Now for the garden, I spoke too soon that there is no garden tasks left as I had one more task to do. I wrapped my brussels sprouts in row cover. I am doing this hoping that they will survive the winter and produce more sprouts in the spring. I have read that they are hardy enough to make it through the winter with either protection or snow cover so it is worth a try.
Here are some photos of the wrap plants and what is half alive in the raised beds:
The two big brussels sprouts together, theygrew about 4 feet long
The runt of the Brussels Sprouts, it did not produceany sprouts big enough to harvest. I think it was too
warm of a spot with it being surrounded by concrete.
Baby Beets, maybe they will make it through the winter?At least there is no leaf miner problems this time of year.
Broccoli, the first sign of cold damage after the -20c(-4f)night we had last week. There will be no big broccoli
heads from these plants.
One of the garlic sprouts, They have all sprouted except for 5.I think I will replant the voids before the ground freezes solid.
-4........wow, that's cold! nothing will survive that, I don't think....unless it's protected, as you have done. I can't wait to see your garden in the spring!
ReplyDeleteEG
Just like you said, if they all make it thru the winter you'll have a headstart on spring. Good luck! The wrap job says its ready for Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI really like that last photo of the garlic peeking through the snow. Your new logo looks great!
ReplyDeleteIf winter is starting to get you down, don't despair. There are only 5 days until the days start to get longer... :)
P.S. I wouldn't be surprised if those beets made it through the winter. I once had swiss chard that lasted for 3 years!
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought 6 degrees above was cold...that's as cold as I have seen in TN in the 10 years I have been here. Nice pics.
ReplyDeleteSkip
Hi there! Just met your blog and I'll be back. Great to read another Canadian especially one from so close by. It looks like you've lucked out in the less snow department though as you say it is a useful insulator.
ReplyDeleteI have had brussel sprouts survive in the open garden with just snow cover and am interested in seeing how your wrapping experiment goes. Beets sometimes make it through Ottawa's winter in the coldframe but not with enough success that I normally dig them up. I think it is just the root that is unusuable so that the greens might do it? Need to do more trialing to find out. As for broccoli, ditto: mine's not going to produce any big heads soon.
As Parsec said, excitment, the growing season is only 2 months away again! At least, coldframe growing season...
EG - I can't wait for the spring garden either!
ReplyDeleteTina - It would be great if I can harvest the remaining tiny sprouts in the spring.
Parsec - I can hardly wait to have longer days, I think I am lacking the Vitamin D from the sun. I think I am going to try some swiss chard next season but I'm not sure what to make with it?
Skip - -4f is nothing, we have some days in jan/feb that the temp is -40f with the wind chill. Thankfully it does not happen to often in my area.
Ottawa Gardener - I have been to your blog a couple times this year. I seemed to keep losing the bookmark though, I will add you to my blog list so I can keep track of it. We have been lucky to not have loads of snow yet, we often are missed by the storms here in Brantford. We are in for it on friday though with 15cm coming.