Issue #046, October 17, 2013

Winter Gardening Tips, Volume 1

The leaves are falling, the air outside is getting crisp, and soon it will be time for holidays, family gatherings, pumpkin pie and other yummy, hopefully healthy sweets, and a lot less gardening.

If you're ready for a break, that's fine, but if you'd like fresh, healthy produce even in the dead of winter, I have good news: There are a lot of great ways to grow food even when it's not sunny and warm outside. Here are some helpful ideas for gardening in winter.

Build a Cold Frame - A cold frame allows you to take maximum advantage of the winter sun and the warmth of a south-facing wall to grow lettuce, radishes and other vegetables. It's not hard to build, and it is neither expensive nor time-consuming. A cold frame can be easily built in a couple of hours. Learn how here.

Have a Container Garden Indoors - With a good, south-facing window, you can have a container garden and grow lettuce and herbs for a healthy, fresh salad even if there's snow outside. Learn more.

Grow Sprouts - Sprouts are some of the best, healthiest foods out there, and they're easy to grow right on your kitchen counter. Sprouts have a powerful nutritional punch, and eating them on a regular basis will help reduce your risk of cancer. You can even steam sprouts, including wheat sprouts, like you would fresh vegetables or add them to your salad.

Try a Hydroponic Garden - A hydroponics system, along with a grow light, will enable you to grow a garden just about anywhere. Plus, depending on the system, you can grow virtually any type of vegetable, including tomatoes and peppers, as well as salad greens.

And while you're enjoying your winter harvest, don't forget to take time and plan for your spring garden. The winter months are a good time to order seeds, and if you order seeds in bulk and store them properly, you will save money and have seeds on hand for up to five years.

The winter months are also a good time to start seeds indoors. By starting your own plants from seeds, you can save money and have the variety you want.

When you are ordering your seeds, consider investing in heirloom seeds. That way, you'll have access to a wider, stronger variety of foods and be able to save your seeds for next year.

I'll have more tips on winter gardening in my next ezine. Until then, as always, happy homesteading!

Have you heard about my new novel?

Get off the grid at a fraction of the cost. Here's how.