Ready to Grow!

[digitS']

I'm not sure if I could move my protected growing structure @NwMtGardener and @baymule ! It isn't the little 5' by 10' thing it once was ...

Here it is several years ago. I have made a more recent change. No, I didn't paint it ! The deck was replaced by a slightly larger, cedar deck.

Steve

 

[digitS']

@so lucky , leaves are supposed to match roots so if roots are cut, leaves should be also.

I'd intended to show a picture of the inside of the greenhouse today. It is so hard to take a picture in there because of the center, 2 by 4 supports! I'll get another picture tomorrow and it will, hopefully, turn out better.

Seed for more Choy Sum, Komatsuma and Southern Curled mustard greens went into the beds, today.

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

I am preparing to put up a low tunnel over my small starts of spinach, mustard and orach. But will they grow enough to harvest in the winter or would I just be saving them from freezing till spring growth begins? I am trying to find some Agribon 19 to use. (I don't know enough about the orach, but was out of kale and chard seed, so planted what I had on hand.)

I have seen a segment on a grading TV show where a gardener used a lightbulb in their tent through the winter to keep things warm. I have found however that todays incandescent bulbs pop very easily. China made. The tent was nestled by snow around the sides adding to the blanket.

 

[digitS']

Here is the greenhouse interior as of this afternoon:

I can tell how foreshortened this is and a rather odd perspective but I just can't get around the supports and the narrowness of the structure with the camera image. Maybe dimensions of the planting beds will help. Nearer the plastic film, the bed is 20 inches by 16 feet. The bed nearest the camera is 32 inches by 16 feet.

I don't know why I didn't pick up that one board laying across the bed. The 6 "embedded" concrete blocks are gonna stay where they are! They are level and the legs to the big bench sits on them. It took me a couple of hours to level them after pulling them up the last time .

A couple of house plants are in there now and a few things will still come in from outdoors to spend the winter: rosemary, lemon verbena ...

Fully sown and there are a few dozen seedlings to be transplanted soon. Nice and warm in there today and venting was required through several hours. Encouraging!!

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

How will you heat it? Looks fantastic! So you are planting directly into the soil?

 

[digitS']

@catjac1975 , that is the grey door down there with the step in front of it.

Above those is a natural gas heater mounted on the ceiling. It is the same as you might find in a garage, forced air and thermostat controlled.

However ..! I have no intention of turning it on before March.

Last winter, it worked fine to grow Asian greens directly in the soil and cover them with a plastic film tunnel. A tarp covered the tunnel on the coldest nights/days.

Steve

 

[digitS']

Transplanted the tiny bok choy and choy sum seedlings into a greenhouse bed.

Seed sown about 10 days ago is coming up ... I'm fairly sure . There is so much seed scattered around in the greenhouse from seed-saving. Not only were there bean pods drying in there, there was nigella and gomphrena, a bunch of other things!

What should be coming up will be fairly recognizable. I'll get those seedlings sorted out from these weeds of my own making. There should be plenty of Asian greens taking over those greenhouse beds soon!

Steve

 

[digitS']

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

Steve- Am I wrong in thinking that you live in a really cold region? I am impressed that you plants will not need heat until March. Fantastic!

 

[thistlebloom]

Awww, they're so darn cute, all Steve's babies!

Hey, I like that little hand hoe in the picture.