New here.

Hi all,

Found this fantastic site and needed to join. I hope I can grow to become a productive member.

David

Welcome to the site David.

Browse around to find subjects of interest to you. The "Search" button can help find specific topics.
Don't be shy. If you don't find an answer, just ask the questions.

Hello David from Alabama. I'm glad to see so many new posters from the Southeastern US. Now that we are heading into fall the southern gardens are just getting started. Do you have any plans for a winter garden?

Jeanine Gurley wrote:Hello David from Alabama. I'm glad to see so many new posters from the Southeastern US. Now that we are heading into fall the southern gardens are just getting started. Do you have any plans for a winter garden?

Hello Jeanine,

I'm planning on starting a lasagna garden this fall and planting some garlic and lettuce. I'll probably plant more cold weather plants but I haven't decided exactly what yet. I only discovered and started studying permaculture a few months ago, so I'm very ignorant about exactly what I can do when it comes to this sort of thing. I've always been interested in plants and gardening, but I didn't know enough to take any action until a few months ago. The downside of not knowing anything about gardening is I don't know what I'm doing and can do; the plus side is I started my eduction with permaculture study so I don't have to unlearn incorrect knowledge and behavior.

Any ideas you want to give me would be welcome.

This is what I am planting right now:

Mustard
Turnip
Radish
Collards
English Peas (sweet peas)
All lettuces/greens - Bok Choi, Tat Soi, Baby Choi
Carrots
Rutabega
Beets
Onions

Carrots will only be sweet when harvested in the cold. My husband didn't believe me this year and took some of my late carrots that I was trying to let go to seed. Bitter, bitter, bitter.

I can get away with some english peas if our winter is mild - it's worth the chance.

All the tender greens I plant in the green house or under cover - not so much because of the cold but because all of the critters (birds, rabbits, squirrels etc.) will do almost anything to get at them.

You can plant a little of this every week or every couple of weeks all winter for a continuous supply of whatever happens to be coming up.

I eat the greens from the onions, turnips and beets and then later harvest the root.

Also - try your luck at broccoli brussel sprouts and cauliflour. This is THE time to grow them but I just don't have the touch.

Garlic I plant last week of September or first week of October.

A lot of people don't realize that the south eastern garden can provide food all winter long. If we do get a freeze a lot of that stuff bounces right back. Good luck and happy planting!

Jeanine Gurley wrote:This is what I am planting right now:

Mustard
Turnip
Radish
Collards
English Peas (sweet peas)
All lettuces/greens - Bok Choi, Tat Soi, Baby Choi
Carrots
Rutabega
Beets
Onions

Carrots will only be sweet when harvested in the cold. My husband didn't believe me this year and took some of my late carrots that I was trying to let go to seed. Bitter, bitter, bitter.

I can get away with some english peas if our winter is mild - it's worth the chance.

All the tender greens I plant in the green house or under cover - not so much because of the cold but because all of the critters (birds, rabbits, squirrels etc.) will do almost anything to get at them.

You can plant a little of this every week or every couple of weeks all winter for a continuous supply of whatever happens to be coming up.

I eat the greens from the onions, turnips and beets and then later harvest the root.

Also - try your luck at broccoli brussel sprouts and cauliflour. This is THE time to grow them but I just don't have the touch.

Garlic I plant last week of September or first week of October.

A lot of people don't realize that the south eastern garden can provide food all winter long. If we do get a freeze a lot of that stuff bounces right back. Good luck and happy planting!

Thanks for all your advice; I'm gonna try to plant a winter garden this year. Like you said, I had no idea that one could even plant a winter garden; this is really exciting.

For some reason I dont see annuals as a part of permaculture.
I have to see perennial trees/vines/herb. Whats your view on it.