![]() ![]() The bags can be removed and this curtain of protection can be pulled back for easy harvesting access or to ventilate on unseasonably warm winter days. One of the best features of this simple design is that, while one side of the plastic remains buried and in place until spring, the other side of the bed is held down by bags of gravel, dirt or sand. This temporary “greenhouse” will provide a temperature buffer as well as protection from cold drying winds. Place wire or PVC hoops about every 3-4 feet along a 3 foot wide bed and cover with a floating row cover and a strip of greenhouse plastic. An ingenious concept introduced by Eliot Coleman, a Maine-based year round gardening expert, the low tunnel is essentially a mini greenhouse. For a low maintenance and affordable beginner's project, consider low-tunnels. Choosing the best structure or method depends on your location, climate and needs. Season extension methods range from simple straw mulch and row covers, to cold frames and greenhouses. I invite you to approach your winter gardening adventure as a chance to see what pleasant surprises and valuable lessons you can take away, rather than a risky roll of the dice. This extra bit of sunlight, fresh air and connection to the earth is an unbelievably uplifting gift you can give to yourself during an otherwise dreary season. Aside from the nutritional rewards, you will reap the emotional benefits of waking up a bit earlier and getting a burst of fresh air while tending to your winter garden. Good-quality, fresh produce can be scarce in the off- season. Fresh vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet, for those of us in cooler winter climates. ![]() Aside from the pride and satisfaction of nurturing crops through an inhospitable winter, consider the other major benefits. However, those greens and roots were by far the most satisfying and intensely sweet veggies I have ever grown or eaten. ![]() Battling the winter to eek out greens, carrots and beets felt, at times, like an insurmountable feat. My first foray into winter gardening was typical of a coastal New England farming experience, blustery and bitter one of the coldest seasons on record! The farm I was working at was situated right on a salt pond and the cutting wind chapped your face and desiccated even the most vigorous plants. I prefer to look at it as an opportunity to experiment and learn how to work with the weather. SEASON EXTENSION: THRIVING IN WINTER BY SHANNON MCCABE Some people see winter time gardening as a gambler's game. ![]()
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