Cold frame, Hoop House, Green House

Oh my Whats right for my garden?

by

Bob & MaryAnn Albenesius

All wrapped up in gardening

Whats best for my needs?

What are the goals?

Do you want to garden year

around?
Does your mouth water for home

grown oranges & bananas?

Do you want to be the 1st on the

block to have a tomato

Maybe you just want a little

more heat out of our summer to

grow a sweet potato or
cantaloupe

Depending on what you want

any of these things are possible.

How much work are you willing

to do?
How much money do you plan to

invest?
How many are you going to feed?
How much space do you have to

work with?

All kinds of options available

Cheapest greenhouse available!

Perfect place to start
experimenting
start your own seeds

Larger selections of
varieties available
Plants when you want

them in the plant world,

timing is everything

Vermont cranberry beans

1 packet @ $2.75 = 4 lbs

vs.

$8.95 = 1 lb

Starting your own seed

Space
Large enough to hold a seed tray

Consistent temp
Generally around 70

Light
Once the seeds sprout

Moisture
Dont allow the medium to dry

out
Sterile seed starting mix

Dont want to play out in the cold and wet?

Start plants inside
Dont need fancy lights
Dont need fancy shelves
Just need seed starting mix and

moisture
Most seeds just need a
consistent temp of about 70 for
germination
Dont need light until plants
emerge

Grow lights/shelf system

Commercial system
Can do the same thing
On a window sill
Fluorescent light

Now is the time

If you want to start
your own tomatoes
To transplant to the

garden in late May start

them by the end of
February
Soil temp 55

Tomato transplant

Take your time give the plants a

chance to acclimate
4 pot

Almost ready for 1 gallon pot

Once you have your seedlings

then what?
Into a cold frame
Under a frost blanket
Floating row cover
Under a low tunnel

Not just tomatoes You can sow any veggie

seeds that will go outside

into a cold frame, under
cloches, low tunnels or
green house
Lettuce

Cauliflower
Peas
Cabbage

Broccoli

Cold frames

Cold frames
They can be plain or

fancy
Require good sun
exposure
Ventilation when the
temp rises above 50
Source of water
Generally used as a
transplant nursery

A Maine cold frame

(Johnnys seeds)

Cold frame with frost blanket

Our lettuce

Straw bale cold frame

used as a pot

Cold frame facts

They are most suited to

cool season crops

Cabbage, broccoli,

lettuce, spinach

Not heat lovers

Need to be able to

ventilate over 50
Need water source
Thermometer is handy

There are alternatives . . .

Low tunnels provides protection for those things

planted directly in the ground
Usually some type of spun

polyester

Grow guard -85% light, 27

degrees, 0.6oz/sq yd
Reemay 75% light, 30
degrees, 0.6oz/sq yd
Agribon 70% light; 0.9 oz/sq
yd
Frost blanket 24 degrees,
50% light, 1.5oz/sq yd ***on &
off
Summer insect barrier 90%
light, 0.4oz/sq yd
Grow therm clear plastic
increase temp by 10 degrees

Low tunnels floating row covers your

option - as to how to use them

You need something to

secure the fabric

Low tunnels
Our garden leeks
and winter Cole
crops under cover

Grow-therm

Grow-therm can also be used on

sweet potatoes

What to plant for winter

enjoyment
October These plants were started in

late July and covered in mid

September
Cabbage
Broccoli
cauliflower
Lettuce
Spinach

Broccoli & cabbage lovers

Hoop house

Hoop house
interior
This one is set up for
tomatoes
but can be used for any
heat lover

Clark County Master Gardeners

All sizes, dimensions

multiple uses
Closed in . . . or not

Lots of resources available

Pop bottle green house

Lots of commercial varieties available

Recycled windows . . . .
Corrugated panels . . .

Big or little

Some important things to remember

Water source
Ventilation
Shade
Close enough to be

useful
Fits your needs
Accommodates the way
you work

Our green house . . . before

& after

Green houses are not without their

challenges
Controlling the

greenhouse environment

Common pests &

diseases

Too hot

Spider mites

Too cold

Whitefly

Too much sun

Damping off

humidity

Mold
Powdery mildew

Why you need

shade & ventilation
This was taken 1/27/12 @
11:30
The temp on our outside
thermometer was 25 that
morning,
by 11:30 it had gotten up to
35 &
the frost was melting . . .
But in the green house

84

Shade cloth
Available in
30%
40%
50%
62%

Shade cloth

Green house heat

35 -45 a holding place
45 -55 can actively grow

cool season crops

55-60 can propagate,
grow cukes, beans,
strawberries,
mushrooms
65 75 can grow all heat
loving vegetables &
tropicals

Questions?

Thank you

WSU Lewis County Extension

Master Gardeners
351 NW North Street
Chehalis WA 98532
(360) 740-1212

http://lewis-mg-mrc.org

WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of
noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office.