Proud Daddy

They made it! After several days of subfreezing weather, I was sure that my little winter garden was done for. Not so fast! With some care and a touch of warmer weather, my little leeks are back and full of life.

I'm really proud of them. I mean, not proud like "Look at my prize winning leeks", but more like "I'm so happy I didn't kill my plants." I did the research to make sure I was taking proper care of them (this is my first winter garden), but somehow I just wasn't sure if they would make it through last week's arctic breezes. So here are a few tips to make sure that you keep your winter plants alive:

1) Water them. I know this may sound counterintuitive when it's freezing outside, but a thin layer of ice can actually help protect winter plants. Also, when the wind blows it requires much more energy for plants to stay strong. So if it's freezing and windy and you don't water, your little plants may well die from starvation, not from the cold.

2) Move your warmer plants (lime trees, potted plants, etc.) inside or at least in the garage. Even a few degrees makes a huge difference to plants.

3) If the weather gets really bad you can use a cardboard box to cover your plants. Put a string of Christmas lights inside to provide some warmth. The heat from the lights will provide just enough heat to keep your plants alive and well. Just be careful about the lights being on the wet ground.

Still gathering for the spring garden. I'm just such a proud Daddy today!