4 Dec

Its cold and the greenhouse is still growing

Posted by Chris in Heating, Hydroponics, Winter.

Well its been a while since I have updated this blog, with recurrent training at work and then vacation it just has been too hard to do the updates, but here it is!

The hydroponics now rule the greenhouse, which is great as there is no way to have a watering system for soil based plants when its below freezing outside.

Today is was 8 F outside, there was snow on the greenhouse roof and it was 55 - 60 F inside (with the help of a fan heater set at 55 F )

These pepper plants came from the soil based garden and hae thrived since been washed and transfered to hydroponics. The tomatoes are grown from seed and are getting there
This is the little greenhouse that could as it sat today in the cold and snow, it was 5 F
Strawberries, who would have thought, these plants too came from the soil garden and started getting fruit on them within 1 week of being soilless
the ebb and flow system in operation, and just 1 month old
the lower level, still waiting for more plants to grow from seed ... which is the slowest stage of the growth
this is a little iceberg lettuce seedling

20 Aug

A new growing season begins

Posted by Chris in Giant Tree Tomato, Herbs, Summer, Winter.

Well as summer draws to a end slowly … and with the reminder that its going to end soon with the night time temps around 39 degrees last week!! Its time to look towards winter plants.

I found www.reimerseeds.com who like many others, had seeds for plants that tolerate cold temps.

We purchased for winter:
- Sub Arctic Tomato (fruits when in the 30 degrees temps!)
- Window box roma tomatoes
- Salad bush cucumbers ( another colder winter vegie that grows in small containers..apparently)
- Cold set tomato (another down to freezing temp type tomato)
- Tall Utah Celery (if it can grow in utah it can grow in a greenhouse here I think!)
- Artic king lettuce (the name says it all)

We have changed our planters for the winter, so we can put rope lights in the soil to keep it warm (yes rope lights are cheap and simple for heat!) We purchased some flat and long plastic storage containers from big lots for $8 each, painted the sides black and drilled holes in the bottom for the drainage.

The heater strung up and set to 60 degree for night time temps
This is where celery and arctic king lettuce has been planted for the winter
Some sub arctic tomato plants are planted here the new winter planter boxes.
This is the roma tom on the left and the early bird tom on the right, still fruiting.
Bok choi in the planter tubes along the walls, the soil was replaced after the lettuces finished in here.
Cucumbers in the planter bags for winter
Bib lettuce in the tubes starting from seed, these are great in salads
This is the poor eggplant after it was attacked by aphids, we seem to have rid the greenhouse of nearly all the bugs, and this plant is growing back slowly
Bell peppers are still growing and fruiting.
The herbs are loving it, in fact we have too many and have to freeze them weekly.
The head of the giant tree tomatoe which is now getting toms on it
The giant tree tomato plants and trying to break thru the roof.
The roma toms and early bird toms
These toms took the brunt of the aphid attack, although now aphid free I had to cut them back a bit to get them thru it all, but all it well now
Bell peppers a little stumpy but growing well
New seeds!