LESSONS LEARNED FROM FREEZE COMPILED
BY MEAGAN TERRY | URBAN HARVEST CLASSES COORDINATOR
- “The most significant change I’m doing is not being as cavalier with the potatoes (Irish) planting time,” reports Pilar Hernandez, Garden Coordinator for Dominican Sisters Community Garden and Kolter Elementary Garden .She will wait until the end of January to plant potatoes, so they do not get killed by the frost. More advice from Pilar:
- “Spinach, strawberries, onions, most brassicas were fine after a trim. No clear variety winners. The purple kale was more frost sensitive than Toscano.
- “The best advice is to always harvest as much as possible before a freeze, water deep, mulch heavily, and cover with anything in hand (my personal favorites: trash cans and pots, secured with rocks on top).
- “We may need to start growing citrus in pots to move into the garage if 3-5 days freezes continues.”
- “Planting just the usual and popular Brassica like mustard, cabbage, broccoli, kale and cauliflower. Got turnips, carrots and lettuce as well.”
- “In terms of the school garden, we have not done anything different this year. I have checked on seed packets to avoid plants (vegetables and herbs) that are cold sensitive.”
- Most of the cole crops can take a bit of freeze and are better for it. One important thing is to be ready to protect if the weather threatens. Protection can be physical barriers like boxes and plastic domes or freeze cloth. Make sure it is handy. Don’t try to buy it at the last minute.
- Take cuttings of some of your perennials like rosemary or Mexican mint marigold (pictured respectively) and keep them indoors under grow lights as replacements should you loose the main plants. Keep everything well watered and polish up your crystal ball.
