Comments on: A simple winter mulch = easy winter harvesting

By: Judy Fulton

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 19:31:02 +0000

Be careful of straw contaminated with herbicides. I opted for certified organic because I was warned that contaminated straw can put a garden bed out of commission for years.

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By: Maryf

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 00:17:43 +0000

We followed this advice one winter with mixed results due to the weather. There was a thaw in Jan. with rain followed by freezing temperatures again. The old bed sheet covering the thick layer of mulch froze to the ground and mulch. It ripped when I wanted to pull it up to harvest. Mother Nature has a way of thwarting ones plans.

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By: savvygardening

Fri, 21 Nov 2014 11:50:00 +0000

Hi Alan.. straw is a great insulator! I often use it on herbs, celery and even big kale plants. There is a cold limit, but I’m in zone 5 and have no issue winter harvesting root crops all winter. Certain root crops – carrots, parsnips, beets, for example – are more cold tolerant than others, like radishes, so I recommend concentrating on those. The earth protects them quite well and the additional layer of straw mulch keeps the soil from freezing for easier harvest, as well as providing further insulation. Crops like celeriac that are above ground need to be well mulched as they are prone to freezing damage and then – as you mentioned – can become mush.

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By: alangberg

Fri, 21 Nov 2014 04:12:00 +0000

I’m not growing any root crops currently, but I use straw on the herbs (Love the stuff.)
How cold can the root crops take it before they get freeze-dried or turn to mush…or is there no limit on min. temp?

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