February 26, 2023

Garden Notes: February 2023

Rainfall 

  • 2nd: 0.9"
  • 9th: 0.4" 
  • 11th-12th: 1.0"
  • 15th: 0.05"
  • 17th: 0.95"
  • 20th: 0:05"
  • 23rd: 0.05"
  • 24th: 0.15"
  • 27th: 0.125"
  • Total: 3.675 inches 

Temperature
  • range of nighttime lows: 25 to 63°F (-4 to 17°C)
  • range of daytime highs: 46 to 79°F (8 to 26°C)

Weather Notes

With the exception of the past week, our lows have mostly been in the 30s. We're still in our winter weather pattern, which is that temps warm up as a new front approaches, then drop significantly after the front moves through. 

The wind is picking up as spring approaches. On gusty days it's strong enough for me to use extra clothes pins when I hang out laundry!

Winter Kill Survivors

In December, we lost our winter garden from a severe hard freeze. I was curious if anything would make a comeback, and amazingly, a few plants have.

Of course, the winter wheat survived and is now thriving.

Lone surviving kale plant in the African keyhole garden.

Field turnip (one of many) growing new leaves

You may recall that I harvested a lot of the turnips growing in my pasture before the winter kill. They've been in a box in the pantry, and have kept fairly well, although softening up a bit and sprouting leaves. So I've been surprised to find most of the turnips I left in the field have not only survived, but thrived. A few turned mushy from being frozen, but most of them are crisp and growing. 

My daikons, on the other hand, were all killed. Even the ones I mulched heavily in their garden bed. They all froze and turned to mush. That was be good for the soil, but left none for feeding ourselves and the goats. 

Lesson learned: If faced with a severe freeze again, harvest the daikons and mulch the turnips!

Some of my collards also survived.

I didn't plant this, it's a volunteer from the compost.

One of three surviving and thriving heading collards in the garden swale berm.

Mostly, I want to let these survivors go to seed for collecting. Whatever they've got genetically, I want more of! I harvest a few leaves now and then for a treat.

Chopped garden collard greens, goat cheese from this year's first
paneer, and sliced leftover potato oven fries, both sweet and white.

All scrambled with eggs because the chickens are laying again.

Garden Tasks

I tried to do a little leveling in the garden swale, but the clay is too wet, heavy, and sticky. So, I've continued aisle clean-up and wood chip mulching.

Daffodils are blooming everywhere

Dan is replacing bed borders, so everything is beginning to look neat and tidy.

Planted

It's early for planting, but these are cool weather veggies that I hope will make it.
  • snow peas
  • carrots
  • daikons
  • turnips
  • lettuce
  • radishes
I also planted some of the garlic that was sprouting in the pantry.

So far . . . 

Snow peas

Probably daikons

Seedling carrots with violets and fall planted garlic.

The cultivated burdock is awakening from dormancy and sprouting leaves.

A very welcome sight! But I know better than to succumb to the planting bug. The past couple years, we've had late frosts, so I'm not going to assume that lovely weather now predicts anything. As we all know, weather is very fickle.

So, there's the record of my garden happenings for February. How about you? Anything going on in your garden?

12 comments:

Rosalea said...

Nope!...Two feet of snow is over it, but the plans are out and seeds are ordered.
Lovely little sprigs and sprouts of green in yours! Wow, on the daffodils.

Boud said...

I like to see the results on your table! Thanks for the food picture. That's my kind of cooking, great fresh greens scrambled with eggs and maybe yogurt. No chickens here, nor garden, so I get the best I can anyway.

Katie C. said...

You can plant snow peas and/or radishes even if it frosts?

Leigh said...

Rosalea, that's a lot of snow! Amazingly, we haven't gotten snow this winter. Seems it's all been deposited farther north.

Boud, cooking is part of it! :)

Katie, they can take light frosts, but not hard freezes. So it's something of a gamble, but if I plant them too much later, warm spring weather pushes them to bolt.

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

I am waiting too Leigh. We are having near 80 F weather at the moment, but it is still subject to change until at least the middle of March.

Here is to hoping the seeds in future are helpful!

Quinn said...

In my neck of the woods it snowed all day yesterday, on top of a layer of ice from an entire day of rain two days prior. Under the ice is a bit more snow. We are finally having Winter here in Massachusetts! And I am planning the gardens :)

Leigh said...

TB, these warm spring days are so tempting, but like you, I know better than to plant too much!

Quinn, so much snow up north! I hope you and your goats are staying warm and dry.

daisy g said...

Dontcha just love a volunteer! Looks like you've got loads coming up in your not-yet-spring-garden. I hope the weather cooperates, so that you can get some of your tasks completed.

I've been marveling at the success of my winter sowing. There is so much coming up in my little recycled containers. It's the best method I've tried thus far for seedlings.
Planted Yukon Golds yesterday and I need to get my snap peas in this week.

Enjoy your week!

Ed said...

Absolutely nothing since November? or whenever I tilled it for the last time. But I have been thinking that if we get a stretch of warm sunny weather with no wind, I may make the journey down to burn off the asparagus bed for the spring. This year, our focus will be on tomatoes as we are our of several things we stock so there won't be a big rush to get started.

Leigh said...

Daisy, volunteers always amaze me. And that one is nowhere I ever expected to find one!

I'm really glad your seeds are being so successful! A good method!

Ed, it sounds like maybe you aren't under that horrible winter storm(?) It always feels good to get even a little something done in the garden. I hope you have a good asparagus crop. Tomatoes too!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I've been so wanting to get our garden ready, but we are flooded out. Yesterday we got so much rain, and we haven't dried out from the last flood. Now they are saying more snow this weekend. Your garden looks grand.

Leigh said...

Kristina, wet ground is always a deterrent. But if you're going to get snow, maybe it's good you had to wait!