Michigan gardeners

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Comment by Clarence on November 1, 2009 at 8:08pm

Cynthia,

“How do I pick things from it once I've secured the plastic over the hoops--just push the plastic up?” That works for me.

“Should I use row cover inside of it, to beef up the protection?” Yes, row cover will add to the protection. You could also make smaller lighter wire hoops and make mini tunnels inside your bigger tunnel.


Should I plant seeds in it to give them an early start next spring? Yes, spinach, cilantro, dill, corn salad, Romaine, are some that have done well for me.


“Any and all advice most welcome”! I recommend Eliot Colman's book Four Season Harvest which has a lot of information on this subject. Eliot gardens in the same #5 zone that we do so what works for him will work for us, or it has for me so far.

Comment by Cynthia on November 1, 2009 at 8:44am

Thanks, Clarence! You're right, they've hardly grown at all in the past few weeks. I will indeed be eating the shoots. I had been wondering about that, but thought maybe the shoots were the blossoms, and I don't have any of those, of course. They'll be a welcome addition to my stir fries. I will try planting peas August 1 next year. It would be great to have a second crop.

Re: a covered tunnel. I have bought the materials to make a tunnel (heavy plastic and bendable pipe for hoops) over a 3.5 x 15 foot bed. What's planted there now is turnips, parsley, lettuce, spinach, arugula and chard (yes, it's crowded!). Can anyone who's done this give advice about how to do it and how long I can keep things alive under it? How do I pick things from it once I've secured the plastic over the hoops--just push the plastic up? Should I use row cover inside of it, to beef up the protection? Should I plant seeds in it to give them an early start next spring? Any and all advice most welcome!

Comment by Clarence on November 1, 2009 at 6:47am

Cynthia,

Your 5" peas in mid October most likly will not produce peas before a hard frost kills them. They will not winter.

You can use the plants you have as pea shoots. Pea shoots are the choice leaves and tendrils of pea plants. Shoots are typically harvested from snow pea vines, although they can be from any type of garden pea. Building a low tunnel or hoop house to protect your peas from frost would extend the harvest later into the fall.

If they had been 5" tall in mid August you would be picking peas this fall. next year try planting more peas around the first of August. Again a low tunnel or hoop house would extend the harvest later into the fall as well.

Comment by Kimi Riegel on October 19, 2009 at 8:11am

Will the Frosty peas - that germinate at lower temperature - winter over? I might try that!

Comment by Cynthia on October 16, 2009 at 8:31am

I have volunteer pea plants coming up all over where the peas were planted last spring. It's now October, and they are about 5 inches tall. Are they going to produce peas this fall? If not, can they winter over? I don't know what to do with them.

Comment by Clarence on August 8, 2009 at 6:38am

This cooler summer has been a blessing for our snow peas. We are still picking every other day. Time to replant for a fall crop!

Comment by ilex on May 15, 2009 at 7:54am

I think a Michigan gathering is a great idea, especially since not many of us can make it to France for the international gathering this year.

Comment by Jessica Soulliere on May 15, 2009 at 7:43am

I had a mishap with the tomato seedlings, up-ended off the corner of the table. Looks like some of them sorta made it. We shall see ... might have to make a trip to find replacements at the nursery :(

Comment by Susan Williams on May 14, 2009 at 2:09pm

So far I've got 4 heirloom tomato plants growing. They have all doubled in size since I put them out.

I keep mine in Wall 'o' Water until the weather really warms up. These act like green houses keeping the plants warm and proctect them from frost.

I can't wait to eat some home grown tomatoes so every spring I have my tomatoes in early.

Comment by Clarence on May 10, 2009 at 6:03am

Asparagus!

We planted some, “end of season bargain,” purple asparagus crowns a few years ago. We planted them along the shady edge of the garden (We fear that it may be too shady).

Yesterday I went looking to see if they had survived the winter… and yes indeed they have! We are hopeful that this will be the year that we will be able to pick some!

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