After more than an inch of ice and at least half a foot of snow precipitated on us and then lingered for four days in late January and early February, I had my doubts about whether my veggie tunnels would still have viable veggies in them. Temperatures, after all, have been running about ten degrees below normal for several weeks, and adding ice and snow on top of that did not bode well for plants that like sunshine. It took some time to brush off the snow and break off the ice, but I’m delighted to report that almost everything survived. Given that it was still quite cold when I took photographs, I didn’t want to take the tunnels all the way off, so “after” photographs are through the tunnels.
On November 29:
January 31:
Are those really veggie tunnels under all of that snow and ice?
Yes, and those are cold frames in the distance.
February 1: time to take off the snow
They’re looking pretty sad. Did anything survive?
Yes! the veggies live!
I also dug several radishes and some carrots from the cold frames yesterday, so those too continue to thrive.
We’ve already got at least four inches more snow today (February 8), and radar shows a heavy band of snow moving in within a few hours and then more overnight, for a total of 8-12 inches. I’ll sleep easy through this storm, though, knowing that my winter garden is surviving, snug under its tunnels of veggie love.
If you’re in the path of this latest storm (or any other) make sure you tuck in your veggies before you tuck in yourself.
