One Alaskans greenhouse

[Alasgun]

@Branching Out, you are assuming correctly. I started a couple late July and it was seamless, they were producing as the last of the greenhouse cukes finished up on October 8th; according to this picture. And i just noticed; you can see snow on the ground outside!

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Am I to understand that you are growing cucumbers inside, in your house? That would be really amazing.

It may be best. Given the geolocation.

 

[Alasgun]

I don’t guess i understand what you’re saying @Dirtmechanic?

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I don’t guess i understand what you’re saying @Dirtmechanic?

Its cold. Greenhouses are THE place to grow cucumber in Alaska I would think?

 

[Branching Out]

@Branching Out, you are assuming correctly. I started a couple late July and it was seamless, they were producing as the last of the greenhouse cukes finished up on October 8th; according to this picture. And i just noticed; you can see snow on the ground outside!

Interesting. I have made a note on my calendar, so that I can try this trick myself come July. For the cost of a couple of seeds there really would be nothing to lose in giving it a go. My light set-up in the basement sat unused through the summer and autumn, when I was busy with outdoor growing. I can see now that this was a waste of resources, and I am starting to fill the shelves under the grow lights again. A few weeks ago I started a bunch of different kinds of lettuce and a few small deep cells with cilantro, and I really look forward to checking on these small plants each morning. Growing indoors is fairly new for me, having only discovered it a couple of years ago. It is remarkable how quickly plants can grow indoors in the winter, and how happy it can make you feel to watch their progress. I am thinking that just being close to the bright lights is likely good for us too during the long, dark days of winter.

 

[digitS']

I'd imagine that with Alasgun's gardening life, timing is everything.

I have also imagined in the past that vining crops may not require as much sunlight as many other plants. It would be sort of crawling out of shade to reach the light, in the 3 Sisters Garden, that sort of thing.

"Supplemental lightning" is all I have used, in the South Window and in the greenhouse. With some springs it would be a very good thing to have it as a regular thing because of the cloudy weather that so often sneaks across the mountains from the Pacific Coast.

Full on lighting during Winter would be required indoors for even vining crops, if my guess about them is correct. DW is able is sustain the lives of her houseplants, sitting in Winter windows but that is about the extent of it here at 48°N. One thing, the low angle of the sun helps with a more direct access of sunlight. Spring sunlight may provide more hours but light reflected off vertical glass becomes rather extreme as the Summer solstice approaches.

Steve

 

[Alasgun]

You're correct @Dirtmechanic there are some years where certain cukes will do ok outside BUT the greenhouse is a whole nuther world! From May till October they’re one of my easiest and productive efforts. Currently we still have over 20 gallons of ferment pickles in a fridge and during “our season” we will give away a dozen or more cukes a week!
Store bought cukes are awful, hence this winter’s experiment.

@Branching Out out, @digitS' we keep a few things on a south facing window but they barely survive, there’s just not enough light and what there is is low quality.
I have an unused Bathroom upstairs where we start most of our stuff where i’ll normally have a couple shelves with a pair of 4ft H.O T-5’s hanging above each shelf. For this experiment, i lifted out the shelves and set a 16 gallon smart pot in the tub and ran some string up for vining. The lights were hung vertically, one on each end of the surround which seems to be about right.

During our dark season i start each day spending time enjoying the light‘s and by next month at this time i’ll have up to 20 10/20 trays accumulating on the shelf’s as we begin the new garden season.

 

[Branching Out]

I'd imagine that with Alasgun's gardening life, timing is everything.

I have also imagined in the past that vining crops may not require as much sunlight as many other plants. It would be sort of crawling out of shade to reach the light, in the 3 Sisters Garden, that sort of thing.

"Supplemental lightning" is all I have used, in the South Window and in the greenhouse. With some springs it would be a very good thing to have it as a regular thing because of the cloudy weather that so often sneaks across the mountains from the Pacific Coast.

Full on lighting during Winter would be required indoors for even vining crops, if my guess about them is correct. DW is able is sustain the lives of her houseplants, sitting in Winter windows but that is about the extent of it here at 48°N. One thing, the low angle of the sun helps with a more direct access of sunlight. Spring sunlight may provide more hours but light reflected off vertical glass becomes rather extreme as the Summer solstice approaches.

Steve

For me, the main roadblock to growing indoors was the price of grow lights, but on the urging of a local garden mentor we invested in what she referred to as 'inexpensive grow lights'. I was surprised that I could get 3' long 4500 lumen LED shop lights for about $50each, and the chrome shelving for the unit was affordable too. Granted, I now have four shelves with two light bars per shelf, as well as a timer and a couple of power bars to plug everything in to-- but this set up should last for many years. I am so glad that this teacher recommended growing under lights indoors.
The lettuce that I started on December 5th looks so healthy, with 5or 6 good sized leaves per plant. That would not have been achievable here at the 49th parallel without lights.

 

[Alasgun]

Here’s something you dont see every day! Some folks over in Anchorage had a Moose shed his Antlers in the front yard AND the door bell camera caught it! Pretty cool!

Merry Christmas to you all and like you We’re hoping for a great year in the garden next year!

Alaska couple catches moose losing antlers on doorbell camera

Tyra and Chance Bogert told Dave Allgood of the Allgood News that they "were amazed and surprised to see the one-in-a-million occurrence" happen right beyond their doorstep. You see the moose walk into the frame from the left, he shakes like a dog trying to shed water and slightly bends over...

www.alaskasnewssource.com

 

[flowerbug]

i'm not sure about other people's experiences but so far with LED shop lights we bought 5 4 foot lights and so far the only one that stopped working within a few years time were the ones we kept in the garage. so perhaps if you are planning on letting an area get really cold you may not want to leave the lights out there but bring them inside if you can?