Mom’s Garden

Mom's Garden has been thriving this year with plenty of the things she uses on a regular basis- green onions, green beans, zucchini squash, bell peppers, basil, and Lemon Boy tomatoes. Thyme, oregano, and flat leaf parsley brighten the windowsill by the kitchen sink. But, when Old Man Winter lurks around the corner, the veggies need an extra layer of protection from the elements. So poor Lemon Boy is getting the axe to make way for an autumn planting- broccoli- and the rest of the bunch are getting a new winter coat!

So what to do about the first frost? First, check the date for the first frost in your area to determine the appropriate time to cover your garden. Don't be late!

Secondly, build a green house to virtually transport your garden 500 miles south for each layer of thick plastic. Use recycled wood to build a small frame with a sloping canopy (make sure it's non-pressure treated, free of paints, chemical varnishes, and other non-organic compounds). Stakes should be firmly planted into the ground and nailed to raised beds strongly enough to withstand stormy winter winds. Support rods along the roof of the structure will help prevent water from accumulating and collapsing the top during rainfall.

Drape plastic over the frame and staple or tack down very tightly. Tacks will not rip as easily as staples in high wind.

Anticipate the worst storm of the season, and build your greenhouse to your local environment.

Here are a few photos of the process:

Driving stakes and nailing to the deck

Stakes are 8 inches deep and nailed to the deck

Removed top layer of bark for winter, pulled tomato and roots, tilled soil, planted broccoli to be harvested at Thanksgiving. Broccoli grows just fine outside the hut.

Recycled wooden frame draped in plastic, ready for winter