I love to garden, my life is just plain better when I am playing with dirt. The colors textures and variety of a garden are a balm to my soul. If I was ever going to be an artist then the soil would be my canvas and the plants my medium. Okay, you all have the idea, I love gardening.

Well, 12 years ago I bought my dream property in October. A unique fixer-upper with 10 acres, a year-round creek, plenty of vegetation and a healthy wood lot, cleared land with fenced in pastures, oh and a microclimate that has a near perpetual winter, or at least that is what it feels like in March, April, May and occasionally June.

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That first winter on my dream property was a bit sobering, but I was still upbeat because snow is pretty wonderful and so I waited for spring and waited for spring and oh right, I kept on waiting for spring. My sister was getting married that summer at our home and my husband and I planted new grass seed in June while it snowed…..

So the point of my rambling is you might be sitting right now up to your ears in snow and ice thinking you can never have a garden because what’s the point? Well, I have a 75-day guaranteed frost-free growing season and I have been successfully gardening for about 15 years. What is my secret? I cheat. I cheat mother nature every chance I get. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY. Extending the growing season is essential to my success. You do not need a giant hoop house or an expensive glass greenhouse (I am not going to lie, those are dreamy fun options too.) What you need is imagination and the ability to use what is available. think upcycling.

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Helpful Hint

Cheating involves extending your growing season, I find it is easier to get a head start in the spring when the plants are small. It’s a lot harder to cover an 8 ft tomato plant in the fall.

Top 7 Ways to Cheat Mother Nature

1. Greenhouse – I have had several greenhouses from a 90ft hoop house to a store-bought kit. At the moment I have a lean-to greenhouse off of my barn. easy to build, economical and practical. With a bit of supplemental heat, I can start seeds in January. I often start tomato plants in 20-gallon containers in February and carry them out to the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Basil, peppers, and eggplants never get to leave the greenhouse, they enjoy warm consistent temperatures all season long.
2. Cold-Frames – I have made my garden beds into cold frames. I raise the sides and add corrugated plastic to the top. These DIY beds heat the soil by 15°- 20° and allow me to plant as soon as the soil thaws. Be careful to leave the sides open if the sun is shining hard, the sun may fry your seedling if you are not careful.
3. Cloches – Cloches are essentially mini greenhouses that protect delicate seedlings from frost damage. Traditionally they were made from glass bell-shaped jars. If there is a frost warning or hail from a thunderstorm I cover delicate seedlings with black plastic potting containers.
4. Buying Starts – Get a head start by buying vegetable starts, usually the larger the better. Many online nurseries will sell and ship vegetable heirloom starts. This will add weeks to your growing season.
5. Heat Mats – So you want to start your vegetables from seed, I get that. You get a much broader variety of vegetables by growing from seed. So just to help you out with this go and buy a heat mat, you will thank me. Many vegetable and flower seeds will only germinate at a certain range of soil temperature and a heat mat warms the soil from the bottom and you will have much more consistent results with seed germination and sprouting.
6. Plastic Mulch – Laying plastic mulch in your garden jump starts your growing season and may help you plant warm weather crops that you never thought you would be able to grow. Plastic mulch acts as a great insulator keeping the soil warm during the day and staves off the cold during nights.
7. Grow for Your Climate – Sorry to be such a downer but sometimes the obvious solution is the easiest. There are many varieties of vegetables that tolerate and respond better to cool weather. Expand your garden by exploring vegetables that you have never tried. For the tomatoes and peppers and melons, visit your local farmers market and support your farmer.

Vegetable Gardening is both rewarding and empowering, being able to supply you or your family with fresh food is an essential skill worth cultivating. So get out there and play with some dirt and please share your ideas on how YOU cheat mother nature.