December is a quiet month in the garden.
Soggy soils (or snow), cold temperatures, and low light levels mean that growth has pretty much stopped, and there is not a lot to do in the vegetable patch.
A colder and wetter winter than normal is predicted for our area, but I’m not sure that ‘normal’ exists anymore with climate change.
Just in case, prepare your vegetable patch for another cold winter; lots of mulch, stake any tall broccoli or kale plants, and have a few tarps on hand. Use the tarps to cover beds of leafy greens overnight if temperatures will dip below -5 C, and brassicas like cauliflower and broccoli if the dip will be below -9 C.
Remember to ensure that anything you harvest is completely thawed before you pick it.
Pick it frozen and it will turn into a slimy mush quickly as it thaws inside.
With the holiday season fast approaching, you may be looking for some gift ideas for the gardeners in your life.
Here are a few of my suggestions:
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The North Shore Foodie Cookbook came out a few years ago, but it is still a great addition to the kitchen book shelf. Full of recipes and stories from chefs, bakers, brewers, and more on the North Shore. foodiebook.ca/where-to-buy
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Stop in at the Blue House Café in Deep Cove Dec. 5-10 for their Holiday Pop-Up featuring great products from local makers. The café also has some killer crepes, and an amazing selection of local and organic food (a gift card would make a great stocking stuffer). bluhousecafe.com/eventscalendar/
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I’ve had mixed success with fermenting at home. When it goes poorly… it goes very stinky. However, these simple weight and airlock sets for mason jars look like they would help the novice home fermenter! I found these ones at Lee Valley. leevalley.com/en.
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Black garlic is growing in popularity. It has fermented bulbs of garlic that are very high in antioxidants and chefs swear by their amazing flavour. Find a recipe for fermenting your own, and you have just about enough time to sneak these into a stocking!
- Seeds are a gardeners’ best friend! Get your garden guru a gift certificate to the BC Eco Seed Co-Op. You’ll also be supporting the amazing group of farmers working to produce and improve the seeds they sell! bcecoseedcoop.com/
Happy gardening!
Emily Jubenvill grew up on the North Shore and is passionate about growing fresh organic food. She’s working on her organic farm and homestead in Enderby, B.C. You can reach her at [email protected] or on Instagram at emily.enderberry.
