The Frugal Gardener's Presents Endless Summer

Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardening 

     Summer officially ended on September 22nd. According to the Fall Equinox, the event took take place at exactly 9:54 p.m. eastern standard time. Many of you are probably thinking why is this relevant. I just harvested the last of my cucumbers and tomatoes. My garden tools have already been cleaned and tucked away for the winter. 

     There used to be a time when unless you lived in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida or New Mexico you didn't think of planting anything past July, well times have changed. More and more gardeners are planting fall and winter gardens. Have you ever wondered why you don't see very many posts or videos on cabbage, spinach, lettuce or other types of leafy greens during the summer? The simple answer is that most of these crops do poorly in the heat but thrive in cooler temperatures.  

Source
https://www.ufseeds.com/learning/planting-schedules/Zone-6-Planting-Calendar

I don't want to get too technical about when to plant because it varies by zone. You can find that info by clicking the link above. 

     The purpose of the blog post is to inspire you to plant and grow throughout the fall and early winter. 

     I have just started my Endless Summer gardening Project. Throughout the fall and winter, I will show you what I am planting and update you on the progress and growth of my garden. This is actually my second year of winter gardening so I am super excited about getting started. 

     One of the most important steps to take is to plant early. Young tender seedlings are not able to stand the cold like more established plants. I live in zone 6a. According to the Farmer's Almanac, the first frost for my area is October 12th so I started planting a few weeks ago. 

Check Farmer's, Almanac Frost Dates

     It's not too late to start. Just keep your young plants indoors at night until they can handle the cooler temperatures. 

     I call this my mini greenhouse. It actually started as a raised garden. Last fall I converted it into a greenhouse by adding a polycarbonate roof and weatherproof covering. 


Greenhouse Film Clear 6 mil, 4 year, polyethylene plastic, 10ft x 25ft by Greenhouse Grower Store 
by Sunview 

     We had an unusually cold winter, one night the temps dropped to minus 2 degrees. I had to use a heat lamp to protect my crops. If you are familiar with winter gardening you know that you don't need an elaborate setup. 

      There are a few ways to protect your plants from light frost. Here I used leaf bags as a temporary cover. Remember to remove the cover during the day to prevent your plants from overheating. Using pots is a quick and easy way to move your plants inside your garage, basement or other cozy areas. 

     There are at least a dozen vegetables that can handle the cold some will survive below freezing temperatures for short periods of time. 

     In keeping with my theme of Frugal gardening, I have added something new this year. A reusable frost blanket that will help keep your plants safe from frost. Smaller sizes are available. 

10 Vegetables More Cold-Hardy than Kale

     Check out the link above to get an idea of which vegetable plants are more cold tolerant than others.    

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