Quick answer – most reliable berries for Zone 3–5 / H6–H8: Strawberries · Raspberries · Haskap (honeyberry) · Currants · Gooseberries Most people assume growing berries in cold climates means settling for less. That assumption is wrong, and it is costing gardeners years of harvests they could already be enjoying. Berries are the strongest fruit…
How to fill a raised bed – Zones 3–5 (USA/Canada) | H6–H8 (Nordic/Northern Europe) Filling a raised bed with the wrong materials can cost you an entire growing season. The First Season I Filled a Raised Bed – and What I Got Wrong If you live in a cold climate, whether that is northern Norway,…
These are the 15 best vegetables for raised beds in cold climate gardens – Zone 3–5 and H6–H8: lettuce · spinach · arugula · kale · carrots · beets · radishes · turnips · onions · garlic · peas · Swiss chard · potatoes · herbs · kohlrabi Raised beds give you warmer soil earlier,…
The soil inside your raised bed determines whether it warms up in May or stays cold until June. In cold climates, most bagged topsoil alone leads to compaction, poor drainage, and slow growth within one or two seasons. The fix is a three-part mix that builds in the properties cold climate soil naturally lacks. The…
September is the last real planting month in most cold climate gardens, and it deserves to be used well. For gardeners in Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, a well-timed September sowing can mean fresh greens on the table well into October and beyond. Soil temperatures in September are still carrying the…
In cold climate gardens across Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, August marks the start of the late growing season. While some summer crops are finishing, this article will tell you what to plant in August. Many fast-growing and cold-tolerant vegetables can still be planted successfully. Soil temperatures in August are still…
July can feel late in the season for northern gardeners, but in reality it is an important month for second plantings and fast-growing crops. In northern regions from Canada to Scandinavia and northern Europe, July offers the most reliable growing conditions of the year. Seeds germinate quickly in warm soil, and crops planted now will…
June is the most productive planting month in cold climate gardens. Soil temperatures have finally warmed, daylight hours are at their longest, and growth accelerates rapidly. For gardeners in Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, June is when the season truly hits its stride. Many crops can still go in the ground…
May is the month when cold climate gardens come alive. In northern regions across Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, May is often the first time the soil is warm enough to plant in earnest, and the pace of the growing season suddenly picks up. By May, cool-tolerant vegetables can go directly…
Here is exactly what you can plant outdoors in April in a cold climate – even with frost still possible: These crops germinate in cold soil and grow well before summer heat arrives. If your soil is workable and above 4°C (39°F), you can start now. For warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers: April is…