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nancyjane_gardener

What do you do in your fall/winter garden?

nancyjane_gardener
10 years ago

I'm in N california, just north of San Francisco in the "wine country". We have very mild winters with some light frosts mostly, but a few heavy frosts (not freezes)
We are still having 85* weather, but that's supposed to break this week, and will be dropping by about 10*. Still have a couple of tomatoes going as well as tomatillas. Herbs are going gang busters. Other things are slowing down or stopped.
I have 6 4x8ish beds and 2 3x3. I just bought 3 8'x40"x1' raised containers from my neighbors who moved, but they put some soil in that just burned everything up, so I'm having to start fresh with those.
So, this time of year I clean out all of the dead and dying veges. Anything that has thorns or looks diseased goes out in the far corner of the property (a little over an acre) to the never to be used compost heap!
This is the time of year I pay attention o my compost. I have a leaf vac that chomps up all of the neighbor's leaves (they love this!) and I bag it to use throughout the winter months. I also top any beds I won't be using with the chopped up leaves and compost. Then I cover with cardboard to keep the horsefield weeds down!
I do plant the 2 closest beds to my deck (don't like tromping out in the rain to pick dinner!) and have planted one of my raised up containers with some lettuces and smaller things.
I'm trying Brussel sprouts one more time (aphids LOVE them), I have a couple kinds of chard, beets, carrots radish, broccholi, garlic, onions and spinach.
I'm hope hope hoping fo a greenhouse this year to be able to do my starts on my own! Maybe Santa will come through! LOL Nancy

Comments (5)

  • nancyjane_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, no rain and big time (for us) freezes have killed off a lot of stuff, so I have a lot of cleaning up to do this winter!
    I'm going to tear out everything from my herb garden. It got over run with nasturtium this year! I'll lay down different colored paving stones, leaving a few blank where there is creeping thyme. Then my large pots of herbs hopefully won't be overtaken by the nasty nasturtiums! We'll get some, but in a manegable amount! I can also re-do all of my gnomes into something entertaining!
    I also got some really large pots from a neighbor who moved to Hawaii, so I can re plant in some of these (those plants froze also even though I had them under some trees!
    Plans????? Nancy

  • lavender_lass
    10 years ago

    Hi, Nancy!

    I don't have a fall/winter garden. My garden goes to sleep in late October and doesn't do much until April. Right now, I'm planning a few changes for the kitchen garden...

    The arbor looks good and I like the beds that surround it on three sides. They need some work and I will probably need to move some plants, but I like the layout. It's the other side of the garden that needs some help.

    I have a bench for the far end, but in between I have a round bed with the top of an arbor over it. We call it 'spidey' but it would be great for growing beans or cukes over the top with potatoes underneath.

    Here's an older picture of the big arbor...there are beds on each side of the bench and they surround the arbor on three sides. {{gwi:1155204}}From Lavender's Garden

    Here's spidey...LOL {{gwi:1155205}}From Lavender's Garden

    I have another bench on the opposite side of the garden (past spidey) and I plan to have a bed on each side of the bench. On either side of spidey, I want to add a triangular shaped bed (actually a diamond) with lattice down the middle, so a triangle on each side. This should work well for tomatoes and other veggies I don't want the deer eating. Plenty of room to plant herbs and flowers the deer don't like around the edges :)

    Quick sketch... {{gwi:1155206}}From Lavender's Garden

    This post was edited by lavender_lass on Wed, Jan 1, 14 at 23:51

  • princesspea
    10 years ago

    I build things, and I am planting groundcovers, trees and shrubs so they don't totally fry trying to establish in summer. I am in San Jose, zone 15-also without rain but all winter long. I have been nursing my frost-hit citrus tree babies, and I am still harvesting raspberries from these crazy Italian bred ever-bearers!

    I built lovely wood cages to support these berries, five foot long rectangular boxes with cross members to support the canes, and stuck some finials on top of the uprights. Also filled out the under planting of alpine strawberries.
    I am making a grape arbor next weekend to span my driveway.

    I am installing solar powered light strings to give nighttime enjoyment- this garden is surrounding the kitchen door entry yard where all friends and neighbors sneak in to help us eat dinner, so I may as well make it pretty :)

    I am planting apple trees in a cordon along the driveway- opposite the berries- and considering chamomile and creeping thyme to carpet the ground- it's all wood chips from previous owner and I have to go slow as I want to install some stone pavers but only can afford two at a time .

    I am trying to make the garden areas look established and formal, my house turns 100 this year and is in a very visible urban neighborhood on a busy street so I can't have a tangle of dead tomatoes or blue tarp shade structure showing . My potager surrounds my driveway and side entrance and is very visible from the street. Hundreds of people walk by daily and I gotta show off!

    Anyhow, that's my winter, happy to read of others actions for more inspiration!

    Pea

  • Jennifer_Ruth
    10 years ago

    Pea, a grape arbor over the driveway is an absolutely brilliant idea! Thank you!

    Jennifer

  • princesspea
    10 years ago

    You're welcome :)

    I have a small lot, so I must squeeze everything in where I can! Hoping the birds don't find a need to perch on the arbor and poo on my car ...

    Pea

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