Above is the recently constructed cold frame cozily covered by a layer of snow. I just planted some of this frame a week ago, and it contains some flats of veggie starts not yet in the ground. The snow should melt off, as we are expecting a high of 50 today.
This a cold frame with various lettuces. It will be ready for harvesting in a few days.
Here are some tomatoes that I might pick today. Daughter Emily has a recipe for green tomatoes that she likes. Maybe this is the opportune time to try it.
The trip over to the park revealed beds in pretty good shape. Shown above are two stacks of glass panels that I coulda, woulda, shoulda have put down two days ago before the storm. Duh. And yet I thought that the forecast low of 32 degrees would not hurt any of these fall crops, and I was right. Lucky, as it would have been a really big dumb moment to find a scene of mass destruction this morning.
The cardoon on the right survived much better than I had expected. I was prepared to see the plants totally broken and knocked over. Only a leaf or two were broken. I have still to get the inspiration to cut the cardoon and cook it. Any suggestions appreciated.
The nasturtium in the background was quite a pleasant surprise. It is very frost sensitive and goes to mush when iced. I better pick it today or find a way to cover it as tonight is supposed to be sub freezing. The onions on the left are Egyptian walking onions. They are eaten as green onions or scallions, and are just now ready for picking. Emily, do you see those yummies?
On the left above is a patch of arugula, and on the right the patch of tatsoi. Both are pretty cold tolerant, and neither seemed to suffer at all. Both could use some thinning of plants to move to other cold frames. Any interest out there?
Above are mixed greens, lettuces, garlic, and more arugula. Everybody quite happy after the storm. All should survive temperatures above 28 degrees.
A closer look at the nasturtium, with an artichoke nestled in.
A closer shot of the cardoon. Cardoon and artichokes are closely related, both being in the thistle family.
The chinese cabbage is looking better and better. I pray thet some deer doesn't think so too.
Nasturtium, artichoke, black seeded simpson and a red lettuce all happily crowded together with a dusting of snow.
And to say goodbye for the moment, a second generation volunteer sunflower for the season. This plant sprouted from seed dropped from a volunteer early in the summer. This is the first bloom, and maybe the last. Perhaps this plant should have waited until next year to sprout. But yet a pleasant way to start a snowy morning
I'm impressed with how much is still going. I cleaned out the greenhouse today. My leaf lettuce and spinach still look good, as does the parsley.
ReplyDeleteHi George, Thanks for swinging by my blog as I'm delighted to have found yours! I had not thought about a cold frame before but as you've demonstrated quite well here, they are very useful! Putting that down on my idea board. Cheers, Jenni
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