Looking for gardening tips in northern NH (Conway, Gorham: houses, garden)

[Lynne1960]

I have just moved to Gorham from Louisiana. I am an avid gardener, flowers and/or vegetables. Any ideas or suggestions would be so appreciated! Thanks so much!

[avlis13013]

Try here: Home and Community Food Gardening - UNH Cooperative Extension
Click the links in the menu on the left.

[SuperSparkle928]

Originally Posted by Lynne1960

I have just moved to Gorham from Louisiana. I am an avid gardener, flowers and/or vegetables. Any ideas or suggestions would be so appreciated! Thanks so much!

At a couple of places we tried growing things in NH (one house has 5 large perennial gardens, and those are easy in that environment).... Roses are tough, as the winters could get a little rough. Ended up with a few green houses (attached to the houses), and you can grow just about anything. Vegetables are easy, (though the relatives thought I was a wimp, as I was only willing to plant half an acre outside).
Need more info... size? what types of flowers and vegetables? Been quite a while since I was in New England, but if I recall correctly the USDA hardiness zone is 4b.... so that sort of eliminates roses outdoors (even when burying them in the winter)... All the classic vegetables are easy, though I would start some of them in a coldframe...
Good Luck! It is fun!.

[Mac_Muz]

You can grow things in NH, but not outdoors right now.... it might be an idea to check the soil(s) you have now, and maybe till it..... get it ready for May.

You don't have a lot of time left to do much before the land freezes 4 feet deep. In may don't get in too much of a hurry for out door plants either, as we can have later frosts.

I imagine you had a very hard frost this morning. I know the Mts in your view are capped in snow and ice right now as i saw them yesterday from N Conway.

Most people have tilled gardens by now and are fiddling about in the wood pile getting it ready for not this winter but the next.

If you must have plants now make them indoors where you can heat them. All my wife gets is a small north facing window. This place just isn't well suited for much of any indoor plants.

[SuperSparkle928]

Though I never tried it (other than the indoor greenhouses), winter farming does exist through the US....

Here is an example: Farming in the Dead of Winter on the Rise | yourpublicmedia.org

It's doable, but a lot of work.

[Mac_Muz]

SS that seems like a green house with heat and probably artificial sunlight, while I don't see it..

Ib guess so long as you can stay above freezing and never suffer any frost, back up plan after back up plan so power loss can't happen and can keep melted snow from forming ice and crushing the green house it can be done.

I know pot heads build the environments in a tall box, down in cellars...

I don't but only because i don't care to get high. I don't care what others do..

[Move on]

Just wanted to say thanks to the person who linked Home and Community Food Gardening - UNH Cooperative Extension
Great Info
Will be moving to the Monadnok region from northern Cal and hope to do extensive vegetable / edible landscape gardening.

[GregW]

The most important thing is to have your garden on a south to south east slope and sheltered from the North and West winds by woods or buildings. If you don't mind the appearance and you have a building wall north or west of your garden you can cover the wall with reflective insulation at the start and end of the growing season. This will extend the season by removing frost in the spring and heating the soil for longer in the fall. Remove the reflector during the summer to avoid baking the plants. You can also cover the plants in early fall to avoid having them killed by early light frosts.

Also favor short season plants such as squash, corn, onions and potatoes.