The Winter Garden
Winter is a somewhat dormant time for the garden, at least in comparison to the production we experience the rest of the year. But here there is still growth and we know the dormancy is an important part of the cycle to prepare the soil for the growth in the coming months. We plant cover crop blends (we love ones from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply in CA) to give the soil back some of what was taken throughout the year.
There are also winter greens growing such as cabbage and kale, as well as some hardy arugula that seems to stick out the cold temperatures. Its nice to walk through the winter garden and notice the beauty still present here in the cold. Even the dried silhouettes of resting plants, like our Loofa Gourds and our Lemongrass have their own elegance, almost a statuesque quality. Though the landscape is mostly stark, and the color palette has changed to more muted hues, life is still all around.
The beautiful purple leaves of our raspberry bushes
Cover crop blend after our last frost.
Purple cabbage
Some hardy Arugula
Dried Lemongrass