It certainly is COLD here in Minnesota this week. When the high is -5....you know it's going to be a cold one!
It's one of those days where all you do is walk outside and you can't feel your face. I love winter for many reasons - but this is not one of them!
You might think because it's the dead of winter I'm not thinking about my garden, not the case!
Early February in Minnesota is still too early to start seeds with the traditional seed tray, light, and heat pad. I know many people like to do the winter sowing method with milk jugs - it's key with this kind of weather that they are insulated, either in a garage or buried in the snow so they don't totally freeze off.
Right now I'm planning and reworking my seed starting set up. We recently acquired another metal shelf for our basement and the plan is to put it together and hook up the shop lights with small lengths of chain on each level. We have many seeds we plan to start in March - including an army of tomato plants - so now is the time to get it planned out and set up. It is not even close to completion right now but I will make sure to post about it when we have it ready to go!
I have never been one to sketch out a formal plan to my garden, however this time of year I do take some time to figure out where things will go. The first thing I decide on is where I want to start my cold weather crops such as carrots, beets, lettuce, greens, onions, snap peas, and more! I also figure out a general plan for where I want things to go - squash and pumpkins go in this patch, cucumbers go here, tomatoes go here... I don't like planning it out in its entirety because my plans can and will change between now and planting in April and May.
I do recommend rotating crops as you are able. One of my methods in planning my garden is thinking about where I want my first plantings to start in April. Many of these are done producing by July so I'm able to dig up the plants and plant a fall crop. Some years I will start at the west end of the garden and work my way east, or on the north end and work my way south. I make sure I am not starting in the same spot twice. This has served me fairly well as it helps to keep the soil fresh and does not deplete the nutrients as much as it would if everything was in the same spot year to year.
As a bonus, this method helps prevent things like tomato blight - rotating your tomato crop can keep leaves green all season long because the spores that cause blight live in the soil for years after it appears.
We will also be ordering a truck load or two of compost to spread over our garden before starting to plant in April and May. Though we are lucky to have some really nice, rich black dirt, a replenish of the soil is always a good thing to keep on adding nutrients back into the soil. I am not a soil expert or scientist, but I do know..... organic matter = amazing things for your garden.
For now, I'm keeping myself busy maintaining my new houseplants that I purchased last week. They certainly add to our home and give me something to maintain in the house even as I'm twiddling my thumbs waiting for the day I can play in the dirt outside again.
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