First, all depends on where you live. Second, this very basic, seeds and seedlings need a soil temp. of 65 - 75 degrees F. to germinate/develop roots, so remove the straw from those areas. You can replace the straw around the plants when they get about 8 inches tall.

I'm in central New Mexico. I water my gardens about once a week in winter, if there has been no rain or snow. If there has been severe wind, I water more often. I put in carrots, kale and mustard spinach in one corner of my produce garden a couple of weeks ago.

I'll be putting in a cover crop for the first time this year, which includes Austrain winter peas. I hope I get to harvest some peas.

Lorna

Sounds like an excellent plan and procedure to me.

When I live in the 'Rust Belt' and we didn't have snow in the winter, I would water my landscape plants. The neighbors thought I was crazy, but come summer my plants where health and theirs had 'winter dieback.'