A Big Surprise…My Late Fall Garden
As a gardener, I am always open to new ideas about growing delightful edibles. My big surprise in 2009 was, and is, my late fall garden. I had heard of second/late harvests but never tried one before because of the short U.P. summers. This year, I was willing to try something new and so in my research I ended up following sage advice from the August 2009 issue of Mother Earth News.
Following the magazine’s suggested timeline, I started to plant seeds on a rather cold August 20th. It was odd planting seeds with the first turn of red and yellow leaves, but I convinced myself against common sense, to try it once. And am I glad I did.
As I write this column in mid-November, I have hearty cold weather garden greens! Near my indoor herbal garden, I now have baskets of turnip greens, radishes, parsley and four different kinds of salad leaves. My hearty cold weather crops include Paris White Lettuce, Curled, Arugula and other mixed greens.
I’m convinced the cold weather acted as a refrigerator. When the U.P. experienced a hard frost and/or snow mixed with sleet, the tough little greens still flourished. So tonight, as we celebrate my brother, Patrick’s 55th birthday, I will prepare an awesome salad. I have about a dozen ripe tomatoes left on the window sill and will add them to the salad bowl with a dash of fresh basil and sea salt. This salad will have the freshest taste, so unexpected this time of year.
I did notice that the lettuce leaves wilt within a day and fresh picked leaves should be used immediately. The leaves will keep about a day in the fridge after picking. Often, I’m out picking leaves with my flashlight to ensure my family the freshest taste. Harvesting by moonlight is a minor disadvantage that this gardener can live with.
Gardeners do not be afraid to plant seeds in August 2010.
TV6 Contributor - Donna Campbell, Master Gardener
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