The Deep Mulch Midwinter Garden

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At least two weeks before the first predicted frost, we make a point of listening to the evening weather reports. If it's predicted that the temperature will drop into the 30's in town, we know that there could well be a frost at our country home ... so we unroll the poly and cover the beds to seal in the earth's remaining heat. Short sticks are sunk into the corners of the beds to hold up the plastic and prevent any foliage from touching it and, possibly, freezing. (It's just as important—during the early frost period—to remove the sheeting first thing in the morning, since the sun's rays hitting the plastic could quickly create an oven that would cook your young vegetables long before they're ready to be eaten!)

Unfortunately, no matter how careful he or she may be, a winter gardener will probably slip up now and then or be caught off guard by an early freeze. When we look out—on an unexpectedly chilly morning—to see that we've been tricked by Jack Frost, we immediately head for the garden and treat the affected greenery with a gentle spray of cold water. (We do this before the sun rises, to give the plants a chance to thaw out gradually.) Assuming most of the crops survive the preseason catastrophe (and if they're cold-resistant varieties, chances are that they will), the remaining specimens will be hardier as a result of their exposure.

[5] As the cold deepens, mulch all beds under more material and cover them with plastic. Before the ground freezes, and before the first big snow (but as late as possible), we bury our winter beds under a foot of dry hay or leaves. (The latter material is actually piled over the tops of our leaf vegetables ... which, by that time, will have effectively stopped growing.) This insulating layer will keep the ground from freezing in the early part of the season . . . but it won't be needed if you have a deep early snow. With its ability for trapping air, snow is actually very capable of retaining warmth . . . and cold-hardy crops will stay green and healthy as long as the winter blanket covers them!

However, we can't count on having a foot of snow before the first garden-damaging frost (and it's not likely that you can, either) ... so we routinely pile on batts of hay and cover them with 4- to 6 mil polyethylene. Each plastic sheet is weighted down with planks, rocks, or soil to keep the winter winds from tearing it loose.

[6] Harvest from the ends of the beds only. By late November or early December, we've usually exhausted the produce of our fall plot and are eager to taste our late-planted carrots, turnips, and Chinese cabbage. However, it's important, in a winter garden, not to harvest just anywhere . . . but to open up only the ends of a bed and take the vegetables out quickly.

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