Creative Foraging and Gardening in the Winter Season
A week ago, I decided to purchase 2 lbs of radishes from my local grocery store. Radishes are not in season where I live in Canada. In fact, when I awoke this morning, this was my view from my backyard:
It is winter and my gardening and foraging opportunities have become some what limited by the blanket of snow that Mother Nature has used to insulate and give a much need rest to the plant life and the soil around me.
This has meant that I am going through a wee bit of gardening and foraging withdrawal.
When I went to buy the radishes, I couldn't find any that were sold in a bunch with their leaves still intact. The leaves are useful to me because I juice blend green leafy things everyday, so I try to buy vegetable that also have leaves that I can juice, when I can no longer grow them myself, due to my country's climate.
You can imagine my surprise and slight disappointment when I found radishes that were sold in 1 lbs bags, already washed, but without their leaves. Not exactly what I wanted, but I bought 2 bags anyways.
When I got them home, I opened the bags, cleaned and sorted them and found 5 that had small little green nodes at one end. It looked like new leaf growth, so I sliced the tops off and stuck them in water.
This is what they look like with 5 days of growth on them so far. No roots are visible on the underside of them yet.
I think I am going to leave them in their water medium and see if I can get them to continue to grow leaves. Then, I will juice them before they get too bitter, if I am successful.
As a follow-up to my ginger rooting, which was also a grocery store forage, it seems I've had some growth.
Here's what it looks like now, with 3 weeks in soil:
I also brushed all the snow off my lemon-thyme so that I could harvest some. It doesn't look like the snow has hurt it.
Thank you for indulging me with my foraging and gardening withdrawal. Winter is so long and I'll try not to whine.
I welcome your comments and I invite your to follow me on my journey.
~Rebecca Ryan
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Excellent job on the grocery store foraging :)
I desperately miss my garden (due to moving into a temporary POS) but one day I will be able to grow my food again. I also put scallions and celery stalks in water. I haven't quite experimented with red potatoes yet. But if you've got some 5 gallon buckets you can make an indoor garden fairly easily and what's nice is you can bring them back outside once the weather warms up.
Thanks for comment @merej99!
That's a great idea about the 5 gallon buckets for in door growing!
My husband just complained that he keeps tripping over my planters...
We don't have window sill space, so my plants are currently on the floor in front of windows and our patio door. What can I say, I'm having a hard time adjusting to winter confinement...lol
My husband and I moved to Florida nearly 2 years ago due to his job transfer. Prior to that we were in the Adirondacks for about a year in one of the coldest winters I have ever experienced with -20 degree F weather for weeks. Hubby and I got cold-soaked. I don't think my bones could take it if I tried! Being stuck indoors and cold definitely made me a little batty. LOL
But the bucket garden is amazing and deep enough for a small amount of carrots or small potatoes. :)
It is a goal of mine to re-store the small house we bought 18 months ago into a more sustainable home where we can grow some of our own food and go off-grid if and when we want to. We are in 850 sq/ft. That's not exactly considered tiny living but it's close and having 1 winter under our belts already we know how small it can become in the dead of winter. We try to be nice to one another... but sometimes it's tough when it's too cold to go outside :D
Nice growing! I wonder what else is under your snow besides that thyme - it sure looks in good shape. Do you ever grow sprouts on micro-greens in the winter? Enjoy your radish tops! You might like lettuce, celery, green onions, and carrots, too.
Thanks @haphazard-hstead! I have 1 tiny bit of kale that might be hardy enough to have survived the snow. Yes, I sprout quite a bit, so that helps. The thyme is really hardy as well. I got looking at it and thought it kind of resembles an evergreen. I haven't research it yet and it has me very curious. I just used that whole bunch to make savory biscuits with the left over sweet pepper hummus that I made a few days ago and the flavour is great. I will post the recipe tomorrow.
Those thyme biscuits sound really great! Herbs are so great to have around. Stay warm and cozy in all that winter!
Thanks @haphazard-hstead! I was grateful that the snow didn't seem to phase the plant. The thyme and rosemary together is a lovely flavour combo. :)
You're welcome.