiest vegetable to grow. A great healthy vegetable eaten raw – radishes are in the same family as cabbages and mustard greens. They are high in vitamin C, used for detoxing, low in calories, and helps in digestion, among many other benefits. Radishes come in many colors: red, purple, white. The cool season varieties are the most popular. Additionally, there are summer and winter radishes, which produce larger roots. I’m addressing the more common cool weather radishes.
Radishes are a cool weather crop that won’t tolerate heat and likes a sunny location. Once it gets hot, they “bolt” and become bitter and non-edible. Bolting is the term used when the plants start to flower. Planting them in the spring or fall in the Northeast is the ideal time.
From a growing point of view they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. The important factor is to have a loose growing medium. I use a nice raised bed with lots of compost to accomplish this goal. They need to be direct seeded.
See video about potential problem of growing radishes.
Radishes germinate quickly and have to be thinned out to 2” – 3” apart. They are ready to eat within 25 – 30 days depending on the variety. Harvest them when they get to 1.5” to 2” diameter, while they are young and before they get woody.
They make a great companion plant to carrots. Radishes are fast growers. Plant them where tomatoes or other summer crops will follow. Read the blog on companion planting.
Get my paperback copy: ‘Garden the Organic Way’ and become an expert gardener. Garden the Organic Way is a comprehensive guide to organic gardening, designed for all skill levels. The book provides methods for growing delicious, pesticide-free vegetables using sustainable practices. https://gardentheorganicway.etsy.com
Purchase ‘Garden the Organic Way’ as an eBook http://Amazon- Garden the Organic Way
Watering The Garden How much water your garden needs will depend on the type of soil, whether you have raised beds or not, if the garden is mulched, and the type of vegetables planted. These factors influence the how much water you need to keep …
Growing lettuce and other greens organically- greens are a cool weather crops but, with a few tricks and proper management, you can have lettuce all through the season in the northern climates. You can plant as soon as the ground can be worked. It is …
Growing spinach, a delicious and nutritious vegetable. Spinach is very flavorful and nutrient-rich leafy green vegetable. Spinach has high antioxidant content and anti-cancer properties that and promotes better health. In addition, it is an excellent source of protein, iron and other vitamins and minerals.
Temperature for Growing Spinach
Spinach thrives in cool weather and can be planted at the same as radishes, lettuce, peas and many Asian greens. Direct-seed spinach when the temperature reaches 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Timing for Growing Spinach
Direct seeding of spinach in late summer for a fall crop that will perform better and continue growing into winter. However, a late fall planting requires diligence for keeping. The soil has to be kept moist (especially on hot days) until the seeds germinate. Once germination occurs and while still young it needs to be mulched. Mulching will help ensure the plant remains healthy, as the weather turns cooler.
In warmer regions if planting occurs later in the fall, the harvest will be in November and/or December. In much warmer areas, growing occurs throughout the winter months. Planting in the spring has a shorter season and the plants can bolt or go to seed once the temperature gets warm. Bolting can also occur, as the days get longer.
Overall, the success of the crop’s harvest is heavily contingent on the plant type. Use a slow bolting variety, in the spring. However, varieties that are quick to bolt do well, in the fall. It is recommended that different plant varieties be tested to determine what works best in your local region. Most varieties resist some frost.
Harvesting the outer leaves works great! In the spring, a continuous harvest is possible; that is, until the temperature rises. Then, harvest the whole plant. Plant fully developed within 40 to 50 days. To create a more delicate and flavorful leaf, harvest plants before they are fully developed. They will continue to send new shoots from the center of the plant.
See video on How to plant spinach
To read about other cool weather vegetables see my blog on How to grow beets.
Get my paperback copy: ‘Garden the Organic Way’ and become an expert gardener. Garden the Organic Way is a comprehensive guide to organic gardening, designed for all skill levels. The book provides methods for growing delicious, pesticide-free vegetables using sustainable practices. https://gardentheorganicway.etsy.com
You can also purchase ‘Garden the Organic Way’ as an eBook http://Amazon- Garden the Organic Way