First Freeze

Hello folks!

We are about to see our first freeze of the year. The predicted low tonight for St. Augustine is 24 degrees! From my experience, the temperature in my area can be from 8 to 10 degrees colder than St. Augustine. I've just got to hunker down and ride it out.

I've been busy today getting prepared for it. I brought all my potted plants in and put them close to windows that get some sun.

With this years winter garden, it is the first time I've had veggies growing when temperatures are getting this low. I didn't want to lose the greens I have growing so I harvested most of them. I'm thinking the collards might survive, but probably not the turnips.

So I spent some time preparing and freezing my greens. I've put up quart bags in the freezer....1 bag of turnip greens, 2 bags of turnips and 3 bags of collards. Whew... it was a lot of work, but it will be worth it this winter ..... if I want some greens, I can take them out of the freezer and cook them.

I still need to go out and pick some Okinawa Spinach to add to salads. I'm sure it will freeze.

If you live in an area that is getting a hard freeze tonight, be sure to protect your plants, pipes and pets.


Soooo......Until next time ......HAPPY GARDENING!

Christmas Eve 2013

Christmas Eve!   

What a wonderful, happy day! I hope y'all are doing well today.

Have you got all your shopping done?

Don't forget......Lets keep Christ in Christmas! After all, He is the reason for the season!

Now on to a little gardening.....I harvested my first bunch of Turnips today. WOOHOO!

 

They have grown very well. The largest are about 3 inches in diameter. I'll be preparing these for a Christmas feast! They smelled real good as I was cleaning them to prepare for cooking. I like to cook mine with some smoked ham hocks and a little red Pepper flakes. YUM YUM!

 

I've got enough planted for a few more bunches. Hopefully, I can use them all before freezing weather hits us.  I may have to cover them to prevent freeze damage.

 

Do you have a winter garden? If so, let me know what crops you're growing. I hope you are having good success with it.

 

 

Soooo...... Until next time......HAPPY GARDENING and MERRRRRY CHRISTMAS!

Winter Gardening

Gardening slows down at this time of year, even in north Florida. I have my winter garden, but it doesn't require much work.....just a little weeding now and then, and harvesting every few weeks.

 It has grown very well. I harvested my first bunch of Collards on Thanksgiving (should have took a photo...didn't think about at the time).

 I'll harvest my first Turnip Greens for Christmas. I'll try to remember to get a photo when I do.

 

 

At this time of year I spend a lot of time going through seed catalogs, planning my spring garden and day dreaming about spring planting. I have high hopes and a lot of excitement about how my garden will turn out. (I do this every year)  I read a lot of gardening books and magazines for new ideas and inspiration.

I'll start Tomato plants inside next month, followed by Eggplant and sweet Peppers. Everything else will be direct seeded in the garden starting in March.

Recently, from you-tube, I have got new ideas about vermicomposting and something called wicking beds. I look forward to trying a wicking bed next year. That may be how I garden once I get too old for digging the earth. You can find a ton of information about wicking beds at "Rob Bob" on you-tube.

So if you aren't busy with your gardening at this time, enjoy the rest and relaxation. It won't be long before we will all be busy...busy ...busy with gardening activity! I don't know about you, but I can't wait!


Soooo...... Until next time......HAPPY GARDENING!

Winter Garden Update

What a difference a month makes!
 This is how my winter garden looked just 1 month ago.

 

 

 

Now it looks like this.

 

 

 

In the lower right part of this bed I had originally seeded some Spinach. It came up well, but after getting 1 1/2" tall it started disappearing. Probably taken out by Cut Worms. So I planted a few Collard seedlings to fill in that space. The rest of the plants are doing great. I'm not sure why they are doing so well. Maybe it is because of the double dug bed....maybe it is because of the large amount of compost that I dug in. Whatever the reason I'm very happy with the results. I'll be eating fresh Collards for Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

The Turnips are growing well too!

 

 

 

This is Okinawa Spinach that I started from a cutting. I was surprised at how good it taste the first time I tried it. It is tender and mild with an almost sweet flavor. A very good addition to a salad! If you can get some cuttings give it try.

 

 

 

 I'm not sure what this flower is. It came out of a mix of seeds from a friend. It was suppose to be a mix of Fennel and Cilantro, which were in the mix. Anyway, it adds some color to the bed.

Can anyone identify it?

 

UPDATE: David the Good from www.floridasurvivalgardening.com has identified this flower for me. It is a purple Cosmo...it will self seed and come back every year. WOOHOO!

Thanks David! 

 

 

 

This bed has convinced me that double digging makes a difference and it isn't that much more work once the soil from the first trench is removed. I think it has also shown me that raised beds don't dry out to fast, at least during the cooler months. I'm going to try this method when I dig my new beds for spring!

 

 

 

Soooo...... Until next time...... HAPPY GARDENING!