Garden Talk: Reusing Soil in Container Gardens & Extending the Growing Season

Air Date:
Heard On The Larry Meiller Show

It may seem like garden season is over, but today on Garden Talk, Larry Meiller finds out how we can eke a little more out by extending the growing season. Plus, information on whether we can reuse the soil in our container gardens.

Featured in this Show

  • Cold Weather Actually Good For Some Crops

    As Wisconsinites get ready for cold weather, it’s hard to imagine that garden plants can still keep going. That’s true for many, but not all crops. According to a local horticulturalist, some crops improve with a frost or freeze.

    Sharon Morrisey, the University of Wisconsin Extension consumer horticulture agent for Milwaukee County, said that it is the cole crops like kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi and broccoli that “actually taste better after they’ve been hit by a frost.” In southeastern Wisconsin where Morrisey works, there has only been a light frost so far. But, even the cool temperatures will help improve the flavor, she said.

    “You can keep a lot of those going all the way until a solid freeze, and just keep harvesting until then,” Morrisey said.

    Other crops can be kept in the ground even longer. Morrisey recommended mulching them in heavily so as to harvest until the ground freezes solid late in the year. Carrots, beets, turnips and rutabagas are best-suited for this treatment, she said.

    “So, you can go out there and harvest a few carrots for your Thanksgiving dinner,” she said, “or maybe even for Christmas!”

    Wisconsin Public Radio host Larry Meiller agreed.

    “There is nothing better than a carrot when you get it almost frozen. You almost have to use a pick-axe to get it out,” he said. “They’re great!”

Episode Credits

  • Larry Meiller Host
  • Judith Siers-Poisson Producer
  • Sharon Morrisey Guest

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