Favorite SFG Garden: Summer, Fall, Winter, or Spring, and Why

My favorite is the fall garden, for several reasons. The root crops that sometimes bolt in late spring due to a very quick transition into hot weather, rarely bolt in the fall. The root crops taste much sweeter too and seem to be more tender in autumn. The hot weather in summer gets to me to the point that I do not want to be outside. There is less need for watering in the fall. There are few if any bugs or pests in the fall to deal with. The fall garden just seems much more lush and green than the summer or spring garden. The fall SFG I am nurturing now is beautiful and is producing more lettuce and spinach than ever before. The radishes and turnips just had a big growth spurt just after a cool spell hit our area.

I can't speak for a winter garden, as I have never attempted to extend the season past autumn.

I agree with you. It may be a "south" thing, though. In the fall I can work in the garden without getting overheated, overtired or bug-bitten all over! Once we break the 90° weather, the crops start growing like crazy, too. Fall gardening is by far my favorite!

Late summer for me.

Summer. I love hot weather and long days. Beginning in the fall the days start getting shorter. Before long it will be dark by the time I get home from work. I love to go out to the garden and fiddle around after work. I do not have to get up earlier in the morning and uncover the hoop houses before work. Also, by the time I get home from work, it has started to get chilly and when I cover the hoop houses I am covering them up with cold air inside the hoops.

Down here we have 9 months of summer and 3 months of winter. Besides dates on a calendar, I have forgotten what spring and autumn look like. My favorite would be winter gardening. Low temperatures, low humidity, no mosquitoes or horseflies, no sweating as soon as you walk out of the door and no worrying if a hurricane is going to tare my garden to pieces.

Those 3 cool months are when I get most of my work done in the yard. Starting New Years Day, I get to start tomatoes and peppers from seeds, along with most of the other summer goodies.

I enjoy Spring with the lesser bug population and emerging warmer days after being confined to the indoors all winter. Not sure if it is the better for the plants, but it sure does me a lot of good and I get so excited with anticipation of getting the garden in and watching things take off.

Spring garden has the joy of starting all things new again just as nature itself is gearing up. Summer is the hardest for me dealing with the heat, the gnats, the mosquitos, blah, but the reward is the prolific variety of harvests. Fall provides enjoyable temps and nearly all the bugs are gone. That makes fall gardening the hands down winner for me plus really enjoy all the cole crops. Can't forget the smell of fall leaves and getting the compost heaps ready. As the nutritional source of next years success, I find myself very content when the heaps are all prepared for winter and the beds have earned their rest and tarped over.

All through the winter, here! We may or may not get a freeze in Jan or early Feb, but that just signals that it's time to plant Spring crops!
Yesterday and today we've had a cool front that is absolutely delicious (high of 74 last night, low around 64). All the windows are open and my youngest is complaing that he's cold! Supposed to only get up to 80 today, then right back up into the 90s the rest of the week. But a nice glimpse of what "winter" will be like and I can hardly wait!
The kids have today off and I had fun outdoors activities planned, but 2 of the 3 are sick, so that's a terrible shame. I should be able to get out and do a few things in the garden, however!

This is a tough question! I enjoy all the seasons for different reasons.

If pushed to choose though I’d say spring is my favorite. Starting our seedlings in the basement helps me cope with the last of the cold weather. I spend part of my winter planning what I’m going to plant and how the squares will be designed and I love watching it become “real”. The seedlings popping up, and young transplants always look so cute and “clean” in the spring, and I love the very first taste of fresh-from-the-garden produce each year. The green of spring is so welcome after our long winters.

But…then you get the flowers in full bloom in summer, and the produce really starting to kick in, and different crops maturing each season, and the colors of autumn, and the cool weather crops coming back, and the fun of seeing just how long I can keep things alive once frost starts, and the relaxation of looking at seed catalogs and planning for next year’s garden while sitting next to a fire in the fireplace with the snow flying outside. Yup…it’s a tough question! Guess that just says I really enjoy the garden!

Springtime! Because it is just beginning and I have plenty of time to fix whatever it is that I screwed up:P . Fall makes me sad because we have such long winters here.

For me it's gotta be spring. I'm itching and ready to go after a long winter. Generally speaking, come fall I'm ready to be done

Spring is the best with good New things.
Summer's long days also great, so long as it stays below 80-degrees.
Autumn's beautiful too, but it's dark too quick.
Winter exists for Iceskating & dreaming, & planning for Spring...

They say there's no spring on Cape Cod, because we go from winter straight into summer - 50's to 70's, no 60's. But what I noticed is that our 'winter' temps during spring are perfect for the leafies and such, so we get a nice long stretch before the heat shows up on Memorial Day.

With not even a full 3 seasons under my belt, I have to say spring is my fave. Everything looks shiny and new, I can take off my thermals , the days are getting longer, every table top and surface inside and out is covered with seedlings in different stages of growth, there's lots black MM just sitting out there waiting to host whatever I put in it, and then they are so quick to mature for harvest, unlike now where everything seems to be in slo-mo.

CC

So far it would have to be summer, because that is the only time I have been able to grow anything. BUT, I just put in my garlic before I went on vacation in September, and came home to some sprouts! My first fall garden! Hoping next year to have some cole crops in for a fall crop. To be continued.....

GG

Right now I would have to say mid summer, because that's when we get to start enjoying the fruits of our work on the garden but things could change now that I have the greenhouse.

at first reading the question my immediate answer would be spring. My reasoning is not only because thats when my birthday is but also because I am always iching to get the garden going and in. Not to mention that it starts to warm up and the snow melts.

Now thinking about the question for a bit my anwser would be I could not decide. I love the summer. What with the hot weather and the gowing in full swing. Not to mention seeing my sons eyes light up when they get to eat the green beans and tomatoes striaght from the vine. Then there is fall with the leaves changing color and the pumpkins and gourds getting ready to be harvested. But upon thinking of winter and the fun of planning and thinking about what I can plant next year and how to get away with having a garden and not having the military base mad at me. Is so much fun too. I am continplating asking about have a community garden on the base but I'm not sure if I want to deal with all the red type and such.

So like other have mentioned before I would at first say spring but I really do enjoy all of the seasons.