Even though we have many nights below freezing, even down to the low 20s, I can and do grow a garden all year long! Last year we had one night/early morning that got down to 18 Degrees F. (-7.7 Degrees C.). Most of my plants survived just fine. I've even seen some of my plants completely encased in "Solid Ice!" They survived just fine!!!RamonaGS wrote:I'm restricted to mostly containers here where I am in Solvang, So I am sticking to stuff that I can grow that way. I do have some plots where I can plant and grow right in the ground, but I am using those to grow herbs. I LOVE cooking with fresh herbs! So I'm mostly growing culinary herbs, but I did end up with some sad neglected roses that I rehabilitated, so I am trying to grow some lavendar to plant with them, because lavendar and roses smell so beautiful together.
I actually have family in both of the places where you each live! I have relatives in Apple Valley, and ModestoAnd winter gets a lot colder in your areas than it does here. We can usually grow stuff all year long.
I have no idea what climate zone Solvang is in, I just know it's hot and dry here in the summer, lol
Re: What are You Planting for Fall-Winter (Central Californi
I have pictures that I took showing the frost and even ice covering my plants!RamonaGS wrote:Oh wow, that's awesome vja! I have heard some plants can survive frost like that. Which plants were the ones which survived the frost?
Let's see .... These are the plants that survive through the Fall and Winter, below-freezing temperatures:
> Southern Curled Mustard, Red Giant Mustard
> Chinese Cabbage
> Swiss Chard
> Radishes
> Beets
> Turnips
> Kale
> Kohlrabi
> Collards
> Carnations
> Calendulas (Flowers still blooming, even down to 18 Degrees F.!!!)
> Verbena
>Ice Plant
> Stinging Nettle
> Cilantro
> Oregano
> Thyme
And a few more plants .....
Oh yes .... Here are more plants from my garden that survive below freezing temperatures:RamonaGS wrote:Good to know. I heard carrots survive frost, but carrots do not survive me. I LOVE fresh carrots, so they are usually gone by the time they are big enough to be eaten, LOL!
> Carrots
> Spinach
> Lettuce
> Henbit
> Mint
> Rosemary
> Sage
> Green Onions
> Garlic
> Pansies
> Chickweed
> Dandelions
> Peas
> African Daisies
> Lemon Grass (dies to the ground, but roots survive, and new shoots grow in early Spring)
> Hollyhock
> Shasta Daisies
> California Poppies
> Dusty Miller
> Rose
> Geranium
and a few more .....
I tried growing Cucumber and Squash (also Pumpkin, Watermelon and Cantaloupe), but they got infected really bad with so many bugs, almost completely destroyed my entire garden, two years in a row!!! I tried deadly poison, homemade sprays, but nothing worked. So I don't grow those things anymore and haven't had any problems with bugs.RamonaGS wrote:Yeah, I am going to plant carrots this year, but because of them faring well in cold, and the fact that we have a long growing season, I have time to wait before I try to sprout seeds, lol I want to concentrate on cucumbers and squash for now
I do have one plant that appears to be a Volunteer Cucumber. Not sure, but I think that's what it is. I never planted it, so must be from the birds. Will see what happens ... I would like to have some fresh Cucumbers!!!
I'm trying to grow the persian cucumbers this year. My brother's partner introduced me to them and she and I both LOVE them! They have a very thin skin, and mild flavor. Plus they are great for pickling! This is my first season growing in Solvang, but a few years ago when my mom tried to grow cucumbers the thing hardly grew, and we only got 1 cucumber, LOL! Partly because my mom forgot what she had planted and where, so until I saw a cucumber on it, I thought the plant was a melon of some sort, LOL! If we knew it was a cucumber, I would've fertilized it, but like I said, I wasn't sure WHAT was growing there, LOL