Hey Patrick. I still love watching your videos even though I have seen them before, and I can keep checking for new videos. Keep following your dreams and we will be here waiting for you. Take care
You should be on tv on the gardening channel, Your well spoken, you know what your talking about and your to the point, I've watched all your videos, thanks so much for your great advice, I am a horticulturist but you have taught me a few things I didn't know.
Your approach to dealing with the weather is very informative. I have just the opposite problem but have learned much from your ideas. We still have not had any frost this winter and I am keeping my fingers crossed.
We've just moved and I'm waiting to see where the sun is here with our new surroundings. I watched this b4 but came back for a refresher to show my husband exactly how I want mine to be done. Thank you.
That's awesome... If I had to do mine again, I'd eliminate having a clear section on the north side. My polycarbonate was the most expensive part... And being in North America, it was a waste. Next one!
Great points Patrick! I like the fact about raising the zone with added layers of protection. One day I hope to have a hoop house too. We rent where we live but if I ever move out to the river, I will definitely follow your plans. Hubby is not handy so it would be my project, lol.
out of everyone i think ur r the best instructor of them all, u made so much sense answered so manu questions these other channel wont provide .. 👏👏👏👏 ur great ! u knw something, u got a subscriber buddy!
I live in northwest Arkansas zone 7. I covered part of my garden last yr with 2 wire panels. 11' arcs at 4' each side by side cover 8x5' area. I covered it with sheets at first that worked great as shade clothes then some heavy visquine when in October. I harvested carrots on Christmas day and beets and chard through January. Had never attempted this before and was happy with the results. Even on a 25 degree day it was toasty inside. Heck I even grew spring weeds! So this yr I've upgraded. I have 2 4x10 beds side by side, covered with 16' panels so now I can walk inside. Made 10 -2' plots with peas, beets, carrots 3 lettuce, bok choi, kale and chard started inside. Right now it's covered with sheets since it's still high 80s here in the daytime. It should be a fun experiment! I say if you can do it there, I can do it here!
That's great, Jill! Yeah, you live in a great area for winter gardening under cover. Congratulations on all your success and best wishes with your garden this winter.
Thanks! Very helpful. I'm in zone 5B and my vegetable garden gets going this spring. I'm looking forward to extending the growing season as long as possible, even when temperatures drop below freezing.
I did a Fall Planting for the first time this year in an open raised bed. The Carrots and Kolrabi did well and don't seem to mind freezing. I just push back the snow to harvest some - also have some Beets that seem to keep better outside than in the garage. I would love to build a hoop house, but in the meantime some veg have extreme cold hardiness.
Another video with great advice. Who knows maybe this year we'll give it a try with an unheated greenhouse too. Our garden is also in zone 5 but across the pond, so we are always looking forward for your videos. Thnx, Patrick!
good video venting in zone 8a - I installed 4 automatic temperature operated foundation vents in the front and back of my greenhouse, down low in front - up high in back. these open above 45 degrees and allow air to flow through the green house. I also have a small fan on a timer that comes on in the afternoon to help with venting on warmer winter days. I heat with a timer activated ceramic heater on cold nights. I monitor 10 day forecasts and set the timers accordingly.
Paul and I just watched this again. Thanks so much for all the good tips and showing how sun hits your garden. In this big open space we have, there always seems to be some pitfall to greenhouse or raised bed placement. Its as if we need to build a bunch of buildings just to enclose a garden. But you have ideas that help us search out microclimate areas. They are all around just not as easy to each... Did not realize when we got this property how hard it would be to grow on a hill that slopes downward from the sunrise which all plants seem to cherish more than the south sun here.
+Suzanne Ramoundos I'm glad you and Paul found the video helpful, Suzanne! Once you find a sunny spot for a greenhouse, is wind the biggest concern? I wish I could see how my little hoop house would hold up in that situation.
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening No joke wish we could borrow you for about a year. SO much land and so many glitches Used to live in a row house with more success. The greenhouse, yes we have many sunny spots but slope point downward toward west...would need to level. The wind gets bad... need to tie down or set up permanent base...how to let state roads keep access to land? Septic truck for cleaning etc. Poor people here with high and low tunnels, many crushed under weight of the snow. How to place so two feet of snow can be traversed to clean off snow or on a sunny day to open inside structures...our cheapie..the zippers go stuck in the snow and froze..how on earth would we get the door open....where is the water source...on and on...but surely there is a way just on year 14 now trying to find it. :) But we keep on trying...Brilliant Idea or is it Einstein's definition of insanity.
So glad I stumbled across this video! I live in an area that teeters between zones 3 and 4, and I want to find a way to cultivate perennials that might otherwise not survive the winters here, like blueberry plants. I don't even care about whether I can grow plants during the winter; I just want them to be alive when spring comes! It's definitely colder up here, but hopefully your tips will still come in handy.
Very helpful and interesting. Building two aquaponic greenhouses on wheels ATM with the goal of extending the season as long as possible. I'm in Sweden so winter is challenging. Experimenting with compost and passive heat. Have a good one!
Aww! Hi, little kitty! In SoCal we can grow in winter without a greenhouse (yes, cold-weather veggies), but this is excellent info for my readers. I'll pass it along. ~ Melanie
Patrick, here in zone 8b, I've yet to see a winter that brassicas would require covering to make it. I've seen pics to prove it can get that nasty here, like the year I was born, when there was 6 inches of snow on the ground in our part of NW Florida. This winter has been so freakishly warm, that I still have a pepper plant alive from last years planting. My arugula and spinach mustards have bolted and are going to seed, and that usually begins in another 6 weeks. Tonight will be our 1st frost of the winter, and its almost spring lol.
+Poppy B. We had a very warm November and December too, but January has been pretty normal so far. We're expecting a low of 4 degrees tonight. I'm sorry to hear the warm weather has your cold weather crops bolting already!
It still amazes me how much you can grow this time of year !! The tip about growing with your zone and time of year sure will help lots of new gardeners be successful !
+Alberta Urban Garden Simple Organic and Sustainable Thanks, Stephen! Yes, growing in the winter is hard enough even when you don't try to fight Mother Nature. It's best to try to work with her in my opinion.
Steven, Patrick, Ive often wonder about the advice given for seed starting with a south facing window, that get 8 hours of direct sunlight. If your not in your correct time of year. For that particular crop.
Really practical info Patrick. Love the effort you put into your videos. I am going to water today - because it is finally sunny and the soil surface in my greenhouse is dry. And because you said to!
Extremely helpful. We are building a greenhouse from old windows and using raised beds inside so I can grow year round. I definitely would have overwatered.
I wish I could have a winter greenhouse. I live in Norway and it gets down to -30 degrees Celcius during winter. Also, I live in a valley between mountains and the sun never comes high enough during winter to actually shine it's light on my garden. I could, however, extend the summer season a few months with a greenhouse like this!
+Simone Christine You're absolutely right. You definitely need a spot that gets full sun to grow through the winter, but you could extend your growing season a few months!
Nice one Patrick! I returned home earlier with what is either an old railway sleeper or a lintel in the back of the car. I found it down a footpath on the other side of town and, whilst it's not in the best condition, it's not crumbling away and I hope to find more sleepers so I can start making raised beds to use what could be described as the European Economic Community's compost mountain at the bottom of the garden. This region used to have a very high density of railways until the 1960's and there must be hundreds if not thousands of sleepers laying around. Wish me luck as I set off to find 'em!
+Michael Ball Thanks, Michael! One thing to take into consideration is that sleepers were typically treated with creosote. Here's an article from The Telegraph on the topic: www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/4794226/Toxic-sleepers-hit-the-buffers.html
I can see that I'm going to be coming back to you time and again for good information. I just found your channel and love it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Super informative that I didnt get from other videos..building a greenhouse now (almost done). The plastic wont be permanent cuz I'm using my cattle panel as a trellis in summer so the extra layer of plastic would def be a help..in zone 6b
I felt for the cat! I can't ever trip without an audience either 🤓 thanks for the great information, I'm on two acres now and in student mode! For the winter, looking forward to putting all this knowledge into practice come spring. Blessings to you and your garden
When constructing your greenhouse put 2 inches of the foam board (dense and designed for building foundations) 2 feet in the ground around the perimeter to help keep the ground frost out.
sir your a God send. I have a black thumb, no clue, and five acres of land I desperately want to utilize to feed my family healthy food. I have and failed but I am ready to try again. your video is dummy proof. I so need that. would I be lucky enough for you to know about beekeeping. I'm addicted to the way you instruct at this point
+jennifer ruiz Hi Jennifer! Thanks for letting me know my videos have helped. You can do a lot with 5 acres, but I recommend starting out small and expanding as you learn and gain experience. What sort of challenges have you faced so far?
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening ... so far I have raised a small flock of chicks into healthy egg laying machines. shortly after that they were killed by a stray dog roaming the area. I also attempted to grow tomatoes and successfully drowned them. I do plan on beefing up the chicken security when I get the money. it's all trial, error, and RUclips. I'm so ignorant but I'm trying. lol
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening ..actually yes. not to take advantage so soon but I have a very very wet land. I am pretty sure I will have to do a raised or container so my veggies don't drown. what would you recommend?
+jennifer ruiz Raised beds are a quick solution for a small garden. A longer term solution would be to make modifications to the landscape to route and store water in retention ponds.
Thanks Patrick - good information. We are also in Zone 5 up here in the mountains of southern BC - which also means limited direct sun in the winter. I continue to be intrigued by winter gardening and would like to give it a go - especially as the cost of fresh produce this time of year is a little much. Thanks again! - Love the cat!
+Jo Brown You're very welcome, Jo! Our winter garden gets about 4 or 5 hours of direct sun each day. Hopefully, you have a spot that gets that much? I'm glad you enjoy Oscar!
Looks like the hoop house is really paying off Patrick. I'm trying to content myself with a few little green pepper plants just germinating under lights. The kitty thinks it's a ski slope.
thanks for that Patrick. I always learn something from your videos. I have been lazy this year and haven't gotten plastic up on my hoop house. It has gotten down to 20 here at nights so I gave lost some things. Dave
+Organic Gardening in North Carolina You're very welcome! We got our hoop house covered just barely in time - literally on the day of our first snowfall. We're having our coldest weather of the winter this week. We hit 1 degree last night. It'll be interesting to see what plants are still standing at the end of the week! ;-)
Thank you so much for including centigrade, it’s the only thing I’m metric on 😊🙏. Awesome video and channel. I’ll need to rewatch this a couple of times. Your hoop house is beautiful and so well kept 😊
It was nuts! The kids brought their dog who is not potty trained, nor were the cats! Talk about and interesting Christmas! My all wood floors survived, but only just...! One of them is sick but getting better and they both need a vet visit as non was done by the kids. Oh well. They are cute though and like people. That makes up for the other things. I plan to institute your ideas onto my new garden area. It is 3 times the size of my old one. Just hope the weather is good this year. My husband wants more tomatoes! bjr
Thank you. I'm new to this idea of growing over the winter. My wife and I bought an inexpensive 5' x 5' x 6' greenhouse with a polypropylene PE cover to get started with. But the more I learn, the less I know. The only ventilation that's available in my greenhouse is to roll-up the door, so I've added an electric ventilation system that will exchange the inside air every 12 seconds, once the temperature gets above 85 F (29 C). I've got a small amount of water (10 gallons) to store some of the heat, but I don't think it's enough to make a difference. But there's a new product that I've seen, perhaps you've heard of it, or know where to buy some....bioPCM. I've got my north wall insulated with a double layer of canvas, but I think replacing it with bioPCM would be a better solution. Or at least putting the bioPCM inside the canvas so it's exposed to the sunlight.
have you thought of putting compost pile inside your greenhouse? If you started building a cylindrical chicken wire compost pile mid Autumn and Incorporated it into your green house you may be able to naturally heat it for those insanely cold winters (last 2 winters).
Greens grow really well in winter as long as you get them established in autumn. A week in the mid 30s here (~100F). I'm already thinking about the cold season and next spring too. I'm going to start mulching with more woodchips and less with the $15/bale pea straw hay (hopefully I can find a tree company who will give it to me for free or near free). A lot less pests in winter - except for the slugs.
+Darkfalz79 You're right. It's best to have plants established in autumn. They don't grow much in mid-winter. I definitely understand you looking forward to the cold season. I don't do well in that kind of heat! Fortunately, we haven't seen temps that high the past couple summers.
We got two cats that are 8 months old for Christmas. Your kitty's antics remind me of them. What is your kitty's name and is it a he or a she? Now that we are in a new house on an acre of land, I can actually do some of the things you speak of! YEAH!
+Barbara Rickman That's great, Barbara! You can do so much with an acre of land. Our cat's name is Oscar. You must have had a fun Christmas with 2 new kitties!
Noticed most of these things last year. I'm still kicking myself for building a raised bed that gets 2 hours of sun in the winter. Arghh! Hopefully I can build another raised bed before next winter that gets 8-10 hours. I've been trying to grow in in succession but I can't seem to get the timing right. I guess practice makes perfect. Thanks for the information :)
+OmgKitty's Garden and Family Life You're very welcome! Don't feel bad. My first winter garden was in the totally shaded area I showed in the video! ;-)
I would love to put up a green house to grow during the winter/cooler months. We live in Missouri and our weather swings a lot. It's almost mid April and we still have fear of snow in the forecast.
Incredibly informative! Thank you so much for all of this info! I was surprised to see how little you had to water. It usually looks moist in there with the condensation on the glass and plastic, but still only watering about once month is amazing! I can't wait for more info! Love to Oscar! Meow!
+gippywhite Thanks! I'm glad you found it informative. Yeah, if anything, there's too much water in there. I have to keep reminding my wife not to water. Oscar says hi!
OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening With the way my memory works, not watering for weeks at a time would be an amazing option. LOL! Hi Oscar!
Unfortunately we don't get much sun here in winter, but then, we also don't get really cold weather. So far it's been way too warm as in so many other places in Europe. My biggest problem is humidity in the greenhouse and it is very difficult to get it down, even with venting. I can see there is some humidity in your hoop house, but maybe not enough to be a problem?
+helle hansen Yeah, humidity is a big problem, especially if it's also warm. In our case, I think the cold suppresses mold. It's regularly below freezing in the hoop house.
Another key is to hang space blankets or other insulation over the north side, which is losing heat. You should consider making a greenhouse with an insulated vertical north wall and glaze only the south side and part of the roof.
Hello Patric have you ever tried growing potatoes in your double hooped green house ?this yr I’m trying your double hooped green house thanks for your great videos I hope your well
I know now why my father-in-law had to use heaters in his greenhouses during the wintertime. He used plastic in the greenhouse, but had to use heaters on cold cloud covered days when growing cucumbers in the winter months next to the ocean in Japan.
Excellent tips and I just love the hoophouse! Amazing over the years to see what you've built in that small backyard o.- BTW your greens are some of the best I've seen anyone grow without hitting them with chemicals...so healthy. :) love it!
I am learning from your experiences Patrick I have started my broccoli two weeks ago for my Wintergarden and I am starting some of the lettuces now I'm just looking at what varieties that would be good here in eastern Ontario our climate is pretty much identical to yours in Chicago
LOVE your cat!!! 🐱 - and the vids ;) This one is FANTASTIC!!! Never grew anything in freezing winter - will definitelly gove it a try! Thank you so much for the amazing handy tips!!!
I'm in zone 8b but then it changed to 10a but it froze a bunch this year. My Swiss chard always rots out, tried the white and rainbow mixes. The rainbow mixes seem to have less rot problems here. I use the cement retaining brick here
+MrVenturadog Do you get a lot of rain in your area? The combination of cold and moist conditions is also the biggest threat to our Swiss Chard. Even though we haven't watered in weeks, it stays pretty moist in the hoop house. So far, the chard is hanging in there.
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening I'm about 80 miles north of Hollywood and 10 miles from the ocean. They rot out in the summer when we just get heavy dues and use drip to keep the blight down on tomatoes.
Great tips, Patrick! Yeah, the ventilation really has to be watched closely in a non-automatic vented hoophouse! If it weren't for my thermostatic fans, and shutters, the temps would get into the 90° range quickly, even on a 35° day! The tomatoes, and peppers wouldn't mind it, but the lettuces, and brassicas would start screaming ; )
+Keyplayr61 Greenhouse Hydroponics And Gardens Thanks, Keith! Yeah, you guys in warmer climates have to vent a lot more than we do. I keep everything locked up tight for days at a time here. We hit 1 degree last night! I probably won't have to vent again until late this week when it finally warms up a bit.
Great video. Thank you. Going to get some stuff started tomorrow after watching this since we've just ordered the greenhouse. Looking forward to watching more of your videos.
Thanks Patrick really nice video, I like the points on ventilation as I will try to grow winter crops endive, spinach, winter lettuce, lambs lettuce next winter and still considering either polythene or fleece as a cover for hoop on the bed, worried that polythene might not work great if I will not be there through the week to ventilate.
+Raf's Kitchen Garden Thanks! If you'll be away from the garden for some time, automated venting options would be very helpful. There are some relatively inexpensive openers for cold frames. You could also install automated vents on the end walls of your hoop house.
Love your videos very helpful. I just bought a poly carbonate greenhouse and am looking for someone who knows when I should start perennial seeds and veggie seedlings to sell May 24 weekend here in Ontario Canada? Beginning of April?
This is my first year growing in winter, any ideas what I can plant and how to go about it would be muchly appreciated. I live in Pa ( zone 6), got a 8'x8' greenhouse ( just built this summer), I like about all kinds of vegetables. Thank You in advance for your input.
It's too late to plant most crops from seed for winter. You could still plant mache and claytonia, and if you can get plant starts for spinach, kale, collards, and lettuce, you can plant them. We start planting for winter in late summer. I hope this helps!
Patrick - great video, yet again! We're zone 5 too up in the mountains of West Virginia, so your advice is always valuable and relevant to our situation. Two questions for you about the hoophouse: 1. Have you had any issues with humidity levels getting too high and encouraging mold or rot? 2. Do you start your seedlings in the hoophouse, or transplant them out after starting them inside your home? Many thanks!
+Karen Berry Thanks, Karen! I'm glad you find my videos helpful. It is quite humid in the hoop house, but so far we haven't had issues with mold or rot. Perhaps this is because it gets cold enough here to slow the growth of fungi. Most of the plants in the hoop house are perennials or volunteer annuals. Of the remaining plants, most were started directly in the winter garden, but lettuce and endive were transplanted there. I hope this helps!
If mold becomes an issue, consider the occasional use of an ozone generator to disinfect the air. Our ozone generator took the musty smell out of our greenhouse.
Hi, I spent 4 hours looking for greenhouse reviews. Found nothing I liked. I just found your video. The best video I have seen!. Thank You.
Thanks! I'm glad the video was helpful.
I love how soft your voice is, well spoke , easy to digest video... thank You!
As a Canadian, these are great tips.
Thanks! I'm glad you found them helpful.
Hey Patrick. I still love watching your videos even though I have seen them before, and I can keep checking for new videos. Keep following your dreams and we will be here waiting for you. Take care
Great information Patrick, even though I live in the subtropics I still learn from and enjoy watching your vids. Cheers :)
+Self Sufficient Me Thanks, Mark! I appreciate it. Cheers!
You should be on tv on the gardening channel,
Your well spoken, you know what your talking about and your to the point,
I've watched all your videos, thanks so much for your great advice, I am a horticulturist but you have taught me a few things I didn't know.
Thanks, Simon! That is very nice of you to say.
Simon Delaney--I agree completely. Good info professionally presented.
There’s a gardening channel?!
RUclips > TV
Brief, easily understood, and superbly presented!
I love seeing that beautiful lettuce growing inside with the cold and snow outside. One of the best videos on the subject
Thanks, Jerri!
Your approach to dealing with the weather is very informative. I have just the opposite problem but have learned much from your ideas. We still have not had any frost this winter and I am keeping my fingers crossed.
+DonnaldaSmolens Thanks, Donnalda! This week will be the biggest challenge for the winter garden this year. It's very cold at the moment.
We've just moved and I'm waiting to see where the sun is here with our new surroundings. I watched this b4 but came back for a refresher to show my husband exactly how I want mine to be done. Thank you.
That's awesome... If I had to do mine again, I'd eliminate having a clear section on the north side. My polycarbonate was the most expensive part... And being in North America, it was a waste. Next one!
Great points Patrick! I like the fact about raising the zone with added layers of protection. One day I hope to have a hoop house too. We rent where we live but if I ever move out to the river, I will definitely follow your plans. Hubby is not handy so it would be my project, lol.
+Rainbow Gardens Thanks, Donna! You live in a great zone for winter growing! You could have a zone 9 microclimate there. Good thing you're handy! ;-)
out of everyone i think ur r the best instructor of them all, u made so much sense answered so manu questions these other channel wont provide .. 👏👏👏👏
ur great ! u knw something, u got a subscriber buddy!
Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad you find my videos helpful.
i am going to try this cold frame inside the green house idea, and planting in the soil. thank you!
You're welcome, Jackie! Best of luck with your winter garden.
I live in northwest Arkansas zone 7. I covered part of my garden last yr with 2 wire panels. 11' arcs at 4' each side by side cover 8x5' area. I covered it with sheets at first that worked great as shade clothes then some heavy visquine when in October. I harvested carrots on Christmas day and beets and chard through January. Had never attempted this before and was happy with the results. Even on a 25 degree day it was toasty inside. Heck I even grew spring weeds! So this yr I've upgraded. I have 2 4x10 beds side by side, covered with 16' panels so now I can walk inside. Made 10 -2' plots with peas, beets, carrots 3 lettuce, bok choi, kale and chard started inside. Right now it's covered with sheets since it's still high 80s here in the daytime. It should be a fun experiment! I say if you can do it there, I can do it here!
That's great, Jill! Yeah, you live in a great area for winter gardening under cover. Congratulations on all your success and best wishes with your garden this winter.
Thanks! Very helpful. I'm in zone 5B and my vegetable garden gets going this spring. I'm looking forward to extending the growing season as long as possible, even when temperatures drop below freezing.
just moved to 6a so finding your videos is great timing THX
Perfect info for me. Just installed a greenhouse in the Czech Republic. Thanks!
Best wishes growing in your greenhouse, Patrick!
Patrick Pray
I did a Fall Planting for the first time this year in an open raised bed. The Carrots and Kolrabi did well and don't seem to mind freezing. I just push back the snow to harvest some - also have some Beets that seem to keep better outside than in the garage. I would love to build a hoop house, but in the meantime some veg have extreme cold hardiness.
Another video with great advice. Who knows maybe this year we'll give it a try with an unheated greenhouse too. Our garden is also in zone 5 but across the pond, so we are always looking forward for your videos. Thnx, Patrick!
+Maria Susana Thanks, Maria! Please let me know how it goes if you give it a try.
good video
venting in zone 8a - I installed 4 automatic temperature operated foundation vents in the front and back of my greenhouse, down low in front - up high in back. these open above 45 degrees and allow air to flow through the green house. I also have a small fan on a timer that comes on in the afternoon to help with venting on warmer winter days. I heat with a timer activated ceramic heater on cold nights. I monitor 10 day forecasts and set the timers accordingly.
This will be our first winter with the greenhouse. Thank you for your truthful replies I am zone 8 b, 9a in Washington state by the Ocean.
Paul and I just watched this again. Thanks so much for all the good tips and showing how sun hits your garden. In this big open space we have, there always seems to be some pitfall to greenhouse or raised bed placement. Its as if we need to build a bunch of buildings just to enclose a garden. But you have ideas that help us search out microclimate areas. They are all around just not as easy to each... Did not realize when we got this property how hard it would be to grow on a hill that slopes downward from the sunrise which all plants seem to cherish more than the south sun here.
+Suzanne Ramoundos I'm glad you and Paul found the video helpful, Suzanne! Once you find a sunny spot for a greenhouse, is wind the biggest concern? I wish I could see how my little hoop house would hold up in that situation.
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening No joke wish we could borrow you for about a year. SO much land and so many glitches Used to live in a row house with more success. The greenhouse, yes we have many sunny spots but slope point downward toward west...would need to level. The wind gets bad... need to tie down or set up permanent base...how to let state roads keep access to land? Septic truck for cleaning etc. Poor people here with high and low tunnels, many crushed under weight of the snow. How to place so two feet of snow can be traversed to clean off snow or on a sunny day to open inside structures...our cheapie..the zippers go stuck in the snow and froze..how on earth would we get the door open....where is the water source...on and on...but surely there is a way just on year 14 now trying to find it. :) But we keep on trying...Brilliant Idea or is it Einstein's definition of insanity.
+Suzanne Ramoundos I think having a steep roof to shed snow would be very important. It's definitely doable!
Thank you for your info! My son and I are growing in a low tunnel with 6 mil greenhouse plastic! I didn't even think about doubling up.
So glad I stumbled across this video!
I live in an area that teeters between zones 3 and 4, and I want to find a way to cultivate perennials that might otherwise not survive the winters here, like blueberry plants. I don't even care about whether I can grow plants during the winter; I just want them to be alive when spring comes!
It's definitely colder up here, but hopefully your tips will still come in handy.
Very helpful and interesting. Building two aquaponic greenhouses on wheels ATM with the goal of extending the season as long as possible. I'm in Sweden so winter is challenging. Experimenting with compost and passive heat. Have a good one!
Thanks! Best wishes with your projects.
Aww! Hi, little kitty! In SoCal we can grow in winter without a greenhouse (yes, cold-weather veggies), but this is excellent info for my readers. I'll pass it along. ~ Melanie
Thanks, Melanie!
This is great. No thermal mass of any kind like milk jugs or buckets? Fascinating.
Thanks, Chris! I'm adding ten 5 gallon black buckets of water this winter.
Patrick, here in zone 8b, I've yet to see a winter that brassicas would require covering to make it. I've seen pics to prove it can get that nasty here, like the year I was born, when there was 6 inches of snow on the ground in our part of NW Florida. This winter has been so freakishly warm, that I still have a pepper plant alive from last years planting. My arugula and spinach mustards have bolted and are going to seed, and that usually begins in another 6 weeks. Tonight will be our 1st frost of the winter, and its almost spring lol.
+Poppy B. We had a very warm November and December too, but January has been pretty normal so far. We're expecting a low of 4 degrees tonight. I'm sorry to hear the warm weather has your cold weather crops bolting already!
You are a mathematician! Crystal clear! Thank You.
Thanks!
It still amazes me how much you can grow this time of year !! The tip about growing with your zone and time of year sure will help lots of new gardeners be successful !
+Alberta Urban Garden Simple Organic and Sustainable Thanks, Stephen! Yes, growing in the winter is hard enough even when you don't try to fight Mother Nature. It's best to try to work with her in my opinion.
If you don't work with her she will still win ;)
Steven, Patrick, Ive often wonder about the advice given for seed starting with a south facing window, that get 8 hours of direct sunlight. If your not in your correct time of year. For that particular crop.
+Sabine RiverAuthority You'll definitely get slower germination and growth this time of year even when growing inside in a south facing window.
Such great information. Watching again to learn even more. Wish you were still posting!
Really practical info Patrick. Love the effort you put into your videos. I am going to water today - because it is finally sunny and the soil surface in my greenhouse is dry. And because you said to!
Thanks, Donna! Happy gardening!
Extremely helpful. We are building a greenhouse from old windows and using raised beds inside so I can grow year round. I definitely would have overwatered.
Love this! So many greenhouse videos are people with heated greenhouses.
I wish I could have a winter greenhouse. I live in Norway and it gets down to -30 degrees Celcius during winter. Also, I live in a valley between mountains and the sun never comes high enough during winter to actually shine it's light on my garden. I could, however, extend the summer season a few months with a greenhouse like this!
+Simone Christine You're absolutely right. You definitely need a spot that gets full sun to grow through the winter, but you could extend your growing season a few months!
Nice one Patrick! I returned home earlier with what is either an old railway sleeper or a lintel in the back of the car. I found it down a footpath on the other side of town and, whilst it's not in the best condition, it's not crumbling away and I hope to find more sleepers so I can start making raised beds to use what could be described as the European Economic Community's compost mountain at the bottom of the garden. This region used to have a very high density of railways until the 1960's and there must be hundreds if not thousands of sleepers laying around. Wish me luck as I set off to find 'em!
+Michael Ball Thanks, Michael! One thing to take into consideration is that sleepers were typically treated with creosote. Here's an article from The Telegraph on the topic: www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/4794226/Toxic-sleepers-hit-the-buffers.html
I can see that I'm going to be coming back to you time and again for good information. I just found your channel and love it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
+Teresa McCoy Thanks, Teresa! I'm glad you found my channel and you're welcome back any time. ;-)
As I'm subscribed, that'll be a regular thing :)
Super informative that I didnt get from other videos..building a greenhouse now (almost done). The plastic wont be permanent cuz I'm using my cattle panel as a trellis in summer so the extra layer of plastic would def be a help..in zone 6b
This was good timing, going to try winter gardening in the PNW, 60 miles north of Seattle.
I felt for the cat! I can't ever trip without an audience either 🤓 thanks for the great information, I'm on two acres now and in student mode! For the winter, looking forward to putting all this knowledge into practice come spring. Blessings to you and your garden
i cant wait to get to building! very helpful to know about the suns movement and time during the winter and understanding watering
Best wishes with your build!
Nice video!! More quality information in 7 minutes than vids I have watched that are over an hour long. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent video. You get right to the point and not a lot of chit chat. You're also very knowledgeable. Great job!
When constructing your greenhouse put 2 inches of the foam board (dense and designed for building foundations) 2 feet in the ground around the perimeter to help keep the ground frost out.
Love it. Im gonna start out trying to grow Dandelions.
sir your a God send. I have a black thumb, no clue, and five acres of land I desperately want to utilize to feed my family healthy food. I have and failed but I am ready to try again. your video is dummy proof. I so need that. would I be lucky enough for you to know about beekeeping. I'm addicted to the way you instruct at this point
+jennifer ruiz Hi Jennifer! Thanks for letting me know my videos have helped. You can do a lot with 5 acres, but I recommend starting out small and expanding as you learn and gain experience. What sort of challenges have you faced so far?
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening ... so far I have raised a small flock of chicks into healthy egg laying machines. shortly after that they were killed by a stray dog roaming the area. I also attempted to grow tomatoes and successfully drowned them. I do plan on beefing up the chicken security when I get the money. it's all trial, error, and RUclips. I'm so ignorant but I'm trying. lol
+jennifer ruiz Yes, it's definitely a learning process. Please let me know if I can help answer questions about growing veggies. Best wishes!
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening ..actually yes. not to take advantage so soon but I have a very very wet land. I am pretty sure I will have to do a raised or container so my veggies don't drown. what would you recommend?
+jennifer ruiz Raised beds are a quick solution for a small garden. A longer term solution would be to make modifications to the landscape to route and store water in retention ponds.
I think it's great you can get such a high climate in your hoop house in your zone. Great video for winter gardening in colder climates.
+The Abled Gardener Thanks, Kim!
Grateful thanks, from Ontario, Canada; I'll let you know how it works out. Building next Spring/Summer.
You're welcome, Pace! Yes, please let me know!
i'm going to try put large barrels of water in the greehouse to help moderate day/night temperatures
another great instructive video for those who like fresh food year round! thank you
Thank you!
set up a portable mylar wall to reflect sunlight. glue the mylar to plywood for portability and wind damage prevention.
Thanks Patrick - good information. We are also in Zone 5 up here in the mountains of southern BC - which also means limited direct sun in the winter. I continue to be intrigued by winter gardening and would like to give it a go - especially as the cost of fresh produce this time of year is a little much. Thanks again! - Love the cat!
+Jo Brown You're very welcome, Jo! Our winter garden gets about 4 or 5 hours of direct sun each day. Hopefully, you have a spot that gets that much? I'm glad you enjoy Oscar!
Thank you, I just bought a greenhouse and this video is perfect. My cat Shadow has found his spot already. Oscar is so cute...
Looks like the hoop house is really paying off Patrick. I'm trying to content myself with a few little green pepper plants just germinating under lights. The kitty thinks it's a ski slope.
wow! you have you're veggies even in winter time! without heater
congrats! successful winter garden
Thank you! We've already planted most of the winter garden. Can't wait for fresh winter veggies!
thanks for that Patrick. I always learn something from your videos. I have been lazy this year and haven't gotten plastic up on my hoop house. It has gotten down to 20 here at nights so I gave lost some things.
Dave
+Organic Gardening in North Carolina You're very welcome! We got our hoop house covered just barely in time - literally on the day of our first snowfall. We're having our coldest weather of the winter this week. We hit 1 degree last night. It'll be interesting to see what plants are still standing at the end of the week! ;-)
This was very educational. How can 66 people not appreciate it?
They don't like growing fresh organic veggies for them and their families apparently! ;)
Thank you so much for including centigrade, it’s the only thing I’m metric on 😊🙏. Awesome video and channel. I’ll need to rewatch this a couple of times. Your hoop house is beautiful and so well kept 😊
It was nuts! The kids brought their dog who is not potty trained, nor were the cats! Talk about and interesting Christmas! My all wood floors survived, but only just...! One of them is sick but getting better and they both need a vet visit as non was done by the kids. Oh well. They are cute though and like people. That makes up for the other things.
I plan to institute your ideas onto my new garden area. It is 3 times the size of my old one. Just hope the weather is good this year. My husband wants more tomatoes!
bjr
+Barbara Rickman That sounds like fun, Barbara! I hope your kitty is feeling better. Best wishes with your garden expansion!
Thank you. I'm new to this idea of growing over the winter. My wife and I bought an inexpensive 5' x 5' x 6' greenhouse with a polypropylene PE cover to get started with. But the more I learn, the less I know. The only ventilation that's available in my greenhouse is to roll-up the door, so I've added an electric ventilation system that will exchange the inside air every 12 seconds, once the temperature gets above 85 F (29 C). I've got a small amount of water (10 gallons) to store some of the heat, but I don't think it's enough to make a difference. But there's a new product that I've seen, perhaps you've heard of it, or know where to buy some....bioPCM. I've got my north wall insulated with a double layer of canvas, but I think replacing it with bioPCM would be a better solution. Or at least putting the bioPCM inside the canvas so it's exposed to the sunlight.
have you thought of putting compost pile inside your greenhouse? If you started building a cylindrical chicken wire compost pile mid Autumn and Incorporated it into your green house you may be able to naturally heat it for those insanely cold winters (last 2 winters).
+1975Jdonov That's a great idea. We'd definitely use compost to heat the greenhouse if we had more space.
Greens grow really well in winter as long as you get them established in autumn. A week in the mid 30s here (~100F). I'm already thinking about the cold season and next spring too. I'm going to start mulching with more woodchips and less with the $15/bale pea straw hay (hopefully I can find a tree company who will give it to me for free or near free). A lot less pests in winter - except for the slugs.
+Darkfalz79 You're right. It's best to have plants established in autumn. They don't grow much in mid-winter.
I definitely understand you looking forward to the cold season. I don't do well in that kind of heat! Fortunately, we haven't seen temps that high the past couple summers.
Great video. Very concise and informative!
We got two cats that are 8 months old for Christmas. Your kitty's antics remind me of them. What is your kitty's name and is it a he or a she?
Now that we are in a new house on an acre of land, I can actually do some of the things you speak of! YEAH!
+Barbara Rickman That's great, Barbara! You can do so much with an acre of land. Our cat's name is Oscar. You must have had a fun Christmas with 2 new kitties!
Love your video. So informative. Can you share a link to the thermometer system you use? Thanks!
Patrick that I like your greenhouse and cold frames inside it. Thanks for the Tips. Very good video
+Patrick Meehan Thanks, Patrick! You are very welcome.
Noticed most of these things last year. I'm still kicking myself for building a raised bed that gets 2 hours of sun in the winter. Arghh! Hopefully I can build another raised bed before next winter that gets 8-10 hours. I've been trying to grow in in succession but I can't seem to get the timing right. I guess practice makes perfect. Thanks for the information :)
+OmgKitty's Garden and Family Life You're very welcome! Don't feel bad. My first winter garden was in the totally shaded area I showed in the video! ;-)
I would love to put up a green house to grow during the winter/cooler months. We live in Missouri and our weather swings a lot. It's almost mid April and we still have fear of snow in the forecast.
Greenhouses really help to smooth out the temperature swings at this time of year.
im z5 too :) got our kale spinach carrots and lettuce germd and ready for cover
fennel dill parsley and cilantro too
That's great! Best wishes with your fall/winter garden!
Incredibly informative! Thank you so much for all of this info! I was surprised to see how little you had to water. It usually looks moist in there with the condensation on the glass and plastic, but still only watering about once month is amazing! I can't wait for more info! Love to Oscar! Meow!
+gippywhite Thanks! I'm glad you found it informative. Yeah, if anything, there's too much water in there. I have to keep reminding my wife not to water. Oscar says hi!
OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening With the way my memory works, not watering for weeks at a time would be an amazing option. LOL! Hi Oscar!
Unfortunately we don't get much sun here in winter, but then, we also don't get really cold weather. So far it's been way too warm as in so many other places in Europe. My biggest problem is humidity in the greenhouse and it is very difficult to get it down, even with venting. I can see there is some humidity in your hoop house, but maybe not enough to be a problem?
+helle hansen Yeah, humidity is a big problem, especially if it's also warm. In our case, I think the cold suppresses mold. It's regularly below freezing in the hoop house.
Awesome update thank you for sharing have a blessed day
+Linda Penney Thanks, Linda!
Another key is to hang space blankets or other insulation over the north side, which is losing heat. You should consider making a greenhouse with an insulated vertical north wall and glaze only the south side and part of the roof.
Hello Patric have you ever tried growing potatoes in your double hooped green house ?this yr I’m trying your double hooped green house thanks for your great videos I hope your well
I know now why my father-in-law had to use heaters in his greenhouses during the wintertime. He used plastic in the greenhouse, but had to use heaters on cold cloud covered days when growing cucumbers in the winter months next to the ocean in Japan.
Yeah, you'd definitely need heaters to grow cucumbers. As cold as it is here, I like to focus on cold hardy crops.
I agree with you that heating a greenhouse is very expensive unless you grow crops for market.
Just what I needed to know. Thanks. How about microgreens of the same plants? Do you have any suggestions? They will also be in the cool green house.
Thank you for the great advice. I’m going to grow greens this winter using your suggestions. 👍🏻
Excellent tips and I just love the hoophouse! Amazing over the years to see what you've built in that small backyard o.- BTW your greens are some of the best I've seen anyone grow without hitting them with chemicals...so healthy. :) love it!
Thanks!
Great video, lots to take in I think I will have to re-watch this one.
+Fruit & Veg Thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful.
I am learning from your experiences Patrick I have started my broccoli two weeks ago for my Wintergarden and I am starting some of the lettuces now I'm just looking at what varieties that would be good here in eastern Ontario our climate is pretty much identical to yours in Chicago
Thank you! I learned a few tricks
LOVE your cat!!! 🐱 - and the vids ;) This one is FANTASTIC!!! Never grew anything in freezing winter - will definitelly gove it a try! Thank you so much for the amazing handy tips!!!
Thanks so much! What great and simple tips. I hope to follow your advice!
Your welcome, Elise! Best wishes with your winter garden.
Thank you for the information
+Serag Elayouby You're welcome!
Hi! Missing your videos! Will you be making more some time?
I'm in zone 8b but then it changed to 10a but it froze a bunch this year.
My Swiss chard always rots out, tried the white and rainbow mixes. The rainbow mixes seem to have less rot problems here. I use the cement retaining brick here
+MrVenturadog Do you get a lot of rain in your area? The combination of cold and moist conditions is also the biggest threat to our Swiss Chard. Even though we haven't watered in weeks, it stays pretty moist in the hoop house. So far, the chard is hanging in there.
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening I'm about 80 miles north of Hollywood and 10 miles from the ocean. They rot out in the summer when we just get heavy dues and use drip to keep the blight down on tomatoes.
Cool video. Did I miss how the greenhouse was heated?
Thanks! We don't use any heat source other than the sun.
Great video. Many thanks to sharing.
+Pathy K Thanks!
Nice setup. Good information. Thanks
Glad to see your kitty helping out, what would we do without them?
Simply excellent. Top job guys! Thank you.
Thanks, Patrick!
thanks a bunch for putting these to geteher in one place
You're welcome, Peter!
Great tips, Patrick! Yeah, the ventilation really has to be watched closely in a non-automatic vented hoophouse! If it weren't for my thermostatic fans, and shutters, the temps would get into the 90° range quickly, even on a 35° day! The tomatoes, and peppers wouldn't mind it, but the lettuces, and brassicas would start screaming ; )
+Keyplayr61 Greenhouse Hydroponics And Gardens Thanks, Keith! Yeah, you guys in warmer climates have to vent a lot more than we do. I keep everything locked up tight for days at a time here. We hit 1 degree last night! I probably won't have to vent again until late this week when it finally warms up a bit.
Thank you we are trying to get the hang of using our greenhouse in all seasons, and I found your video helpful. I am subscribed now.
Great video. Thank you. Going to get some stuff started tomorrow after watching this since we've just ordered the greenhouse. Looking forward to watching more of your videos.
Thanks Patrick really nice video, I like the points on ventilation as I will try to grow winter crops endive, spinach, winter lettuce, lambs lettuce next winter and still considering either polythene or fleece as a cover for hoop on the bed, worried that polythene might not work great if I will not be there through the week to ventilate.
+Raf's Kitchen Garden Thanks! If you'll be away from the garden for some time, automated venting options would be very helpful. There are some relatively inexpensive openers for cold frames. You could also install automated vents on the end walls of your hoop house.
Love your videos very helpful. I just bought a poly carbonate greenhouse and am looking for someone who knows when I should start perennial seeds and veggie seedlings to sell May 24 weekend here in Ontario Canada? Beginning of April?
This is my first year growing in winter, any ideas what I can plant and how to go about it would be muchly appreciated. I live in Pa ( zone 6), got a 8'x8' greenhouse ( just built this summer), I like about all kinds of vegetables. Thank You in advance for your input.
It's too late to plant most crops from seed for winter. You could still plant mache and claytonia, and if you can get plant starts for spinach, kale, collards, and lettuce, you can plant them. We start planting for winter in late summer. I hope this helps!
Patrick - great video, yet again! We're zone 5 too up in the mountains of West Virginia, so your advice is always valuable and relevant to our situation. Two questions for you about the hoophouse:
1. Have you had any issues with humidity levels getting too high and encouraging mold or rot?
2. Do you start your seedlings in the hoophouse, or transplant them out after starting them inside your home?
Many thanks!
+Karen Berry Thanks, Karen! I'm glad you find my videos helpful.
It is quite humid in the hoop house, but so far we haven't had issues with mold or rot. Perhaps this is because it gets cold enough here to slow the growth of fungi. Most of the plants in the hoop house are perennials or volunteer annuals. Of the remaining plants, most were started directly in the winter garden, but lettuce and endive were transplanted there. I hope this helps!
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening - thanks very much!
If mold becomes an issue, consider the occasional use of an ozone generator to disinfect the air. Our ozone generator took the musty smell out of our greenhouse.
Thanks for sharing Patrick. Great information as usual. Best wishes Bob.
+Bob Lt (BobMel's Gardening) Thanks, Bob!