As I type this it’s about 33 degrees outside.
The lettuce seeds I planted in pots over a month ago look exactly the same as they did last week. Maybe even the week before that too. So I’ve decided to stop worrying about my yard and garden until after the holidays.
Poor Lucy. She’s worried Harold’s buns are going to freeze off and checks on him daily.
I’m worried that if I planted anything else outside right now it would just die a cold, horrible death. I miss my old greenhouse. I could always manage to grow something in there when the temperatures dipped.
I spy with my little eye…. 10 million pine needles and potatoes that still need to be harvested. 
Brussels Sprouts. They don’t mind the cold. In fact, I think they love it.
Fresh beets pulled this morning. 
A walkway covered in cedar. Thank goodness the trees are done shedding for this year. I suppose if I really wanted to I could go out and sweep the blanket of crunchy redness up and toss it on the compost pile. But waiting until January sounds so much better. 😉
To everything there is a season.
Are you still gardening? Or have you called it quits for this year too?
~Mavis
This year’s garden is being sponsored by the awesome folks at Botanical Interests Seed Company. You can check out their website HERE, order their new 2015 Garden Seed Catalog, or see the seeds I’ll be growing in my garden this year HERE.
Becky says
Have you read the four season book by Eliot Coleman? I think we may be in the Persephone days. Things may say alive, but they don’t have enough sunlight to put out any growth.
Kimberly says
I’ve been so disappointed with my garden this year. We moved to Arizona in July and it was too dang hot but I planted tomatoes anyways. They barely produced anything. I have beets, lettuce, onions and radishes still growing. Maybe next year!!
Ann says
In lieu of a greenhouse, perhaps you could put cold frames or hoop houses over your stock tanks & garden boxes.
T.J. says
I have a greenhouse for the first time this year and am loving it. I have carrots, lettuce, zucchini and tomatoes growing. I am shocked at how well the zucchini is doing. I’m thinking I need to put a grow light over the tomatoes. I moved my flowers and strawberry plant in the greenhouse after it was up too. Yesterday I was in there playing in the dirt and I noticed my strawberry plant has green leaves again. Woo Hoo.
Thelma says
Yes still growing winter hardy veggies ( beets , carrots, potatoes,cabbage, cauliflower and some other hardy brassicas, spinach, celery , lettuce and citrus) and trying to keep them from freezing. So far its been worth the effort! Sadly my greenhouse is empty, despite my great plans for it…
Susan says
Done gardening until spring. So jealous of your beets! 🙂
Kathy says
I’m in Northwestern PA and just pulled the last of the carrots and beets today. I also ordered my seeds today for next year. All done now until Spring.
Karin C says
Just icicles , been -18 to -20 for the past week here.. Brrr
Karin C says
Only Icickes growing here , been -15 to -20 here the pat week. Brrrr.
Brenda says
I have a question about chard. Last year, I wrestled my plants out of the ground after the first frost thinking they were done. Then I read that they can take some cold, so this year I left them in. Mine now look like your do in the picture. I am in Michigan and last week we had a few inches of snow that has since melted and this weekend it is supposed to be in the 50s. Will they perk up when the sun shines and be edible or are they just done? Thanks!!
LaceFaerie says
I am just north of Mavis. My chard is still chugging along. Good greens for my BunnyBoys.
Dawn B, says
Hello there, LOVE your blog. So, jealous of your mild, consistant weather. Here in Delaware it can go from 70F one day and 30F the next. Wondering.. you mentioned pine needles needing to be harvested… do you do anything specific with them? I have heard of weaving them. Just curious. I would love to learn how to do that. I have only weaved using reeds. Thanks for the daily pics of Lucy too.. cutest puggle ever!
Connie says
I would love a greenhouse, but I live in the high desert and we get terrible spring winds that would destroy it. I do have a solution for extending my season (inspired by Eliot Coleman’s books). We will have several days of freezing weather followed by a week of warm weather.
In late fall, I start some greens – lettuce, chard , kale. When it threatens to freeze, I cover the bed with bubble wrap and hold down with bricks. It stays until spring. On warm days, I will pull the bubble wrap back, but usually recover at night even if it is not freezing. I can harvest from this as well,
It should work great on your trough on your patio. This year I have covered a pot of parsley and green onions (that I regrow from the grocery store ones – just cut off the root part and plant).
The last couple of years we have had weeks in January that were below freezing and I would add a blanket or towel on top of bubble wrap. In spring, just let them grow. I then harvest and plant something else when our hot hot weather arrives.