Greenhouse-in-the-garden - Extends the season 2+ months

I grow tomatoes and other vining crops vertically, using T-Frames, pipe, and bailing twine strings. I put PVC arches and cover with plastic in late September. for about $100 one-time investment we are able to extend the growing season of about 80 tomato plants with just a little heat during freezing weather. this lets me continue to grow and harvest fresh tomatoes at least into November, and sometimes even December!

Beyond that, by covering it in the spring, I am able to transplant tomatoes into the garden a month or so earlier - thus extending the harvest season on both ends!


Jim Kennard

Very impressed - total functionality :)

JimKennard, Welcome, your tomatoes look beautiful enough to eat!! Good idea to extend your season that way. Donna aka rutholive

that is really neat! Thanks for showing that picture

A very nice set up! Ingenuity wins again!!

Jim, what a nice and neat set-up you have! Does the poly cover come all the way down to the ground, and do you open it up on warm days?

Yes, the 6-mil plastic is nailed to 2 Two-by-two's on both sides at ground level, and a nylon rope goes beneath it. On warm days I lift the rope and attach one of three loops to a nail at the top to give varying degrees of outside air to the plants.

Of course, from the end of May through September, the plastic is not on at all, and the plants have full sun.

Jim Kennard

Thanks. If I have moved by next planting season, I will try and build these T supports.

Do you keep it on all winter?

Hey Jim, that is a really neat set up. By the way I grew up in SLC, at 1799 So. 5th East. I graduated HS from South High (which doesn't exist anymore). What part of SLC are you in?

Welcome to Davesgarden, Jim. Sorry I neglected to say that when I posted before. You have some very good information and I'm sure many of us will be asking some questions. Short season areas are definitely a challenge.

I do not keep the cover on all winter, but take it off when the temperatures make it too costly to maintain the temp above 32. Everything has been put away, but we are just eating the last of our fresh tomatoes on December 1.

I live by Utah's Hogle Zoo, and the garden is seen from the giraffe exhibit (by about 700,000 people each year).

Jim Kennard

As Spring approaches some of you may want to consider the in-the-garden greenhouse pictured in my first post on this thread.

Two rows of tomato plants, each 30' long are protected from light frosts and kept warm on cold weather by this set-up which only costs $200 to build.

And in the warm months the plastic comes right off, so your plants have full sunshine all day long.

Jim Kennard

Two thumbs up,on a great idea!

Many of you are aware of our member Jim Kennard, who posts threads related to the Mittleider Method of Gardening which he teaches all over the world, mainly in Third World countries enabling those people to feed themselves. He has just lost his wife, and here’s the note:

Date: Wed, 08 Sep 2004 15:48:54 -0000
From: "Joe Kennard"
Subject: Death in the Family

It is with much sadness that I inform the group that Eleanor Kennard, the beloved wife of Jim Kennard, passed away last night.

Eleanor and Jim have fought a long and courageous battle with Breast Cancer for several years and today she is released from the intense suffering she has been enduring.

Services are slated to be on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004 at noon.

Thanks,

Joe Kennard
Jims' "little" brother

I am gonna resurrect this thread here... I have started a new Mittleider Method thread over in the vegitable gardening forum. If you have any experience with it I would invite your participation. Jim is active on the yahoo forum, I will ask him if he would be interested in participating here again as well as I have not seen him on Dave's much lately.

Drew

Drew,

Can you post the link here on this thread? I tried to join the Mittleider Method yahoo forum but it wouldn't work for me.

~* Robin

Robin, in order to do so you have to try to join by having a Yahoo name and account (free) and then Jim or whoever is moderating will approve your membership. In the Veggie forum here we have a thread.

Drew

Drew,

I have a Yahoo name and mail account for 3 years now. I tried to join the Mittleider Method yahoo forum but it wouldn't work for me..... I Don't know why?????


I meant post the link for your new Mittleider Method thread over in the vegetable gardening forum.

~* Robin

I get their posts in a weekly digest. I'll save the Yahoo Groups address for them and post here the next time I get one.

It's getting that time again

MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com