on winter non-gardening
An early December Harvest:
And not to dissuade anyone of their hoop dreams, but that broccoli is growing out in the open, and we are having temps in the teens this week. The kale that's also out there looks as good as the indoor stuff, though this came from inside the greenhouse while I was pulling the beets.
See, we have this idea that we have to give up the garden after the first frost, or manipulate the climate for winter gardening. But some stuff--no cover at all except for fall leaves blown up against the plants--is quite happy this time of year. And even if the broccoli gets too sad or un-tasty, I leave it out there, the rabbits (and today a vole, so says my dog) nibble on it all winter and leave piles of fertilizer in return. I figure it's a fair trade.
Nature is pretty amazing. I found these out on my walk this week--teeny tiny but blooming at the dark end of the calender year, nontheless.
Teens? Brr. I think broccoli is best at this time of the year; I stopped growing it in the spring years ago... But you're quite right: we have to stop thinking the garden is limited to the fuss-pot nature of The Tomato. So much more to be grown and enjoyed beyond the window of that one plant.
ReplyDeleteWill you laugh if I say that it's the same broccoli I planted in the spring? I don't bother consecutive planting for broccoli!
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