Does anyone here have a winter garden?

[bellahpereira]

The winter totally destroys everything in Canada! There's no way to keep a garden, unless you have a green house I have a small indoor garden though, in which I grow tomatoes and some herbs - just things to keep me going through the winter, things I don't want to grow in summer and then have to freeze. It takes a lot of work but I also start planning my garden in the winter, I take all winter to carefully decide where and when I'm going to plant new things in the upcoming season. But, yeah - the winter kills everything.

 

[maddie]

I have cats, so no poinsettias for me. They're toxic for cats and I'd rather not kill them. I have tried to have other living plants inside before, too, but my older cat insists on eating the leaves off any plant so I can't keep at it.

LOL, you have one hungry cat.. My neighbor's cat used to break my plants with some water squirting he has learned his lesson,.. he doesn't trouble them anymore. No, I am not suggesting that .. I just remembered that when I read your comment.

 

[maddie]

@ Claudine,Cacti's are lovely plants.. I don't have them here only because they need a lot of sunlight...

@Bellahpereirah, The winters in Canada are really tough. My friend lives in Toronto and has a few plants... which she brings in for the winter... She keeps telling me how hard it is to grow stuff in winter.

 

[claudine]

Maddie, wow, these pictures look interesting, I've never seen cacti like these - they're so exotic. Still, I prefer plants without needles . But I admit, they bloom beautifully

 

[GreenThumb]

Our winters do not get too bad, so I am considering making one this year. I am really like gardening, so I think I might try my hand at making a winter garden. I really would like to do lettuce, spinach and some herbs. I do not want to make too much.

 

[iluvmario]

I am trying Kale, cabbage and lettuce this year. I have little sprouts so far and everything is doing ok even though my jalapenos and peas are wilting from the frost.

 

[Victor Leigh]

@ Claudine,Cacti's are lovely plants.. I don't have them here only because they need a lot of sunlight...

Perhaps there are some cultivated cacti that would thrive with artificial lighting. I have seen some that were grown inside the house without much access to sunlight and they managed to survive.

 

[claudine]

This is true, I had a cacti once. It died because I was watering too often, but it didn't seem like it needed too much light. Maybe it just depends on what species do you grow.

 

[maddie]

Perhaps there are some cultivated cacti that would thrive with artificial lighting. I have seen some that were grown inside the house without much access to sunlight and they managed to survive.

I cannot have some of the cacti I like inside the home because of my pets and kids.. The thorns really sting if you get them into your skin.. Right now they are not in my agenda.. I need my own veggies now.

 

[JaimieSkye]

I'm in WI so there really isn't much I can do outside as far as I know. I've been gardening for 10 years, but I still have a lot to learn. I did bring in my herbs and put them in an area where I have a grow light. They all died within 2 weeks of bringing them in. I'm not sure what I did. I'm thinking about trying some lettuce indoors using the grow light. Anyone try that? I can't do much indoors either because I'm another person with a hungry cat. Well, actually two hungry cats. I really miss not having a garden in the winter months.

 

[Jessi]

LOL, you have one hungry cat.. My neighbor's cat used to break my plants with some water squirting he has learned his lesson,.. he doesn't trouble them anymore. No, I am not suggesting that .. I just remembered that when I read your comment.

I have tried. The problem is, my cat is quite smart and knows to simply do it in the middle of the night when I'm around. So my plants will be fine all day, but the moment I leave the room or go to sleep, they're gone. I'll wake up in the morning and all my plants will be nothing but stems without leaves....sometimes not even stems...

 

[Flourishes]

It does get too cold to have much growing.. but there are the hollies and camellias or hellebores... Do you have a colorful garden even in winter?

Although I have heard of hollies, I have not heard of the other two plants that you speak (write) about here. I do not have a winter garden at all, colorful or otherwise . I have a few plants outside, but nothing that can be considered a garden.

I have been wanting to put some plants in the front of my home for quite sometime, but I'm waiting until a partial-reno in my bathroom is completed (the front of my yard is somewhat disturbed by the digging that has been done due to the work).

I want to make sure that the plants can thrive in a cold climate because the plants will be subject to a lot of shade.
I'm going to check out these plants that you have listed here, and also check online for plants that thrive in cold weather. I want the plants to be colorful, but hearty.

 

[maddie]

I'm in WI so there really isn't much I can do outside as far as I know. I've been gardening for 10 years, but I still have a lot to learn. I did bring in my herbs and put them in an area where I have a grow light. They all died within 2 weeks of bringing them in. I'm not sure what I did. I'm thinking about trying some lettuce indoors using the grow light. Anyone try that? I can't do much indoors either because I'm another person with a hungry cat. Well, actually two hungry cats. I really miss not having a garden in the winter months.

Over watering your indoor plants could kill them easily. Most herbs don't need much watering. You need to let the soil dry between watering. That could have been the problem. Lighting could be another issue. If there is less or more the plants could dry out.. have them on for at least 8 hours a day as in normal conditions. All my herbs/plants are grown indoors and they are quite healthy.

@ flourishes... there are a huge number of plants which you can grow indoors provided you give them adequate light... Grow lights help. Good luck to you on your garden experiments.

 

[maddie]

I found a useful link which I thought I would share here.. those interested in a winter garden may find this helpful ...
http://www.theecologist.org/green_g...54/how_tomake_your_garden_grow_in_winter.html

 

[ChanellG]

Winter is pretty mild here so many of the same plants grown in spring and summer can thrive in winter. Occasionally we may get freezing temperatures and then we just have to cover everything up overnight. That generally doesn't last for more than a few days, thankfully.