Keep Your Garden Flourishing Into The Coldest Months

Despite enjoying one of the warmest climates year round, in the United States, Florida can still endure a chill during the winter months. Especially in Tallahassee and the surrounding panhandle regions; while winter crop growing and local produce production does not grind to a halt, special concern and attention must be paid to help organic produce survive the harsher conditions. The following are some of our best tips for maintaining a crop during the coldest months of the year in the south eastern United States.

What to Grow?
First of all, the smart gardener will know WHAT can survive in the climate before they know how to take care of it. Different geographies and soils are conducive to different kinds of local produce, but we found that the southeastern United States is very supportive of radishes and similar root vegetables during this time of year. Somewhat bitter and able to store well for long periods of time, radishes have a great longevity in cold weather both due to the insulation of root vegetables as they develop underground, and the hardiness of the radish itself.

Also, Cole crops, such as the Brassicaceae family of plants (including broccoli, cabbage, and turnips), are hardy plants that are known to flourish is steeper temperatures. These plants have spread and become dependable, comfort food standbys because of their sustainability. Carefully nurtured, these organic produce should give you a great harvest from the fall to winter.

How to Prepare?
Before you plant anything, prep your soil for the conditions the plant will have to manage through. Use nutrient rich soil packed with natural vitamins to give the plants every edge they can get, and if you have not yet installed an irrigation or sprinkler system, fall pre-planting is the perfect time to do so.

When planting, do not be afraid to build up the mulch around vegetables and perennials a little extra. This will insulate the plants, a process known a soil banking when applied to growing trees in lower temperatures.

What to do During an Emergency?
Despite preparation, little local produce can survive a strong frost. It isnt terribly common in Tallahassee and the rest of the south, but a frost is always potentially there to wipe out your hard work with just a few dropped degrees. That is why a good emergency plan should be ready in case of a frost. A frost cloth can be spread over the plants to give the few key degrees of insulation necessary to survive. However, make sure the frost cloth in questions is not plastic or touching the plants, as a plastic cloth has a chance to draw out more heat that it keeps in.

Also, water is a great emergency effort in preventing frost. This is where an irrigation or sprinkler system will come in handy. Simply up the water bed or turn on the sprinklers and keep them running. The extra water will keep the plants from frosting over, and turn the systems back to normal after the cold subsides to make sure they arent drowned.

Following our cold weather planting tips and a little bit of patience will result in a bountiful harvest and some great organic produce. Just be prepared, have your emergency plan in place, and choose the right species that will flourish in the most trying times of the year.

About the Author:
New Leaf Market in Tallahassee, FL specializes in organic & local produce. They also carry a wide variety of organic groceries such as organic wines & microbrews. Go to www.newleafmarket.coop for more information!

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Keep-Your-Garden-Flourishing-Into-The-Coldest-Months/4213979

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