We don't normally have any fresh harvests to show until the asparagus comes up, which it isn't, yet. But last autumn I tried an experiment to overwinter some leeks and carrots. We had harvested all of those we could use and still had some. Rather than pull them all and freeze them (trying desperately to not add to the freezer), why not see if they can make it through the winter in the ground, with some protection?
So I hilled them up, then covered with shredded leaves. After that, they were on their own. They didn't put on any growth, which was to be expected, and the carrot tops all withered, but the crops themselves did pretty well.
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| Overwintered leeks |
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| Overwintered carrots |
The leeks are on the small side, with the largest about thumb-sized. We haven't sampled them yet, but will soon. The carrots are all sizes and shapes. We have had them, and they are just as good as from a normal harvest. So the experiment is a success!
Of course, this was another mild winter, with not a lot of snow. We got another early spring (April 4-5) snowstorm, over 1 foot, and accompanying high winds left us without power for 30 hours. Naturally, the generator wouldn't start, but we got through fine. The wood stove does a great job of keeping the house warm. But overall the ground never really froze solid for too long a period. I'm sure that helped for these crops.
So, no more posts until the asparagus pops up. Thanks for reading, and thanks as always to Dave at HappyAcres.blog for hosting Harvest Monday.
What a great 'bonus' crop! I think it pays to experiment when it comes to gardening, at least for me.
ReplyDeleteSuch long shafts on the leeks! What are they, seed-wise?
ReplyDeleteGood for you in your overwintering experiment. I used to leave parsnips in the ground over winter in my (then) zone 5b garden. They were sweeter I believe. I covered with leaves and set a cold frame atop the root veggies and spinach. Nice to have something from the garden early in the season.
ReplyDelete