Early and late growing season extenders

burekcrew86

Like most gardeners, I can’t wait to get out there and get my hands dirty and get some things in the ground. Living in the northeastern part of the country, it’s still too early to get anything in the ground. I’d love to hear what your favorite growing season extender methods are? What do you do in early spring to extend the season? What do you do to extend the season in the fall? Give me your tried and true fellow gardeners.

nksunshine27

ive done row covers for "cold loving" crops like spinach also hot frames

Obiora E

@burekcrew86 There are cold weather plants that can tolerate cold. I have a book called "The Market Gardener, A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming" by Jean-Martin Fortier. He farms in Canada and when he came to do a talk that I heard some years ago he talked about putting out seeds in the snow.

Jens the Beekeeper

@burekcrew86 according to Eliot Coleman low tunnel or high tunnel combined with row cover is equivalent to 1-2 hardiness zones more south.

I have not yet needed this as i can use a cold frame on my south side of the house which will get me at least one month advantages.

I used old fashioned hot bed with horse manure topped with compost as growing medium in the past and get 2 extra month in the spring.

In the autumn I use row cover and plant a winter garden with mainly cold hardy crops.