Winter Greenhouse

[bigredfeather]

I have a 20'x24' Gothic style greenhouse that I am wanting to get put up before Winter comes. I am wanting to grow cold weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, cabbage, kale, ect... It will not have a heat source. I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on about how far into Winter I would be able to grow these things. I am in Ohio. I realize it depends on the type of Winter we have, but do you think I could make it all the way to Spring with these type of veggies?
Thanks.

 

[so lucky]

You may want to try to rig up some kind of heat collector system, like water jugs or rocks, that would heat in the sun and give off warmth at night. Water probably better than rocks or brick. Are you in zone 5? Does the greenhouse get pretty much full sun in the winter?
No more expensive than seeds are, I would go ahead and try it. Maybe get the seed germinated inside, then move outside to the greenhouse.

 

[bigredfeather]

I am in Zone 5. I thought about the using 55 gallon drums that are painted black to collect heat. Would you put these in the center of the greenhouse or on the sides? And yes, it will be in full sun. If I get it going soon, I think it's still warm enough here that the seeds would germinate well right now.

 

[canesisters]

Do you think you'll have enough heat to warm 55gals of water? Maybe a few smaller containers would work better?

 

[lesa]

I think it is worth a try... I would recommend getting your seeds started now- perhaps with the aid of a coldframe. This way, when the greenhouse is ready- your transplants could go right in. Looking forward to seeing pics of this project!

 

[digitS']

BRFeather, take a look at Eliot Coleman's book, Four Season Harvest.

It isn't quite as tho' he is growing vegetables in his Maine greenhouse during the coldest weeks of the year; however, he is still harvesting what was grown earlier. I understand that his greenhouses use no or little heat.

I will be doing something like that in my 9 by 20 greenhouse (whenever I can get myself in gear ). You have quite a lot of room to utilize in yours!

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

I think the water will just freeze when the dead of winter sets in. Lettuce should keep for most of the winter until the temp really dips. There is a great gardening program that I watched about a couple in Alaska that grow giant vegetables. It seems to me they used small tunnel type greenhouses with a 100 watt lightbulb inside. The low height and snow blanket helped keep in the warmth. It may have been on NatGeo.
I also think some people write books and stretch the truth.

 

[Smart Red]

Bigredfeather - red is a lovely color, is it not? - I guess we will both find out together this winter. Although I am in a tad colder growing area, the newest charts show my land in 5b as well. I never rely on it as I remember when THEY said I was in zone 4 and I haven't moved.

Anyway, I have much the same intentions of growing inside my garden shed this winter. I do know that before I installed the windows I went though a winter with only plastic over the south side. Rusty's water froze most nights and was liquid by about noon on all but the cloudiest of days. This year I was planning to use a couple of heat lamps.

I banged up my hand terribly - it's all black and blue - on Saturday from drilling the holes for the electrical wire I plan to run. I was hoping to get the building insulated yet this fall, but now doubt that it will happen. Still, I've been cleaning and moving and rearranging all the gardening things to have room for growing.

With the winter sun hanging low in the southern sky, I figure my 16 feet of glass should let plenty of light in during the day. So many of the cool weather veggies have no problem with light freezes, I think we have a chance. Good Luck with your plan!