Ready to Grow!

[so lucky]

So Steve, what I think you are saying is that you are starting Asian greens from seed, to be growing over the winter, and to be harvested over the winter as baby greens? What did you plant? I have not really grasped exactly how much cold friendly plants will actually grow during cold weather. Would it make sense to plant some Asian greens (seeds) in my low tunnel now, or just be satisfied with the stuff that is growing in there already? I plan to cover the Agribon 19 with plastic when the weather gets a little colder.
Catjac, I think Steve is saying he won't be planting anything that needs much heat till March. Then peppers, tomatoes, etc.... I think.

 

[digitS']

That's right!

All those little plants will have to go by the middle of March. Then, I'll lug the benches back in, turn on the furnace and be back in the "hothouse" business!

This is awfully new for me - 1 winter experience. The greenhouse was expanded 3 times but I never did any of that with the idea that I'd be growing anything in the ground. I only knew that I could get rosemary through the winter by covering those potted plants on the coldest nights.

Last winter wasn't a cold one here. The coldest nights for the Asian greens was only 2 or 3 at subzero. No heat, just a plastic film tunnel in there and an extra tarp on those nights.

@so lucky , I really think spinach has the same or better cold hardiness. I used to think that Southern Curled Mustard was from south of the Mason-Dixon. Ya know what? It isn't! Southern Curled is from India, I've read. I think the British named it.

With Bok Choy and Choy Sum - these things have hardiness! None would come thru the winter well or even alive if they were outdoors but they were fine indoors and nice tender greens at the table.

Steve
edit: oh wait, I had yu choy with the bok choy last year, not mustard or choy sum ... well, i ain't skeerd. they will be fine ...

 

[digitS']

Komatsuma!

I should always check my plant labels if'n I'm gonna bother to put them out there!

Komatsuma seems to be essentially, bok choy. I have been told that there are places in Japan where it grows wild. It is very shallow rooted so I imagine that it would need a rainy climate to go off on its own.

I know that some folk like the domestic and wild purslane but the taste of wild doesn't encourage me in that direction. Corn Salad is supposed to be a wild green in Europe. I think I might prefer that to lettuce ... if I could get the seed to come up in the spring! The greenhouse would likely be a better environment.

My experience trying to grow lettuce in the fall garden convinced me that it just grows tooo slowly in the cold. This is also true with one of my Asian favorites, Maruba Santoh.

Steve

 

[digitS']

83° 1:30pm, 35° outdoors, high for the day
40° at 7:30pm, 3 hours after sunset, 25° outdoors
26° at 7am, 15° outdoors

I may be in some kind of trouble here.

Yesterday afternoon, I noticed a couple things in the greenhouse. #1, the plants growing near the south wall were taller than the plants in the center of the greenhouse. #2, those taller plants were in the shade .

There is a concrete foundation wall that is about 12" above the soil ... the 20" bed is entirely in its shadow!

I'd already been uncertain how I was gonna provide the indoor cover for that narrow bed. Haven't done any covering since it looked like my original plan was gonna keep the plants at the temperature of that concrete wall, shielded from the greater warmth of the greenhouse interior ..!

Now, I gotta do something ... Those seedlings can't take it any colder. Howsomeever ... I can't get them up into the sunlight ... they are gonna have to grow outta the shade of that 1-foot wall. Shoot.

Steve

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

Steve, have you thought about placing cheap thermometers in different areas of the greenhouse to see if there is a slight difference in temps between the front, middle and back by the wall?

 

[digitS']

I did some more checking this morning, @Chickie'sMomaInNH .

38° at 7:30am under the low tunnel, 26° in the greenhouse, 15° outdoors.

I imagine that there is more heat lost as one moves closer to that plastic covered south wall. I've made it even tougher on those plants by essentially planting them in shade. If they survive, I'll hope for a harvest in March for them ...

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

I have two Gypsy Tomato plants growing in the sun room (no sun today since the glass roof is covered with snow). I'll have to provide more heat and light to them if I expect them to do well. Perhaps a zip-up mini-greenhouses with lights would work? I'll have to give them a try.

 

[so lucky]

That sounds like fun, Red, trying to keep the tomato plants going. You might even be able to improvise with the greenhouse structure--maybe a clear plastic drop cloth supported by folding chairs or sawhorses, with the light suspended safely inside. Don't need to create a fire hazard...

 

[Smart Red]

I already have the mini greenhouse. I already have the lights -- at least until I start my seedlings. I know the lights will add warmth, but not a lot, and I suspect the plastic covering will also help keep moisture inside.

My question comes from wondering how much warmer the plastic would keep the tomatoes. My sun room gets down to about 40 degrees on the coldest winter nights. It is forced air heated, but it also is all concrete and glass.

 

[digitS']

@Smart Red , i'd just be ..

. talkin' thru my hat ..

. if i was to venture a guess about warmth ...

Steve