In many parts of North America you may have one, two or three growing seasins with distinct crops for each. In North Central Texas, depending on a given year's weather, it is possible to have multiple crops which cross traditional seasonal boundaries or which can be grown at different times during the year.
2010 has been one of the unusual years. This afternoon, 20 November, I picked fresh eggplants, sweet and banana peppers and salad greens from a friend's garden. Last year when we planted the first winter garden at our Parish the Saturday after Thanksgiving we were sure we had made a mistake. Subsequent ice and snow storms and a 17 degree night temperature further convinced us we had made a mistake. Yet at the end of March this year we harvested a significnat amount of beautiful greens. Seems God has a better sense of soils and growth than we do....
This morning I joined my friend John Caldwell and a few other volunteers and laid in (transplanted) the Parish winter garden. In addition to lettuces, kale, and swiss chard, we have beets, radishes, and peas. I know it seems starnge to plant peas so late in the year, but we have faith in the soil (heavily amended with compost and Starbucks coffee grounds), the Parish sprinkler system, and the strnegth of the transplants John raised from individual seeds that we're likely to have good produce for local ministries through 'til the end of March when the Spring garden goes in.
I'll keep you posted on our continuing adventures in Winter gardening...please feel free to share your experiences and questions too!
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