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Garden Gate:  Greenhousin' in Zone 5  |
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TJinMT
True Blue Farmgirl
211 Posts
TJ
Billings
MT
USA
211 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 10 2010 : 09:13:37 AM
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Hey you guys!
So my hubby has built me a greenhouse!!! Can we just say, I'm ecstatic?!!! It's 8x16, a "three quarter span" against a east privacy fence with polycarbonate clear panels and plywood up to 2'. We're looking at different heating (active and passive) options now - he's thinking about doing a solar panel or two to drive an electric fan heater!! Wow... when he gets motivated, he gets MOTIVATED.
Anyone else greenhouse in zone 5? (maybe 4b on a rough year) I'm planning on basically "cool weather" crops - no green beans, tomatoes or cucumbers through the -15 winters here. Any thoughts about heating, or varieties to plant, or nurseries with good greenhouse varieties? Any advice? We're thinking straw for the floor - any thoughts on that??
Believe me when I say, I never in my life thought I'd get a greenhouse, and my arms are bruised from all my pinches!!! Woohoo!!!!!
~TJ of Green Willow House
"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." -CS Lewis |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17476 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17476 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2010 : 09:18:26 AM
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TJ,
I am "green" with envy!
You are so lucky.
I do see alot of green houses out here,,,,but we get hammered with winds out here so I have not been able to talk hubby (yet) into a green house...sounds like you are in the same zone as I am...
Spokane is a Z-5 but we are more of a Z-4 depending on the year.....
Good luck & keep us posted.....
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom.
"Is it time for my Dirt Manicure yet!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2010 : 10:29:28 AM
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Woohoo on the new greenhouse. I would suggest you pick up Elliot Colemans "The four season harvest" it is very informative on how to grow in zone 5 -his zone also- in a greenhouse. I used his methods (also zone 5) and have never heated my greenhouse and had much success growing all year. I use the row covers like he tells you and they have worked great. He covers some areas I never though of but needed to. He weighs pros and cons over heating and return. My other suggestion would be to buy greenhouse specific seeds, they make a world of difference. Greenhouse growing is different from outside growing. You have a whole other set of problems you do not have outside. A greenhouse is not a natural environment so you have to watch fertilizing(to much is very bad) and bug populations. I made mine moveable (it is 16x30) so if I get into trouble I can move it and expose the ground to sun, rain, ect to normalize the soil.It is not lack of heat the effects growing in the winter if you are growing cold hardy plants, it is less sun. You will have so much fun. I do not buy produce in the winter and only eat from the greenhouse and what I put up. So I try to learn as much about it as I can.
Jane
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2010 : 5:33:29 PM
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Congrats on your new greenhouse! I know just how you feel with all of the excitment. Best of luck in your new growing room!
Smiles,
Laurie
Farmgirl Sister#1403
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
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TJinMT
True Blue Farmgirl
211 Posts
TJ
Billings
MT
USA
211 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2010 : 07:34:56 AM
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Thanks for the well wishes!!
I have the Coleman book on order at our library (for the past MONTH! it's obviously popular!) and also ordered one from a guy down in Wyoming via Amazon (gotta love those half price book prices! Yes!!!) that came recommended from a local friend.
During the summer my greenhouse will actually get a fair amount of shade due to a large sugar maple nearby - we have a fairly small yard - so it's not looking like it will consistently get quite HOT in there. We do have an attic fan that we'll be installing to blow the heat out when it does. My question is - I've always heard to use big 55-gallon black or blue barrels to absorb and then radiate heat... is this realistic in zone 5, where we can get down to -15 or -20? I'm imagining 55-gallon ice cubes and my greenhouse becoming a freezer because of it!
~TJ
~TJ of Green Willow Place
"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." -CS Lewis |
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2010 : 08:26:43 AM
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Tj, some people do use water barrels, concrete block, straw bales, etc, anything to retain heat from the day. To me they take up to much valuable room. I plant heavily and use every square inch. Plus, like I said, by covering the plants with floating row cover you keep even more heat in at ground level. And many plants like spinich, minuza, matche, all will freeze during the night and defrost during the day with no damage. Thats why cold weather crops do much better in a greenhouse in winter. If you want to try more warm weather crops you will need heat. To me it is not cost productive to heat for the amount of produce you will get. Once you get your book, a lot of your questions will be answered.
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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4HMom
True Blue Farmgirl
720 Posts
Kelly
Montana
720 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2010 : 08:42:07 AM
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Congratulations! We are in zone 4. My daughter built me a greenhouse this past spring in her Ag class. I'm still learning a LOT, but found the book "Greenhouse Gardener's Companion" by Shane Smith to be VERY informative! I have also spent some time reading "The Four Season Harvest"...also excellent. I am planning on solar heat only (through the roof...no special solar panels). I want to be able to grow cold crops too (greens, spinach, carrots, beets, peas), and am hoping that the black barrels with water will do the trick! Good Luck and Have fun!
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi |
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TJinMT
True Blue Farmgirl
211 Posts
TJ
Billings
MT
USA
211 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2010 : 12:05:03 PM
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The book by Shane Smith is the one that a local friend recommended, and I am looking for it in the mail!! Glad to hear it recommended again, it sounds like it will really be helpful!!
I'm thinking on the same page as you guys about doing cold season crops. I love our heirloom tomatoes, and cukes for pickling, and basil... but trying to keep those alive and producing during our cold winters just sounds like ALOT of effort and expense!! If I can have my kale and swiss chard, lettuce, maybe some radishes and carrots (ok it's actually a fairly long list, but I'll stop here) - everything cold season - it should work out better I hope!
I'm hoping to do a bit of "farmgirl biz" on the side this coming Spring and starting seeds for some friends. Wouldn't make alot of money, but it might make SOME! Has anyone else done that??
~TJ of Green Willow Place
"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." -CS Lewis |
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Garden Gate: Greenhousin' in Zone 5 |
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Greenhousin' in Zone 5
