New Contributor

by Kathy Purdy on March 9, 2004

I’ve just invited Paul Apfelbeck of Alaska to join this blog and contribute his experiences gardening in a very cold climate. I’ll let him introduce himself and describe his gardening conditions. I hope we’ll be hearing from you frequently, Paul!

About Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children

You might also like:

There’s one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor’s.

Clyde Moore

{ 3 comments }

Alice Nelson March 17, 2004 at 9:36 am: We don’t plant any annuals before June 1st. There is a possibility of frost after that, in which case we hold our breaths and cover things, and the local plant merchants cheer (replacements, you know). We plant only short season tomatoes or corn – 60-70 days. I also use Walls o’Water for tomatoes. First frost comes sometime the last of September.
Kathy March 11, 2004 at 7:08 pm: I always knew there were people out there dealing with colder, harsher climates than mine, I just had never heard from them. Thank you for stopping by to let us know how things are going. When is your last spring frost, usually?
Alice Nelson March 10, 2004 at 10:10 am: Up here in Michigan’s UP we still have 2-3 feet of snow, and more coming. Our zones vary from 5 near Lake Superior to 3 inland; we are zone 4. Sice I have a gardening business that covers all these zones, it makes things interesting. I do have a Bittersweet Euonymous on my porch railing that is green (nipped a little by sub-zero temps)
and loads of geraniums growing in my house, most in south windows, but some under lights. To start clippings, I just stick them in water until they have roots and then pot them up. Or use root hormone and vermiculite. Yup, just about time to get some seeds planted!