buckabucka
Garden Addicted
I'm worried about my greens, too, but I don't think it will get much lower than 14. I guess I will double-cover and hope for the best. I haven't tried this for enough years to know what the lower limit is...
Darn You, Cold Weather!
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digitS'
Garden Master
We had five December '13 days and six February '14 days in single digitS , .
. above and below zero.
Asian greens survived in my set up just fine.
Steve
. above and below zero.
Asian greens survived in my set up just fine.
Steve
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- #14
so lucky
Garden Master
They look a little worse for wear, but didn't kick the bucket. I need to remove the top layer for a while, I think. It's been pretty sunny, and the plastic is making it warm in there.
baymule
Garden Master
buckabucka
Garden Addicted
It got down to 9 degrees here and my greens survived with a double cover. I hadn't checked on them in a few days, and when I peeled the covers back, they looked great, except it was clear that a small rodent had been enjoying them!
We've caught two rodents so far. And then yesterday when I returned home from work, DH announced that he found two chickens in there!
I had left the greens uncovered because we were having a sunny warm spell. The chickens managed to escape their fenced-in area and pushed their way into the hoop house.
They did some damage, although it could have been worse. I picked a lot of what was left to serve with Thanksgiving dinner. They looked great before all the mishaps.
We've caught two rodents so far. And then yesterday when I returned home from work, DH announced that he found two chickens in there!
I had left the greens uncovered because we were having a sunny warm spell. The chickens managed to escape their fenced-in area and pushed their way into the hoop house.They did some damage, although it could have been worse. I picked a lot of what was left to serve with Thanksgiving dinner. They looked great before all the mishaps.
digitS'
Garden Master
They did look good and it isn't everyone who can enjoy green veggies after 9°, @buckabucka .
I don't know that I've ever tried covering a late crop in the garden. How's that for missing the boat?
The ongoing thaw shows that the mustard greens left in that unattended, backyard bed are dead, dead, dead! I thought that they would have been able to take what little cold we've had. Dry and cold must have been too much for them.
Plastic film cover is interesting. We talk about frost making kale more tender. Is that a myth? Plastic film results in tender greens and yet, protects them from the cold.
Studies should be done!
Steve
I don't know that I've ever tried covering a late crop in the garden. How's that for missing the boat?
The ongoing thaw shows that the mustard greens left in that unattended, backyard bed are dead, dead, dead! I thought that they would have been able to take what little cold we've had. Dry and cold must have been too much for them.
Plastic film cover is interesting. We talk about frost making kale more tender. Is that a myth? Plastic film results in tender greens and yet, protects them from the cold.
Studies should be done!
Steve
baymule
Garden Master
Freeze, rodents and chickens! OH MY!! Greens are looking great, hope you get to pick some more before winter takes 'em out!
buckabucka
Garden Addicted
I have a friend with a small unheated green house. His microclimate is a little warmer than ours. Last winter was so cold, -my greens were dead before Christmas (in an unheated hoop house with floating row covers for extra protection). My friend covered his greens with a sheet of plastic directly on top of them (my covers are held up by hoops).
Come spring, all his greens rebounded (mine were dead). He thinks it is the dryness that kills them more than the cold. Still, I can't bring myself to squish everything down under a sheet of plastic, so this year I am trying hoops with heavier weight row covers, and plastic over that.
I have had some greens survive the winter and rebound two years ago. Last winter we had 45, below-zero mornings, our lowest temperature being -30. I'm not sure greens would ever survive those temperatures. My friend's overnight low is sometimes 15 degrees warmer than ours, even though it is only a 30 minute drive.
Come spring, all his greens rebounded (mine were dead). He thinks it is the dryness that kills them more than the cold. Still, I can't bring myself to squish everything down under a sheet of plastic, so this year I am trying hoops with heavier weight row covers, and plastic over that.
I have had some greens survive the winter and rebound two years ago. Last winter we had 45, below-zero mornings, our lowest temperature being -30. I'm not sure greens would ever survive those temperatures. My friend's overnight low is sometimes 15 degrees warmer than ours, even though it is only a 30 minute drive.
digitS'
Garden Master
Altho' it is long and narrow and only covered with plastic film on the south side, my "sunshed" stores some daytime heat. It has that insulated roof and north wall and a concrete foundation.
Covering the inside beds with a tunnel of plastic when ~ outdoor temperature ~ drops below 15°, keeps things going to about 0°. I covered with an additional tarp last winter and guessed that they would be fine to -10° .
We have that level of cold about every 3 to 5 years. It will drop to -20, about every 20 years. I think -30 would be a winter record, or close to it!
Further north but not as cold, @buckabucka, and it didn't make it to -10° last winter.
Steve
Covering the inside beds with a tunnel of plastic when ~ outdoor temperature ~ drops below 15°, keeps things going to about 0°. I covered with an additional tarp last winter and guessed that they would be fine to -10° .
We have that level of cold about every 3 to 5 years. It will drop to -20, about every 20 years. I think -30 would be a winter record, or close to it!
Further north but not as cold, @buckabucka, and it didn't make it to -10° last winter.
Steve
