4 season gardening
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4-Season GardeningEnjoying the garden after a summer’s harvest!
By: Magan Meade
An Experiment
• Four Season is going to be a new experiment for everyone because no one can tell how a certain plant is going to react under certain conditions.
• For beginners: the trick is to sow your seeds every two weeks and to use a variety of the same plant throughout the growing season.
Review of Gardening Basics
• Do not work the soil when wet, causes soil to lose texture• Do not plant related vegetables together (crops in the same
family)• Create a plan. Can refer to packet, “One Garden Plot: Three
Garden Seasons” for planting dates and refer to Farmer’s Almanac for frost dates– Lexington frost dates: April 15, October 25– Igrowveg.com to get free templates and information
• Remember to keep the soil moist and not wet. Water in the mornings (even in cold frames and plastic rows).
• Plant at middle or top of hill• Harden off plants if transplanting outside
Methods to Prolong the Seasons
• Burlap• Shade Cloth- curtain sheers• Cold Frames• Greenhouses• Mulch (use after May 1st for spring crops)• Sheets/Covers• Plastic containers (milk jugs, 2-liter containers)• Be inventive!• Polyethylene (plastic) row covers with wires or sugar cane
for support. (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers in the summer)
Mulch
• 3 to 4 inches deep• Use a light mulch when you need the soil to
cool down and prevent weeds such as (straw or paper shreddings)
• Use a dark mulch to heat the soil• Examples of mulch; grass clippings, straw,
leaves, newspaper
Plastic Row Covers• Poles 3 to 5 feet apart• Bury the edges on nights when frost is predicted• Ventilation through perforations or slits (5 inches long,
¾ inch apart• Put a thermometer in the tunnels to monitor
temperature.
Easy Cold Frame Video
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6bWeYCV53A&feature=relmfu
Cold Frames Boxes
• Construction:– Can add onto to a raised bed or construct from
scratch, many different models– Hay bales, scrap wood, bricks, concrete blocks– Find old storm windows
• Maintenance:– It is important to provide ventilation during day and
to close up at night• Prop up with stick, a notched prop, or buy a frame that
automatically opens on its own
Other methods
Burlap (upper left), cloches (bottom left), and 2-liter bottle (right-side)Can also use; milk jugs, cookie jar, pots and pans, etc.
Spring Plants
• Cover crops such as wheat and snow peas (this will maintain the soil)
• Late winter to late spring crops• Start your spring gardens in the cold frame
boxes, indoors, or in a greenhouse• Grown at 50 to 65 degrees Farrenheit• Can drape burlap or sheets to shade spring/
fall crops during hot summer days
Snow Peas
Chinese Cabbage
Lettuce, radishes, and onions
Brocoli Cauliflower
Collard Greens
Kohlrabi
Kale
Escarole/Endive
Summer Plants
• If starting summer plants early, can use burlap or other fabric to keep summer plants warm during cool spring nights
• Plants need the ground to be warm in order to begin and extend growth
• Can extend summer crops by successive planting and planting varieties
• Can grow fall/winter crops in the summer if shaded. (netting) Use caution with winter crops in summer
Summer Crops
Fall Plants
• Extend the growing season by sowing seeds every two weeks throughout the summer, experiment to see how long each crop lasts– Should also consult seed package
• Take bulb plants indoors to save over the winter to pop up in the spring
• Can extend summer crops into the fall by covering up during frosts
Green Beans, Bush
Brussel Sprouts
Radishes
Turnips Greens
Sweet Corn
Winter Plants
• Learn and love to eat greens!• Mache- staple crop of the winter• Dandelion, lettuce, onion, spinach• Plant growth slows down or stops but can still be
harvested (cuttings). Use successive planting.• Use winter greens in a nutritious shake, has more
vitamins than broccoli.• Put on sandwich, in soups, pasta, create salads,
on a pizza, etc…
Mache
Mache
Carrots and Beets
Swiss Chard
Argula
Chicory Greens
Claytonia
Dandelion
Escarole/Endive
Mizuna
Parsley
Tatsoi
Fall and Winter ConsumptionCrop Planting Dates Harvest Dates
Argula 8/1-8/21 10/1- Spring
Endive 7/10-7/20 9/15-11/30
Escarole 7/10-7/20 9/15-11/30
Italian Dandelion 8/1-8/15 10/1-Spring
Lettuce 7/21-9/7 9/15-11/30
Mizuna 8/1-8/15 9/15-11/30
Parsley 6/1-7/15 10/1-Spring
Radish 9/1-10/15 10/1-11/30
Scallion 7/1-7/15 10/1- Spring
Spinach 8/1-8/30 10/15-11/30
Swiss Chard 7/1-8/1 10/1- Spring
Tatsoi 8/1-8/15 9/15-11/30
Winter and Spring ConsumptionCrop Planting Dates Harvesting Dates
Carrot 8/1 12/1-spring
Claytonia 8/1-9/1 11/1-spring
Italian Dandelion 8/1-8/15 10/1- spring
Kohlrabi 8/1-8/15 11/1-spring
Mache 9/15-11/15 12/1-spring
Parsely 6/1-7/15 10/1-spring
Radicchio 6/1-8/1 12/1-spring
Scallion 7/15-8/1 11/1-spring
Sorrel 9/1 11/1-spring
Spinach 9/15-10/15 12/1-spring
Sugarloaf Chicory 7/1-7/15 11/1-spring
Harvest Season of Cold Frame Crops provided by the Eliot Coleman book, "Four-Season Harvest"
Crop Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr MayArgula X X X X X X X X
Beet X X X
Carrot X X X X X X X X
Celery X X X
Chard X X X X X X X X
Chicory X X X X X X
Chinese Cabbage X X X
Claytonia X X X X X X X X X
Dandelion X X X X X X X X X
Endive X X X X X X
Escarole X X X X X X
Kale X X X X X X X X X
Kohlrabi X X X X
Leek X X X X X X X X X
Lettuce X X X
Mache X X X X X X X X
Mizuna X X X X X X
Onion, green X X X X X X X X X
Parsley X X X X X X X X X
Radicchio X X X X
Radish X X X X X
Sorrel X X X X X X X X X
Spinach X X X X X X X X X
Tatsoi X X X X X X X X X
KY Perennial Herbs
• Anise-Hyssop• Garlic Chives- treats infection
• Wormwood- digestion
• Purple Cone Flower• Hyssop• Lavender- pain relief
• Mint• Beebalm• Oregano-help digestion
• Rue • Sage- treats menopause (tea)
• Thyme- ear, nose, and throat
• Can start or keep indoors• Make into herbal teas over
the cold fall, spring, and winter.
Resources
• Kentucky Cane• Plastic tarp• Scrap Wire• Storm windows• Scrap wood• Sheets (to drape or tie)• PVC pipe• Newspaper• Leaves
Recipes
• Handout • Search the name of the crop in images or
google, click the picture and bring up recipe.
Benefits to a 4 Season Garden
• The vitamins and nutrition contained in winter crops are well worth it.
• It’s self-rewarding.• When economic times are hard, you have another food
source.• It’s fun to have a garden in the winter while no one else
does.• Better taste in different seasons (crisp carrots in fall
planting)• Saves transportation in winter months• Less chemicals in your food
Remember….
• This is an experiment• Try to figure out what works and when… can
start out with a one or two plants for late gardening.
• Sign up sheet• Facebook page http://
www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Bird-Mission-GROW-Appalachia/237711932907941
• Blog: http://growappalachia.blogspot.com/
References
• Coleman, E. (1999). Four-season harvest. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.
• University of Kentucky College of Agriculture , Cooperative Extension Service. (2011). Home vegetable gardening in kentucky (ID-128). Lexington, KY: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id128/id128.pdf
• Damerow, Gail. (1994). 14 ways to extend your gardening season. Mother Earth News, June/July94(144), 58-63.
• Epler, M.B. (2008, September 16). How to grow a four-season garden- part i and ii. Retrieved from http://1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=292
Questions?
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