I have found that several things help a lot in W.I and MN. First step actually takes place in the fall. After cleaning up the beds or garden area, I plant my best garlic bulbs. Next I add grass and leaves and any kitchen scraps to the rest of my garden area, then after about a month of that I put black plastic over it all. That way in the "spring" when the ground is only slightly still frozen, I pull it back to reveal well composted grass and loads of worms.
But then we get to the reality of it, and this is what I did last year. We got the garden cleaned up, my husband cut the grass, added it to the beds, then raked up some of the leaves (the rest were still on the trees). I started adding kitchen scraps. I planted the garlic.
We were hit by an early dumping of ice and snow. We never got close enough to the ground to rake the rest of the leaves or cover the beds.
The snow was late leaving, the leaves and grass only slightly decomposed. I tried breaking up the ground in April to get my pea seeds in. No go. Thought about using a drill to put holes in the ground but the cord wasn't long enough. Thought about TNT, but was sure the neighbors would have a fit and I'd spend the summer in jail.
By mid March I was able to dig up some dirt, something I usually don't have to do, I just plant in the newly composted leaves and grass, but it was tedious. I lasagne garden for a reason.
Had husband get me some bags of organic garden soil, planted on top of the half frozen tundra, and covered the seeds with the bagged soil.
It's now May 3, and I'm just getting my second planting of spinach in. Asparagus has yet to make an appearance, but the peas are an inch tall. Garlic is about 8" tall.
Artichokes have gone through what they think is winter (I hope, planted seedlings in late April) so I hope will start to grow again for their 'second' season. There is only 1 plant left of the six I started. I really only planned to put 2 in the ground as they take a lot of space, but it started to hail as I got them in and didn't get the deer spray on fast enough and the resident deer ate all but one.
Broccoli, cabbage, and other cool weather crop seedlings will hopefully all be in by the end of the weekend, a month late, then in 3 weeks it will be too hot for any of them. I'll start new seedlings for the fall.
Next on my list of gardening activities will be searching property in Belize. ;-P
But then we get to the reality of it, and this is what I did last year. We got the garden cleaned up, my husband cut the grass, added it to the beds, then raked up some of the leaves (the rest were still on the trees). I started adding kitchen scraps. I planted the garlic.
We were hit by an early dumping of ice and snow. We never got close enough to the ground to rake the rest of the leaves or cover the beds.
The snow was late leaving, the leaves and grass only slightly decomposed. I tried breaking up the ground in April to get my pea seeds in. No go. Thought about using a drill to put holes in the ground but the cord wasn't long enough. Thought about TNT, but was sure the neighbors would have a fit and I'd spend the summer in jail.
By mid March I was able to dig up some dirt, something I usually don't have to do, I just plant in the newly composted leaves and grass, but it was tedious. I lasagne garden for a reason.
Had husband get me some bags of organic garden soil, planted on top of the half frozen tundra, and covered the seeds with the bagged soil.
It's now May 3, and I'm just getting my second planting of spinach in. Asparagus has yet to make an appearance, but the peas are an inch tall. Garlic is about 8" tall.
Artichokes have gone through what they think is winter (I hope, planted seedlings in late April) so I hope will start to grow again for their 'second' season. There is only 1 plant left of the six I started. I really only planned to put 2 in the ground as they take a lot of space, but it started to hail as I got them in and didn't get the deer spray on fast enough and the resident deer ate all but one.
Broccoli, cabbage, and other cool weather crop seedlings will hopefully all be in by the end of the weekend, a month late, then in 3 weeks it will be too hot for any of them. I'll start new seedlings for the fall.
Next on my list of gardening activities will be searching property in Belize. ;-P
