Extending the seasons
The single most impactful aha! moment I had in gardening was when I realized that vegetable gardens are not limited to Memorial Day through Labor Day. Not only was I missing out on cool weather veggies, I wasn’t even enjoying the warm weather ones for nearly enough time.
In the city, we’re able to grow for ten months without any added protection, as long as you know what grows in which season. Arugula, spinach, and kale get even better with each frost. Add in a season extender, which does exactly what it claims, and January and February are covered, literally, bringing us to March, when it’s time to plant the spring garden!
Before we get any further, please know that it’s okay to take a break- really, truly- but take a moment to consider if the future version of yourself would want to harvest fresh, green spinach on a frosty, grey winter day. I’m guessing they would.
Three Key Elements to Extend your growing season
Consider sunlight. Cool weather crops depend on 6+ hours of sunlight when the temps start to drop. If you have less than that, I have a green lining for you- you’ll be able to grow tasty greens well into the warmer months.
Location, location, location. Ok, so most of us don’t have the luxury of options when it comes to where we place our small space city garden but think about accessibility. Your kitchen garden should be visited frequently, even when the idea of leaving your warm and cozy couch gives you pause.
Know your seasons. New York City gets five months of cool weather growing, five months for warm weather crops, and two full months for heat loving plants, like okra and sweet potatoes. (If you’re in the Hudson Valley or other surrounding areas, you most likely have two cool seasons and one warm.)
Good news for you rebels! There are ways to defy nature.
Choose fast-maturing, temperature tolerant varieties for the coldest of months. Opt for green chard over Bright Lights chard, for example.
Physical barriers can extend your season by up to two months by creating a microclimate that is 10-15 degrees warmer than the surrounding air. Read on for more about that magic…
From light frost to deep freeze
Row Covers: Gently drape a garden blanket (available in any garden center or on amazon) directly over plants, securing with landscape staples around the edges. This will provide protection for lettuces and other plants only tolerant of a light frost.
Cloches: Good in a pinch. They provide short term protection for frost sensitive plants when the temps drop for a night, like if an unexpected frost arrived a week after you planted your tomatoes. These can be purchased or hacked; you want to create a little tent that doesn’t touch the leaves. Consider plastic or glass bottles, a cardboard box, a clean bucket or flower pot. And remember to remove in the morning so you don’t bake your seedling!
Wrapping pots: for container gardens, offer extra protection to the roots by wrapping the outside of the planter in burlap or even bubble wrap. For windy spots, I do a layer of each.
Poly tunnels: Three in one goodness. Add garden hoops to your beds or containers and cover with greenhouse plastic sheeting to create a greenhouse effect that will give you full winter protection. Bonus, use the same hoops to support suncloth to protect cool weather crops from the hot sun in early summer. (Bonus bonus use: mid season, vining veggies can use the hoops to climb.)
Poly tunnel
In this photo, I was measuring the plastic to cut down to size for a metal planter. Once I do that, I will add a center bar and secure the plastic to the hoops using clips.
Cold Frames: Semi permanent structures that can be placed over raised beds, allow very easy harvesting access, and provide full frost protection. Pinterest is full of awesome plans using old windows and simple frames. You can also find premade kits made out of plastic frames with greenhouse plastic, outfitted with zippers or velcro.
Greenhouses: Where dreams live. While I can’t live out my full fantasy of having a dining table in the center, surrounded by edible greenery year round, I was recently introduced to the founder of Ponix MicroAg. We didn’t want to miss the chance to chat rooftop growing, so Chris hand delivered my pPod and even set it up for me. Over the winter, it’ll house my lavender, thyme, rosemary, and then will serve as a holding spot for seedlings awaiting delivery to clients around the city. Check out the full product line at https://pponix.com. I have no affiliation, just a fondness for the product and the people behind it.
Stay warm,
Kiera
