There are lots of reasons for learning winter gardening. But, getting healthier is a big factor. There are some resources in this Mercola article.



http://articles.mercola.com/si...

Interesting... though it seems too good to be true in a place like N. Illinois...

The most enthusiastic proponents of winter gardening are Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch and they live in Maine.

http://www.vegetablegardener.c...

Of course, you can't grow tomatoes and peppers, but you can grow a wide variety of cruciferous vegetables and Asian greens.

We have already learned you can make a 4 x 4 piece of ground very productive. Put a cold frame on it, and it should be a great way to have some fresh greens in winter.

I haven't tried this yet, but Ive been buying up old windows to start an experimental cold frame this winter.

Maybe watch Craig's List? We often see old windows in the FREE section!

Woops. I paid 10$ for mine. I don't think there is a craig's list in rural Alabama. We do have habitat, though, and they recycle windows also. I just bought mine at a local flea market where I spotted a stash of them in a back room.

Not a bad price. Good luck and post some pictures, please?

I got a cold frame for free from a friend who doesn't have a spot for it. I'm excited to try it this fall/winter!

I used to use cold frames years ago but I moved away from that farm and left the cold frame behind. I should make another one for this winter. Thanks for reminding me of the utility of these wonderful season extenders!

Well I didn't get mine done this winter, but I am collecting more windows!

One of these days I want to do one of the cold frame ones sunk into the earth. I think it's Oehler who has the designs? Seems like a great use of space and resources. Guess it's time to start collecting windows too!

Around here at historic houses there are often pit green houses. These are maybe 12 by 12 feet with sashes faced to the south. The one across the street from me is made of brick, with a single large south-facing sash ---maybe 12ft wide by 14 ft tall-- like a huge chicken coop.

This is not exactly what we have locally, but the idea is similar.

http://www.inspirationgreen.co...

Wow, those are some pretty amazing ones. Looks like the ones i was looking at. Around here our earth is really easy to dig into so it seems like it would be perfect for the winter. I've still never seen one in person, just in youtube videos.

Some of them around here seem to be quite small--like they were just used to get an early start on plants for the summer garden. But winter gardening would be a good option here. Yes. We are on a sandy soil, too. Easy to dig. Probably old river bottom, over red clay subsoil.

http://www.alabama360.com/batt...

O.K. This is a virtual tour of one of the historic houses in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Click on "Gazebo". The pit green house is to the left of the main building. Unfortunately, the tour does not include a view of the greenhouse construction.