This is a depressing time of the year for Winnipeg gardeners and foodies, especially ones who do a lot of stuff on the internet… Like me.
The snow has finally melted off my garden, exposing the disaster of shredded leaves and stubble that is left from last fall. (The leaves were put on the garden on purpose, and will be dig into the soil as soon as it can be worked. The stubble is there because – well, hey, I was busy last fall.) The ground is still too damp to do anything, although if I had some raised beds I could be planting the first of my spring lettuce right now. It’ll be a few more weeks before I can start some serious gardening.
Meanwhile, the food blogosphere is starting to revel in the treasures of (a much earlier) spring, especially things like grilled asparagus. It’s at this point I start whimpering, since we won’t be seeing fresh local asparagus for another month or so.
Asparagus *is* one of the things that I would like to grow. My parents have always grown their own asparagus in Ohio, and getting those first spears from the garden was a treat. Of course, by the end of asparagus season you were totally sick of seeing, tasting or smelling asparagus, but that happens with every type of prolific vegetable when you grow your own. (Remember the late summer inundation of zucchini?)
The problem with asparagus is that it’s a perennial, so you have to plan ahead and find someplace where it can live for a long time. This location also has to be in full sun or close to it, which is a problem for us. I love our elm tree, but sometimes the shade it casts causes issues.
Anyway, now I’m waiting for our first influx of fresh spring vegetables, and my favorites: asparagus and the first sugar snap peas. What are you waiting for?
3 Comments
April 20, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I personally am excited to be having a vegetable garden for the first time since I was, oh, 8 or 9! I’m curious to see what types of veggies do well in the MB climate – any recommendations?
April 20, 2009 at 4:00 pm
You can pretty much grow any vegetable here, provided it got enough of a head start inside. (The growing season isn’t long enough for something like watermelon to grow from seeds, but if you get a seedling and do some babying, you might get one or two.)
I’ve never had much luck with sweet peppers, but some people say they grow like gangbusters here, so it might be a location/soil thing.
On the other hand, I’ve had fantastic luck with zucchini, tomatoes, peas, beans, lettuce, carrots and beets.
Good luck! :)
April 22, 2009 at 9:14 pm
If you really have the gardening itch you could always plant some early spring lettuce in a pot or bowl (aka a mini raised bed!!)
I love growing potatoes and pretty much everything here in Winnipeg. I tried sweet peppers once and also no good results, but I will try again this year with greenhouse started plants. I have already started tomatos, cabbage, watercress, basil and some flowers from seeds. Next week will be watermelon, squash (summer and winter) and marigolds.