Meridian Co-Op Gardeners-KLEINER PARK

12/02/2025

The year has just flown by, and already it’s December. The weather has been quite mild making it possible to extend finishing up year-end garden activities. A few of you are still harvesting and enjoying cold hardy crops and working on overwintering a number of crops.

December is a great time to protect other remaining plants with frost cloth (but they need to be removed on warmer sunny days). Garden cleanup can continue, garlic and other bulbs can still be planted before the ground freezes, tree pruning can be added to the list of things that need to be done, and always making plans for next year.

We are busy making those plans, ordering seeds, finishing up our roster, contemplating winter sowing after the holidays, and scheduling a few winter activities and classes that bring us together in community.

12/01/2025

Here it is. Help support FFA.

It’s that time of year again! Meridian FFA is continuing the traddition of selling high quality produce. Please come see us December 3 through December 10.

11/26/2025

What's next?
Planning for planting… winter sowing in December or January, and then following our planting schedule February through September.

MI Gardener has a number of nice posts to help you plan your planting each month. It begins with February with links at the bottom for winter sowing and the months that follow.

https://migardener.com/blogs/blog/what-to-plant-in-february?fbclid=IwZnRzaAOT13NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeoC7v9Es2rc7P9Z0q3aqDkdx88WdeWZfo52Zj-ZU2oburyFCE_MbMehNPByY_aem_V90J5dz4EcMWQ3rNaHArVg

Whether you live in California or Texas, Maine or Michigan, you may be surprised to learn which vegetables, flowers, and herbs you can plant in February.

11/25/2025

Today we mulched the seedlings we received from North End Organic Nursery to overwinter using shredded leaves. A handful of community gardens are trying different methods for success. This morning it was a cold 23°F and everything looked great this afternoon. We have two varieties of kale, two varieties of arugula, two varieties of lettuce, mustard greens, onions and leeks. When day time temperatures are consistently below 25°F we will cover with frost cloth.

Last year we successfully overwintered Walla Walla onions without covering them.

11/23/2025

Part 2 Seed Saving.

11/22/2025

11/22/2025

We planted another 100 cloves of garlic today. This weather is so beautiful and perfect for digging in the garden. The Bells of Ireland and Anmi Dara are looking good and will provide some early blooms.

11/20/2025

So many pumpkins. These were growing in a field off of Chinden and are a large Jack o lantern type. A farmer friend recently told me you can’t really grow pumpkins in a garden, they need a field and room to grow, but we try.

We don’t have alot of room in our garden for large pumpkins, but we do try to grow smaller sugar pie varieties for eating. They have a high sugar content and make the best desserts. Other varieties with sweet flesh include Cinderella, Fairytale, Jarrahdale and kabocha squash. The large Jack-o-lantern types have a more watery flesh and are less flavorful.

Pumpkins are great to feed livestock. Our worm boxes love pumpkins (we think it’s their favorite meal). You can also add them to your compost pile. One year we collected and donated three truckloads from nearby neighborhoods to a local rescue farm.

11/19/2025

There’s still time… Early morning below freezing temperatures are coming but the soil is still workable. You can still plant fall flower bulbs and garlic before the ground freezes. There’s still time to dig up dahlia tubers and move or plant perennials.

We have greens growing in the garden that are LOVING the cooler temperatures. We hope to winter over the wasabi mustard from North End Organic Nursery along with other donated fall veggies. Once daytime temperatures drop consistently below 32° we will cover with frost cloth.

11/18/2025

A bit more on cilantro varieties.

Explore the unique flavors of different cilantro varieties, from classic to bold cultivars, and discover the best choices for your cooking needs.

11/17/2025

Cilantro (planted early August) continues to grow in the garden. It will overwinter well and give us an early spring harvest. Once the weather starts to warm it will flower and go to seed (these seeds are also known as coriander).