Cold Climate Gardening

Regardless of our locations, gardeners must always deal with some type of challenge. In the north, the challenges vary from not-so-great soil, a lack of rain (in some places) and short growing seasons to unexpected frosts, heavy snow (which is actually a great insulator), and extremely cold temperatures. Although I don't live in a cold climate, I know many people who do. Most of my family resides in either Massachusetts or Ohio. I also have many friends scattered about the northern region, all of which maintain beautiful gardens. Living in the south, I'm accustomed to heat, humidity, and long growing seasons. This, however, is not the case with cold climates. So finding myself seemingly curious about the obstacles cold-climate gardeners face, such as cold temperatures, I decided to find out how one is able to grow such lovely gardens in such cold climates. I did some research, asked around, and found that gardening in a cold climate isn't any more difficult than in any other climate. In fact, much of the same principles and techniques are still used in cold climates as they are here in the south.

I started by asking one of my northern friends about her cold climate gardening. She lives near Cleveland, where much of my family also resides. She likes to implement raised beds in her garden. She says this helps warm the ground faster so she can plant sooner. She also likes to use what she calls borderline plants, which are hardy in Zone 6 and tender in Zone 5. She places these near the foundation of her home or other areas near concrete, which stores heat and keeps the plants warmer. This in effect, ups their chances of survival in cooler conditions. In fact, she went on to note that she once had a snapdragon live for three years growing it this way. Taking root beneath the warm concrete porch, the plant surprisingly kept returning each year. She also covers her tender plants during late frosts, although she has heard of other people using jugs of water around their plants in order to keep them warm during light frosts. Other than this, she concludes by saying that most cold-climate gardeners are simply "resigned to the fact that the season ends when it ends."

I also found some great tips from Alaskan gardener, Les Brake. Temperatures can easily drop below zero in his neck of the woods; yet, he still manages to maintain a beautiful garden. According to Brake, "heavy frost is bad but heavy snow is good." He notes that while covering plants does provide them with some protection, snow can actually "insulate the ground and protect hardy plants." Brake also suggests that you implement raised beds, which allows the soil to drain easier and warm faster, another idea that can be used in any region. To help extend the season, Brake also uses cold frames, which are great for acclimating young seedlings to the cooler climate. Likewise, the use of containers is another option. During bouts of frost or severely cold weather, these can be easily moved indoors. Most tender perennials can also be over wintered indoors. Prior to the first frost, simply bring them inside and place near a bright window receiving eastern or southern exposure. Just as with gardening in the south, he recommends choosing and growing the most well suited plants for your specific region. It seems regardless of where you live, this is a given for any successful garden venture, including cold climate gardening. check with your local extension office or visit the library to find information about native plants in your area. Keep in mind that plants located in sunny but wind-sheltered areas can generally be one zone warmer than what may be listed. There are also tons of resourceful sites on the Web that may be useful.

Other useful tips for cold climate gardening include learning how to deal with microclimates, which can vary considerably from place to place within the same landscape. Also, it seems that what kills plants more than cold temperatures is simply a lack of water in the winter, especially when it's dry. Cold climate gardening isn't any different from gardening elsewhere after all. It's simply a matter of common sense in most cases. Nonetheless, I think I'll still take the cozy warmth of southern winters any day.