4-Season GardeningEnjoying the garden after a summer’s harvest!

By: Magan Meade

An Experiment

• Four Season is going to be a new experiment for everyone because no one can tell how a certain plant is going to react under certain conditions.

• For beginners: the trick is to sow your seeds every two weeks and to use a variety of the same plant throughout the growing season.

Review of Gardening Basics

• Do not work the soil when wet, causes soil to lose texture• Do not plant related vegetables together (crops in the same

family)• Create a plan. Can refer to packet, “One Garden Plot: Three

Garden Seasons” for planting dates and refer to Farmer’s Almanac for frost dates– Lexington frost dates: April 15, October 25– Igrowveg.com to get free templates and information

• Remember to keep the soil moist and not wet. Water in the mornings (even in cold frames and plastic rows).

• Plant at middle or top of hill• Harden off plants if transplanting outside

Methods to Prolong the Seasons

• Burlap• Shade Cloth- curtain sheers• Cold Frames• Greenhouses• Mulch (use after May 1st for spring crops)• Sheets/Covers• Plastic containers (milk jugs, 2-liter containers)• Be inventive!• Polyethylene (plastic) row covers with wires or sugar cane

for support. (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers in the summer)

Mulch

• 3 to 4 inches deep• Use a light mulch when you need the soil to

cool down and prevent weeds such as (straw or paper shreddings)

• Use a dark mulch to heat the soil• Examples of mulch; grass clippings, straw,

leaves, newspaper

Plastic Row Covers• Poles 3 to 5 feet apart• Bury the edges on nights when frost is predicted• Ventilation through perforations or slits (5 inches long,

¾ inch apart• Put a thermometer in the tunnels to monitor

temperature.

Easy Cold Frame Video

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6bWeYCV53A&feature=relmfu

Cold Frames Boxes

• Construction:– Can add onto to a raised bed or construct from

scratch, many different models– Hay bales, scrap wood, bricks, concrete blocks– Find old storm windows

• Maintenance:– It is important to provide ventilation during day and

to close up at night• Prop up with stick, a notched prop, or buy a frame that

automatically opens on its own

Other methods

Burlap (upper left), cloches (bottom left), and 2-liter bottle (right-side)Can also use; milk jugs, cookie jar, pots and pans, etc.

Spring Plants

• Cover crops such as wheat and snow peas (this will maintain the soil)

• Late winter to late spring crops• Start your spring gardens in the cold frame

boxes, indoors, or in a greenhouse• Grown at 50 to 65 degrees Farrenheit• Can drape burlap or sheets to shade spring/

fall crops during hot summer days

Snow Peas

Chinese Cabbage

Lettuce, radishes, and onions

Brocoli Cauliflower

Collard Greens

Kohlrabi

Kale

Escarole/Endive

Summer Plants

• If starting summer plants early, can use burlap or other fabric to keep summer plants warm during cool spring nights

• Plants need the ground to be warm in order to begin and extend growth

• Can extend summer crops by successive planting and planting varieties

• Can grow fall/winter crops in the summer if shaded. (netting) Use caution with winter crops in summer

Summer Crops

Fall Plants

• Extend the growing season by sowing seeds every two weeks throughout the summer, experiment to see how long each crop lasts– Should also consult seed package

• Take bulb plants indoors to save over the winter to pop up in the spring

• Can extend summer crops into the fall by covering up during frosts

Green Beans, Bush

Brussel Sprouts

Radishes

Turnips Greens

Sweet Corn

Winter Plants

• Learn and love to eat greens!• Mache- staple crop of the winter• Dandelion, lettuce, onion, spinach• Plant growth slows down or stops but can still be

harvested (cuttings). Use successive planting.• Use winter greens in a nutritious shake, has more

vitamins than broccoli.• Put on sandwich, in soups, pasta, create salads,

on a pizza, etc…

Mache

Mache

Carrots and Beets

Swiss Chard

Argula

Chicory Greens

Claytonia

Dandelion

Escarole/Endive

Mizuna

Parsley

Tatsoi

Fall and Winter ConsumptionCrop Planting Dates Harvest Dates

Argula 8/1-8/21 10/1- Spring

Endive 7/10-7/20 9/15-11/30

Escarole 7/10-7/20 9/15-11/30

Italian Dandelion 8/1-8/15 10/1-Spring

Lettuce 7/21-9/7 9/15-11/30

Mizuna 8/1-8/15 9/15-11/30

Parsley 6/1-7/15 10/1-Spring

Radish 9/1-10/15 10/1-11/30

Scallion 7/1-7/15 10/1- Spring

Spinach 8/1-8/30 10/15-11/30

Swiss Chard 7/1-8/1 10/1- Spring

Tatsoi 8/1-8/15 9/15-11/30

Winter and Spring ConsumptionCrop Planting Dates Harvesting Dates

Carrot 8/1 12/1-spring

Claytonia 8/1-9/1 11/1-spring

Italian Dandelion 8/1-8/15 10/1- spring

Kohlrabi 8/1-8/15 11/1-spring

Mache 9/15-11/15 12/1-spring

Parsely 6/1-7/15 10/1-spring

Radicchio 6/1-8/1 12/1-spring

Scallion 7/15-8/1 11/1-spring

Sorrel 9/1 11/1-spring

Spinach 9/15-10/15 12/1-spring

Sugarloaf Chicory 7/1-7/15 11/1-spring

Harvest Season of Cold Frame Crops provided by the Eliot Coleman book, "Four-Season Harvest"

Crop Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr MayArgula X X X X X X X X

Beet X X X

Carrot X X X X X X X X

Celery X X X

Chard X X X X X X X X

Chicory X X X X X X

Chinese Cabbage X X X

Claytonia X X X X X X X X X

Dandelion X X X X X X X X X

Endive X X X X X X

Escarole X X X X X X

Kale X X X X X X X X X

Kohlrabi X X X X

Leek X X X X X X X X X

Lettuce X X X

Mache X X X X X X X X

Mizuna X X X X X X

Onion, green X X X X X X X X X

Parsley X X X X X X X X X

Radicchio X X X X

Radish X X X X X

Sorrel X X X X X X X X X

Spinach X X X X X X X X X

Tatsoi X X X X X X X X X

KY Perennial Herbs

• Anise-Hyssop• Garlic Chives- treats infection

• Wormwood- digestion

• Purple Cone Flower• Hyssop• Lavender- pain relief

• Mint• Beebalm• Oregano-help digestion

• Rue • Sage- treats menopause (tea)

• Thyme- ear, nose, and throat

• Can start or keep indoors• Make into herbal teas over

the cold fall, spring, and winter.

Resources

• Kentucky Cane• Plastic tarp• Scrap Wire• Storm windows• Scrap wood• Sheets (to drape or tie)• PVC pipe• Newspaper• Leaves

Recipes

• Handout • Search the name of the crop in images or

google, click the picture and bring up recipe.

Benefits to a 4 Season Garden

• The vitamins and nutrition contained in winter crops are well worth it.

• It’s self-rewarding.• When economic times are hard, you have another food

source.• It’s fun to have a garden in the winter while no one else

does.• Better taste in different seasons (crisp carrots in fall

planting)• Saves transportation in winter months• Less chemicals in your food

Remember….

• This is an experiment• Try to figure out what works and when… can

start out with a one or two plants for late gardening.

• Sign up sheet• Facebook page http://

www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Bird-Mission-GROW-Appalachia/237711932907941

• Blog: http://growappalachia.blogspot.com/

References

• Coleman, E. (1999). Four-season harvest. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.

• University of Kentucky College of Agriculture , Cooperative Extension Service. (2011). Home vegetable gardening in kentucky (ID-128). Lexington, KY: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id128/id128.pdf

• Damerow, Gail. (1994). 14 ways to extend your gardening season. Mother Earth News, June/July94(144), 58-63.

• Epler, M.B. (2008, September 16). How to grow a four-season garden- part i and ii. Retrieved from http://1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=292

Questions?