Last fall while getting my oil changed I saw a TV show on winter gardening.  Has anyone ever done this and if so where is a good site to get information.  From what I remember there were tops over the garden and most of it was leafy stuff like arugula however it was fresh, healthy and in your back yard.  The gardens were in a raised bed with a cover on them but I figure this summer would be a good time to get the groundwork layed for this type of garden.  Anyone have any informaton on this? 

Thanks

I've never done a winter garden, so don't have much helpful info to provide, but I wanted to suggest if you try it, try protecting your beds or cold frame with straw bales.  We get so much cold weather, wind and snow, I figured a winter garden wouldn't work where I am.  However, I try to plant cool weather stuff like lettuce and spinach in fall to get one last crop.  This past fall, I had lettuce seedlings to go in, but then it got too cold, so I was thrilled when they grew inside in pots all winter.  Wish I had a sun room or greenhouse!!

Mother Earth News has published a couple of articles on winter gardening that might be interesting to read. 

"My Rocky Mountain Winter Gardern" By: Coleman, Clara. Mother Earth News, Dec2003/Jan2004 Issue 201, p24-25.

"What To Do In Winter" By: Pleasant, Barbara. Mother Earth News, Oct/Nov2007 Issue 224, p102-106.

 If your library doesn't have this publication, you should be able to order them through your Interlibrary Loan program. 

 I hope this is helpful!

Saver101:

"My Rocky Mountain Winter Gardern" By: Coleman, Clara. Mother Earth News, Dec2003/Jan2004 Issue 201, p24-25.

"What To Do In Winter" By: Pleasant, Barbara. Mother Earth News, Oct/Nov2007 Issue 224, p102-106.

These are online. The first is here: My Rocky Mountain Winter Garden

 and the second is here:  What To Do in Winter

CharlieB:

Wish I had a sun room or greenhouse!!

Sorry, CharlieB, just saw this and thought of you.  Something you might think about if you have the room:

http://pvcgreenhouse.blogspot.com/

I've also seen plans for smaller ones, just big enough to go over a raised bed. I'll have to google around and see if I can find it again.  In the small ones you kind of weave the plastic in and out of the poles, and you can access the plants by sliding up the plastic, then sliding it back down.

arianasilver:

CharlieB:

Wish I had a sun room or greenhouse!!

Sorry, CharlieB, just saw this and thought of you.  Something you might think about if you have the room:

Awesome!!  Thanks!!  Of course this link'll go in my Excel listing of web sites.  : )   I know hubby & me could construct something like this.  I was talking to him just the other day about a small greenhouse 'cause when I put my seedlings out, even under my shower door setup, they still get a little wind beaten or something starts chewing on them.  Actually one year we did install PVC tubes along the sides of my one veggie bed.  Smaller PVC pipe bends over the bed (3 sets), and gets inserted into the PVC pipes in the ground.  Then I put my material row cover over and clamp down.  I can pull out the hoop pipes later, after I don't need the row cover anymore.  BUT, I can't get inside there or anything.  When I have so many trays of seedlings, something I could walk into and put trays in would be more convenient.  Hmmm, we do have a big roll of plastic sheeting in the basement... 

CharlieB:

pull out the hoop pipes later, after I don't need the row cover anymore.  BUT, I can't get inside there or anything.

 Ahhhh!!! I remember how it worked now!!! Double-up the pvc pipe (putting two side-by-side for each hoop).  Then you weave the plastic through the two pipes when you cover the hoops so you can easily slide the plastic up and down and get to the seedlings.  That might not have made sense...I wish I could draw it for you, or find that darn website.

For a full-sized house, this one is really detailed....I'm bookmarking it myself!  http://www.sd1new.net/GardenPages/greenhouse.htm