"Vegetable Harvest"
Many perennial and biennial plants hibernate through the winter months, or lie dormant, in botannical terms! And many animals sleep through the winter. But alongside a few evergreens, us humans manage to function fairly well when the cold weather strikes.   The best way to spend a happy and healthy winter is to be healthy from inside. Make sure you have a good healthy diet and are harvesting all the fruits from the garden and storing them where possible for winter. Don't forget to dry some herbs to use for cooking and making herbal teas.Store all root vegetables in sacks or boxes and keep them in a dry place out of direct light. Freeze what you can - if there are any late beans they should be harvested before the autumn. Bring in all fruit and vegetables that won't live through a frosty night. Fill your store cupboards with your own vegetable harvest this winter. In the animal hibernation period, there are many things we can do to plan for next spring, as well as maintaining the garden and keeping up with a few outside chores:*Clear all dead plants and either compost or burn, except for pea and bean plants - these should be dug into the soil to help add nitrogen for next year's crops. NB: Next year, plant a different crop in the pea and bean area of this year as all legumes catch nitrogen from the air so don't need nitrogen rich soil to thrive. *If you have a little space under cover, pile up dead twigs and plants to dry out for a bonfire. Turn the pile every day or so to prevent animals taking refuge. *Prune all shrubs that need pruning. Either burn or use undamaged and healthy cuttings to propagate new plants. Use a prepared seed bed or large well drained pots of fresh compost. Choose healthy cuttings around 4 to 6 inches (10-15cm) in length depending on the size of the shrub, and preferably with a 'heel'. Push gently into the compost and water. Keep protected during the winter, either in a greenhouse or conservatory or, if planting outside be ready with a cloche in very bad weather. From October until early spring, trees can be cut back and new ones planted. Check on the manufacturer's growing recommendations when you buy a tree from a nursery or garden supplier for the best time and place to plant your tree, and when you will be harvesting the fruits, or enjoying the flowers. *Fix all hedgerows and fencing. Check latches on sheds and, if you have time, paint the shed with an environment friendly wood preserving product. *Clear weeds from around winter vegetables and protect with a cloche if necessary. Hoe gently to aerate the soil. Some winter lettuce and other crops can still be started from seed in the autumn as long as they are kept warm and have enough light. A greenhouse is ideal for a winter lettuce crop. During the vegetable harvest and clearing time, plan next year's garden....
*And conversely, there will be those that you can't grow enough of. Perhaps give over an extra bit of land to those ones next year to increase the family's vegetable harvest? *Do you want to give the whole garden a facelift? Maybe incorporate a herb garden or a few extra flower beds. These could be colour co-ordinated or chosen for their scent. *Are there some plants that could be grown in containers to save space in the vegetable patch? Even potatoes can be container grown so there's a good chance you may be able to work with containers successfully alongside the vegetable garden. Make some notes and check on your garden journal entries last year, so you can plan next year's growing season with ease. If you haven't been keeping a journal, I'd recommend it. There's a free download here, so now there's no excuse! Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. ("Preparing a winter vegetable harvest will help keep all the family healthy!") Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Gardening Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - your FREE monthly ezine! http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/vegetableharvest.html |
Peppers 
Corn 
Tomatoes
radish 
lettuce 
Carrots
