from November

But back to the game over frost for a second. Most people and books only talk about one real frost date, the time when the weather drops below 32 degrees. But in NM, there is another huge frost date, the time when it gets down to 24/25 degrees. That is when the harvest stops.

You see at about 31 degrees, you will lose all your summer plants (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, melons, etc) to Jack Frost. But, and this is a big but, the fall crops are just hitting their stride at those temps. By fall crops I am talking broccoli, radishes, sweet turnips, salad mix, lettuces, and carrots. And I think all those crops actually start to taste better with the cooler weather.

That is due to the fact that with cooler weather, starches turn into sugars and the result is sweeter radishes, yummier lettuce, and candy carrots. All good things. This weather is also our last chance to get spring lettuce planted.

That was the question we grappled with last summer. The answer was to run trials to see when exactly the lettuce died after transplant due to the weather being in hospitable. And what we found shocked the heck out of me. That if we plant baby lettuce in November, into black plastic and cover it with row cover, that lettuce will sit there until late winter/early spring.

At that point it will take off and be ready way before any lettuce planted in 2009. The other thing I love about it is no weeding since it is growing through the winter, and the flavor is insane. This lettuce is in the field for close to 4 months. In that time the leaves get a bit thicker, but they are sweet and totally tasty. Love them.

Also a last note for anyone who wants to plant garlic or onions at their house. Consider this newsletter your alarm clock to do so. If you hit the snooze button many more weekends, the plants will suffer in their final harvested size. Both are easy to grow and all you need for garlic seed is a clove that is sitting on your counter. Toss it in the ground about 3-4” deep.


Marie

Marie,

Thanks for this update about the Sawmill community garden visioning process.

I've been watering the beds planted with garlic and the hairy vetch (covered with leaves). I've spent 2-3 hours turning over the soil ... creating the last bed between the stakes you posted. Still need to turn in some mushroom compost in that bed. Two bags of compost are sitting near the trellis.

I haven't planted any seeds ... but we have seeds to plant.

This morning I spoke with Pepe about installing the chain link fence around the garden. He said he will do it .... hopefully later this week.

I tried to attach the soaker hose to the faucet but it's too tight. Maybe I can get Pepe to attach it.

So there's plenty of space for more planting ..... generally in the beds on the south side of the garden.

I suppose the next thing ..... building a new compost bin ..... and carting away the old compost pile.

Lora