Frost pockets

[stella]

This is my first winter with my new garden which is long and thin. It has a 6ft high fence all around it and now that we have had snow I can see that at least a 1/2 if not 2/3 running down the length is much colder than the other as the snow is stil sitting there. The whole area is now made up into veggie plots but I am not sure now what to plant in the colder side, I suposing it will also be the shadier side and dryer?

[rustylady]

Have you actually taken note during the day of which bits of your garden get direct sun, and when? Any pictures? From what you have said it does sound as though one side of your garden is quite shaded, and will be more so at this time of the year when the sun doesn't get very high in the sky.

[donnakebab]

Are there any trees around the perimeter and have you had a good look at the soil in different areas? The end of my garden retains more moisture and some marshland plants do well there.

[stella]

The right hand side of the garden all the way down does not get the sun and still has snow on it at the end is a large sycamore tree which we have had lopped. The left hand side does get sun more or less all day. I am planning to put toms, salad etc in the sunny side but I can not just leave the other side, what veg will survive and produce in it?????

[zazen999]

Lettuce and other brassica based salads.

This is why you need to look at a garden for a full year before deciding where to put everything!

[stella]

Yes this snow has certainly showed up the strengths and weakness of the plot. I was intending to put brussels, kale etc down the shady side. Will they still produce but just later than normal?

[stella]

Just been reading up about salad leaves and it seems they prefer the cooler side of the garden. So have to re think it all again

[Hilary B]

You'll need to rotate crops anyway. Most veg that go in the rotation will do OK in partial shade, as long as you don't plant them in chilled ground, and pay attention to 'last frost/first planting date' rules.
Deep shade is not really good for anything much, although plants with a woodland origin will do OK in shade if it isn't profound, eg strawberries.
Shady, snow-retention isn't exactly the same thing a frost pocket (although there is often an overlap).

[Potstubsdustbins]

I grow 2 patches of calabrese one in direct sunlight and the other on a north facing fence that only gets sun in the summer for about 3 hours in the afternoon. The second patch usually comes into production about a month after the first. This suits me quite well as it means I get fresh veg over a longer period.

Colin

[stella]

Hi yes that is what I was hoping Colin as long as the veg manages to produce later is ok for me. Do you plant them both at the same time though?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yes Stella I use the fact that its shaded to give me spacing instead of planting at different times, it works with my spring cabbage too which follows the calabrese.

Colin