I have read a lot about growing plants that aren't too cold-sensitive in protective boxes in the winter, and it is very interesting to me. I have been spoiled during the last six months by having fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables growing in my garden, and I don't want to let the falling temperatures deny me that pleasure. Besides, I happen to have a large protective box (my greenhouse) sitting 20 meters from my back door. I have no idea if it will work for winter gardening, but I am going to find out!
The inside of my greenhouse looked like this last Sunday:
The cucumber and pepper plants had already been torn out, but the tomatoes had to go. So after picking the last of this year's harvest, the vines were ripped out. We took all the wire trellises out, too, as we're not going to grow anything that climbs.
Then Tim spent a little time and sweat scrubbing all the chlorofyll off the windows. Thank you, darling.
And here is the result:
Clean as a whistle!
We added a wheelbarrow-full of compost to the beds, and then I was ready to plant seeds.
I've read up on which plants might be attempted in cold house growing, and basically they are plants where you eat the leaf or the root. It will simply be too cold for a plant to produce a fruit. So I chose lettuce, spinach, radishes and kale. I would like to try carrots as well, but I didn't have any seeds laying about, and my greenhouse is small.
The kale is new for me. Growing up in South Florida, I never heard of it. And in Sweden, you primarily use it to decorate the platters of food at Christmas. But it is the new super vegetable, you read about its health benefits everywhere! And being an immigrant in Sweden, many of my friends are also immigrants, and kale is much more popular in other places. I actually got these seeds for my birthday from my Polish friend. They eat a lot of kale in Poland. And my Dutch friend is raving about a traditional kale and sausage dish they make in Holland. So if the kale grows well, I know where to go for recipes.
Now the seeds are all planted, and I just have to wait to see what happens. Keep your fingers crossed!
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