Way earlier, after our big October freeze, I gave up on the collard greens, kale and lettuces. Then there was a day or two of 40 degrees – and they perked up. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice that until it was starting to snow again, and they drooped. But now, on New Year’s Eve, we’re in our third day of 40s – though the temperature is falling, with a high in the 20s predicted for New Year’s Day.
So after I fed the birds this morning (and son Brian’s cats and guppies), I took the scissors and Evert-Fresh green bags (keep everything fresh for a long time – but still plastic) outside to see what I could find. Wow! Quite the haul of greens. A huge bag of collard greens, a wonderful bag of kale, which got planted in September, so it’s still growing the tender young extra curly leaves, and a fair amount of staghorn lettuce. The other lettuces have given up the ghost for 2009.
I was surprised anything was left. And I’m definitely hoping for more 40 degree days in January. Next year, I’m going to plant spinach in September and October – according to the White House chef in charge of their garden, it’s a lot sweeter when grown in winter – because it knows that the sweeter it is, the less likely it is to freeze. I guess the kale and collards know that, too! Wish the parsley did.