The cold and rain has arrived here, though no snow for now. We were sweltering and batting at insects. Now I am thinking about cold weather projects.
I just ordered spinach so I can start it now, cover it for the winter, and harvest in the spring when the insects are not out and the spinach is crunchy with moisture. Fall-planted spinach will last through a bitter Minnesota winter and pop up for early spring.
Peas can be planted extra early in the spring, far earlier than people imagine.
Lettuce also loves cold and rain but bolts and turns bitter with heat.
Fall means the hardy bulbs will arrive soon and be planted: tulips, garlic, daffodils, giant aliums, crown imperials. Garlic will be my deterrent against predators going for the tulips. That may work.
I also started with suet, which I can buy at the meat market. I told them, "If the raccoons find it first, I am cutting off their supply."
Fat-loving birds are the ones that eat insects, so we want to see chickadees, starlings, woodpeckers, and many others clustered around the suet bags.
