A new slate, A New Year, a blizzard to start us off. The hoops are almost totally covered inside the garden fence and I don't think there is a hope of shovelling that off for awhile yet. However, the raised beds, especially the one with the Lexan cover, still holds some promise and although we aren't harvesting from there right now, we will later on. Just too blasted cold.
If this is a taste of the months to come, it will give us lots of time to dream about what to plant. But, it's a good time to get out the seed packages, read all the new seed catalogues and refresh what you think you know, by bringing out two good vegetable garden bibles, Eliot Coleman's Four-Season Harvest and Year-Round Vegetable Gardener by our own Niki Jabbour. By the way, she's coming out with a new book very soon!!
This year, there are some good dwarf offerings I am hoping to try, one being a dwarf French Bean Safari (Kenyan Bean) and a Broad Bean Robin Hood, ideal for containers or raised beds. Both will be going into the raised bed with the coldframe cover as early as possible. I've saved seed from last year's Fiesta Acorn squash I purchased and as it was delicious I hope we have some success growing it.
Always anticipating the New Year ahead when you're a gardener. Enjoy those catalogues and....Sweet dreams from the frozen north.
The next storm is about to hit here. I am glad you are well and safe.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lisa...you to. Think it's going to be a long winter.
DeleteIs it ever cold out there!! we contemplated going outside today and decided it was better to just stay put. Definitely the time to pull out the seed catalogues and think of what's to come. I need to take a look at that four season book, hadn't heard of that one before...
ReplyDeleteI had Eliot Coleman's book and used it until Niki published hers. I refer more to the latter now as she lives in our same province and, her writing style is comfortable to read, for me. Still, Coleman is full of wonderful advice and interesting thought. Hope you can find it. The other book I refer to is Carolyn Herriot, The Zero-Mile Diet. She's a westie ;-)
DeleteHi Bren; That snow scene looks appealing - though only from afar! We are currently being battered by a seemingly never-ending succession of storms, and most of our country is flooded.
ReplyDeleteSince you mention dwarf beans, I wonder if you know of a small Broad (Fava) Bean variety called "Stereo"? It apparently never grows very tall, and is very weather-resistant. Also its pods can be eaten as "mangetout" when young. It might suit your raised beds. I'm going to try it this year, on the recommendation of another blogging friend.
I heard about the floods...dreadful I understand. Would rather snow you know!
DeleteThank you re Stereo. Made a note and will look for that also. Am surprised the pods could be eaten and if dwarf, would suit the raised bed with row cover when starting to mature early. Excellent advice. Thanks again.
I really enjoy Nikki Jabour's book as well! In fact I recommended it to my niece-in-law who is from Nova Scotia and was a brand-new veg gardener in northern Maine, but then she went and moved to Texas, lol! Happy New Year in the frozen north; we're pretty cold and snowbound here in Connecticut too!
ReplyDeleteYour niece in law is from Nova Scotia!! How lovely. Quite a change from Maine to Texas re gardening, I would expect.
DeleteThanks for your New Year wishes and ours to you in Connecticut. Also, thanks for your comments.
A beautiful winter up your way I see… I can't even begin to think about what new to plant… more concerned with what may be lost with the coldest air in years about to hit our area… Larry
ReplyDeleteLarry, I know it has been dreadful this winter, especially where you are. I hope the trees don't suffer too much but, sometimes what challenges us, makes us stronger. Hope the plants read this somewhere ;-)
DeleteI know you are probably sick of it already, but your snow is beautiful. You and I are reding the same things at opposite sides of the country. Like a pair of bookends. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh so delighted with your comment. Its been a snowy winter for certain but the captain tells me warm temps ahead so fingers crossed, we can open the raised bed cold frame and get some salad greens....or not. Depends.
DeleteHave you read Carolyn Herriot's book the Zero-mile diet. Its a year-round guide to growing food and she is Westie like you.
Thanks for your up beat comments Erin.
Our seed orders are just about ready to be sent off. Fortunately for us we don't have any snow yet and it is relatively mild,No doubt the worst is still to come.
ReplyDeleteYou are ahead of us Sue..but soon I will order. You are blessed with your English weather and am glad to hear you don't have the flooding! Hope the good weather continues.
DeleteHappy New Year Bren! We got hit with yet another storm last night. Snow and then freezing rain. Given the season's early start and the frequency of storms, this winter is going to be a tough one I think. I haven't ordered anything from a catalogue in a while and so I have fallen off most mailing lists. I could use the distraction of a good read and must get myself back on those lists.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you too Jennifer! I figured you got a lot of winter storm when we did and the freezing rain is no fun. Our road outside can't be navigated without cleats. A good read sounds great, and really, nothing better this time of year. Santa brought me "Z" a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald as I loved The Paris Wife and Loving Frank. You might enjoy that. Am doing referencing with some garden books trying to make some decisions about what to grow. Enjoy our winterlude.
DeleteYour garden and greenhouse look so charming under their blanket of snow.
ReplyDeleteThank you sweetbay. I enjoy your garden photos as well, so much.
DeleteYour photos are beautiful. It's been strangely cold here this winter so far, so I'm sure it's going to be a long winter! Seed catalogs arrive in the mail daily now, and I just love sipping hot coffee and dreamily going through them. Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteI too feel it is going to be a long winter. This past year I have seen so many berries on trees and shrubs and I wondered was the old saying true..that it meant a long hard winter. So I think so.
DeleteThanks for your kind comment and Happy New Year to you and your family which includes Emerson, Oliver and Jackson. ..and especially Big Allie.
The snow looks so beautiful in your pictures I hope you haven't had too much more since you took the pictures. Looking at seed catalogues and dreaming of a productive garden it always good at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteSarah x
Sarah, not too much snow since the last photo thankfully and warming up next week or the weekend. Thank you for your kind comment. Happy New Year.
DeleteThat's real winter! Out here the ponds are overflowing, the lawns are waterlogged and the driveway is a huge puddle. It's all good though, as the reservoir is only at 75% and the CRD is talking about winter and spring water restrictions. We have a good well, but we are always careful.
ReplyDeleteThe photo of the garden shed in the snow is beautiful.
Looks so pretty though! I have a feeling it's gonna be a long winter!!!! Although we did enjoy a nice break from the cold over the weekend. Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's a pretty sight. I just got into my cold frame yesterday and to my surprise, and delight, found enough Kale that I could have a small harvest. I wasn't able to harvest much into December at all.
ReplyDelete