Sometimes, I take for granted that I have a garden. I forget that not everyone's climate or yard can accommodate fruits and veggies. My dear friends came to visit and as we were out picking and eating peas with their 22 month old daughter (who can spot a perfect pea pod) the questions started rolling in. Today, I am tackling my dear friend’s question on what he can grow- not only in his cool climate of Vermont but also-in his shady yard. I’ve sorted through my seed packets and gardening books to select some cool weather crops that can survive on 3-6 hours of sunlight. Although these plants can survive on short exposures it is important to note that they cannot survive in pure shade.
1. Peas
2. Broccoli
3. Cauliflower
4. Spinach
5. Beans
6. Swiss Chard
7. Collard greens
Location, Location, Location
Before you even go to the store to buy your seeds, you’ll need to know where to plant. It is a bit easier for me because half of my yard is always fried, but in dappled sun it may prove a bit more difficult. I suggest creating a diagram of your yard using graph paper. Map out where your house, trees, and driveway are so you know exactly where NOT to plant. Once you have your diagram done you can start mapping your sunshine. I suggest taking a different colored crayon and coloring in your morning, afternoon and evening sun. You may find that you get more sun than you originally thought! The vegetables I listed above do well in partial shade to full sun, but you also have to consider the general topography of your property. You don't want you perfect garden spot to be where a rushing river develops every time it rains.
Raise your bed
Once you have determined the ideal location (or locations) for your garden, you will need to create the actual bed. My soil is all clay so I chose to go with a raised bed. There are pro’s and con’s for raising your bed and it all depends on your likes and dislikes. I like my raised bed because I didn’t have to dig out the clay, I just put organic compost soil from my township overtop of my existing soil. Also I’ve found that I don’t get as many weeds, I don’t have to bend over so much when harvesting, and my soil stays warm a bit longer than the ground. If you are contemplating creating your garden straight on the ground, take into consideration the amount of tree roots you might encounter and if you generally trip over rocks in your yard. You can purchase kits for a raised bed or, if you are a handman(woman) you can build your own. I used non-pressure treated wood with an “eco friendly” sealant. But, don’t let convention stand in the way of your creativity. I’ve seen tires used as individual planters and a greenhouse made of plastic bottles, so if you are into up-cycling and repurposing don’t let me stand in your way.
But isn't it too late?
A common misconception is that you plant in the Spring and harvest in the Summer, but many cool weather plants do well even with a light frost. You can sew the seeds directly into your garden in July/August for your Fall harvest. I am an advocate of starting inside on a windowsill but it isn't that easy for everyone. In Vermont you might not get the debilitating heat I get in PA, and the garden will be in part sun which will offer more relief. If you do start plants indoors, start them inside in July/August placing them outdoors for a few hours at a time in the morning or late afternoon/early evening. You want to keep your cold crop babies from being fried in the sun. I made this terrible mistake with my Spinach this year. I waited a bit too long to plant my Spinach and they withered away to nothing in a matter of days. I'm going to try for a Fall harvest, though. Last year I planted Broccoli in late August. We had an early frost in September which I thought would surely had killed them, but they actually tasted BETTER!
Put a lid on it!
Another great idea for a raised bed is fashioning a removable or prop-able lid. This is called a Cold Frame. You could easily repurpose an old door or window to cover the raised bed in order to prolong your grow season.
Of course you would have to offer enough room for your plants to grow.
Cold frames are great for growing lettuces and spinach, which can be grown from seed to maturity in the cold frame. My grandmother had a cold frame box right outside the kitchen door, and she kept her herbs growing through the Fall by insulating around the cold frame with leaves. The lid was hinged and made out of a corrugated clear plastic. Cold frames can be used for starting plants for transplanting into the garden, or using it as a garden to extend the availability of fresh veggies through the Fall and even into Winter.
I hope this proves useful for more than just my Vermonters. I plan on doing a Fall harvest for my spinach and the advice above can accommodate most climates. If you'd like to know more about the cold weather crops above just let me know :) I'd be more than thrilled to give a detailed account of my trials and trellises with Peas.
Forever Seeking Aloha,
Britt
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