The Maplewild Project My Little Garden Project

As much of the country is freezing their buttons off, things here have warmed up considerably. It got up to 57º today! It seems early to think that spring could be arriving early, but winter came early here, so maybe it is true.
I went out and looked over the garden and my garlic is coming up already.
Garlic pokes through the surface

Now that is has warmed up here at Maplewild, I figured it is a good time to harvest. Of course in February, there isn’t much to harvest. My collard greens have survived everything that mother nature has thrown their way, and she has thrown quite a bit this year. We have just broken a run of heavy frosts. With no snow to insulate the plants, they have taken the full brunt of the cold. Today marked eight mornings in a row with temperatures in the twenties. This afternoon the rains returned and there is no more freezing weather predicted for the foreseeable future. I was surprised by the number of birds in the yard today, the most I have seen since winter came.

Collard Greens survive the winter blasts

Today’s Harvest

I am beginning to wonder if it will ever warm up here at Maplewild. This month so far there has been another significant windstorm, snowfall and very cold temperatures. The wind tore off nearly 65 square feet of roof this time, knocked the power out again and generally tested everyone’s patience. Last week it was more snow and then very cold air leaving the roads a skating rink. I am not sure that my winter garden will survive this round of the elements. It was 16º this morning and yesterday it never reached 30º. It is already down to 22º and the night is young.

Good weather to feed the wood stove by. It is a great time to thumb through the seed catalogs though. Lots to plot and plan for, the upcoming growing season, what to grow? Blue Hubbard Squash, Pruden’s Purple Tomato and Chioggia Beets for sure, oh the choices.

A few tips of Siberian Kale poke out of the snow and ice

Collard Greens partially snow covered and frozen solid

I don’t know if my poor greens will survive the punishing weather but if they croak, they will have put up one heck of a fight. This is the worst winter we have had here in my lifetime, I guess I will go into next winter with a cold frame or two! So much for the mild Pacific Northwest.

The snow finally went away. The garden survived the cold fairly well. It even survived the 70+ MPH winds that hit our area on December 14th and 15th. Things here at Maplewild held up pretty well compared to others in the region. I lost about 30 square feet of roof and had made my repairs fairly quickly. Power wasn’t out too long here, not nearly as long as it was during the snowfall. Surely when winter finally arrives, weather here will moderate a bit.

Frost just barely melting off of the collard greens

Siberian Kale – Unfazed