winter veggies in a greenhouse?

Are there any veggies I could grow in my greenhouse in the winter? I live in eastern PA (think cold!) but the greenhouse is heated and doesn't go below 50F at night in the winter. However, the days are short. Any ideas? Thanks.

I have about the same conditions. Last year I planted radishes, 3 kinds of lettuce, and swiss chard. They all did well in the cool temperatures. Today I planted seeds in an open planting bed, a little later than last year but they will give us some salads before the ground is visable outside. Double the maturity times. Have fun. Here is a picture of my first planting last year, with some leggy looking tomatoes in the background that didn't produce anything edible.

The lettuce looks great! What kind of heater is that in the background? And do you have something covering the windows?

My greenhouse (we haven't even moved in yet so nothing is set up) just has benches on top of pavers, so no dirt 'beds' like you have. I do want to try lettuce right off the bat, so I guess I'll have to get some wooden rectangular boxes to plant it in as that's all I can think of.

Gwen

Gwen, lettuce doesn't take up much space, you could plant it in anything, even quart size or larger plastic yogurt containers. Same for radishes unless you grow the icicle kind. For a larger area with more root room, go to your local farm animal supply store and get what they call a muck bucket, it is about a 10 gallon tub with rope handles, about the size of a half whiskey barrel. They also have rubber tubs about 10 inches deep made from recycled tires that would make good planters. When are you moving? Will you be getting the greenhouse up before spring?

We will probably move in about a month. The greenhouse came with the property! It has all sorts of nifty things in it, most of which we haven't figured out 100% yet. The orig owners still live nearby and are going to come over one of these days, give us a tour and tell us what to do. I'm looking forward to that!

The house also has a sunroom, which will need to be our tv/family room. It currently is painted white on the lower half (beadboard) and yellow on the few walls near the glass and then the part against the house is the orig outside of the house. I am wanting to paint the white parts a 'juniper green' color and the yellow parts an offwhite color. I just read in a book on sunrooms to always paint them white so they reflect the light (for growing plants). Do you think it matters a lot? This room gets no sun in the winter from what I can tell. We have owned the house for a month and I have yet to be there when there is any sun shining on the house/yard at all, even on days when there is a lot of sun (cold sun ) elsewhere nearby. I guess it's just the way the property sits.

Altho we're planning to use that room as a family room, I was hoping to try tomatoes in there and also a citrus or two. So I hope it's not too critical that we aren't painting the whole room stark white. The wood floor is sort of a whitwash color but I was going to paint that in the juniper green color as well. The room is small, but shaped long and narrow and so will be mostly taken up with a couch.

Gwen

Mary E, that lettuce looks beautiful. Have you noticed any more plant pests (eg, aphids) in your greenhouse in the wintertime? Thanks.
Pat

It's my understanding you can grow almost anything but root crops like carrots. Jessamine

Why not root crops? Is it just a space issue?

Gwen, I bet that greenhouse was a major selling point! The lack of sun in the winter can be taken care of with the use of grow lights. Are there tall trees to the south of your house, or a high hill? I used to live in western Washington and know the weather can be gloomy for weeks at a time. The visit from the former owners will be quite helpfull, they will probably have so much information that one visit won't be enough to answer everything.

Batty01, last winter I had a major aphid problem. I had a plant that came in from somebody else's garden in a pot to winter it, and when I discovered I had aphids that plant was just covered! Unfortunately they had spread to my planting bed and I never got rid of them because I didn't want to use chemical spray on things I was growing to eat. I hadn't noticed them until they were everywhere because I wasn't wearing my glasses when watering and don't see details without them. This year I will wear my glasses, inspect plants and hand pick any aphids I see, and there are no visiting plants! This will be my second winter with the greenhouse.

Jessamine, I planted a few carrots and a few beets in my planting bed, I'll try to post pictures when (if) they grow. I think the beets will do ok since they will germinate in cool garden soil, the carrots might not even germinate if they don't like soil at about 50 degrees. If not I haven't lost much. Onions like cool soil so I planted some of those. Probably the germination would be the sticky part. Time will tell.

Mary, the greenhouse was an added bonus. The yard itself was the selling point. Nearly 2 acres of English country gardens. Now that we actually own it, I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amt of work it'll take to keep it all up! And two huge fenced off beds for vegies, cut flowers, etc. Then there's the orchard, the bee hives, and so forth.

But first we have to move in!

The greenhouse does have grow lights and also some sort of heated planting thing, all of which we need to learn about. So are eagerly awaiting the visit from the former owners!

Gwen

Since I have no direct experience I am only passing on what I was told. I didn't plant carrots, celaric etc. because of that information. The radishes did moderately well but most were woody and either very hot or tasteless. Jessamine

Our radishes were very good, nice and sweet. If you find a chart that tells what vegie seeds will germinate at lower temperatures those plants should do ok in a cool greenhouse provided you have the space. In the spring when the weather gets nicer outside the greenhouse might get too hot for some of them, but by then you could plant more outside.

Hi! I'm new here but thought I should mention Eliot Coleman's "Four Season Harvest" book as a source of information about what veggies to grow in the winter green house. I am planning to build a greenhouse myself because of this book. I hope to have it up this summer. Kathy

Hi Kathyjohn, and welcome to DG. Eliot Coleman used to have a show on HGTV that I watched and even when I had seen that week's show I always could learn something new. I hope you get your greenhouse. Make it as big as you can, you'll be surprised how fast you run out of space.

Eliot Coleman also has a booklet that focuses on growing in cold regions during the Winter...I am sending for it so I can't say how informative the information is - I'll try and remember to post once I've looked it over. Send me an email if you want the information on where to send for it ($15) or just look it up his Web Site.

Happy Growing!

Thanks shellydar, I'll check out his website, have never been there. I haven't seen you before so hello and welcome. Very pretty picture! Just what I intend to plant to grow up an arbor by my front gate.

Hi Mary. Ya, I joined a few months ago and primarily hang out on the Greenhouse forum. I love my clamatis...don't have'ta do much to it and every year it comes back just beautiful. It is so gloomy around here in the Winter - thank goodness for digital cameras LOL

...Now that I think about it I'm gonna plant some new colors of camatis this year

What colors are you gonna get? There are so many pretty ones!!

I dunno...are there red ones? Red and orange is my favorite - although I have LOTS of different flower colors in my garden.

Picture pages on my web site are flowers from my garden - the pictures take some time to load but I think they are worth it.

http://www.perennialtreasures.com/more_pictures.htm

I have a "thing" for dianthus - they are hardy in zone 5, now come in all kinds of colors, and are super easy to grow. I have A LOT of red ones all over our property.

Love the miniature roses too, but most of those are patented, so we don't sell them in the store.

Shellydar, the Plant Files would show you all the colors, or at least most of them. Don't know about red or orange. The purple on your tower is my choice for the front because I have a purple garden there. I really enjoyed the pictures on your website. Dianthus are some of my favorites too, they just keep blooming again and again and don't mind full sun or part shade. I have both the painted daiseys you show, that bright one is outside my kitchen window where I see it from the sink if I happen to be working inside, (rarely!). Your garden in the last post is a real nice variety from what I can see. I'd love to see more.

Not sure is this is any help to you in eastern PA, but it might be of interest.

I live in Jacksonville, NC (eastern NC, zone 8). In addition to my greenhouses (2) I have been experimenting this past year with something called a high tunnel; which is nothing more than a passive greenhouse (no artificial heat or ventilation). I can roll the sides up about 3 feet on either side in warm weather and enclose the ends by sitting two removeable sections in place each end in cold weather. Some people might call it a big cold frame.

Last spring I grew lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, onions and carrots with succss. In late winter I got a big jump on spring by planting yellow squash.

This winter I have carrots, beets, onions, lettuce and mustard greens growing and doing very well. We have had outside temperatures as low as 19 degrees F, inside temperatures as low as 26 degrees F and inside temperature as high as 85 degrees F. But the cole crops continue to do very well. The soil temperature oscillates this time of year between 50 and 56 degrees F. I have cabbage plants that I started in the greenhouse which I will transplant into the plant beds of the high tunnel next week.

To MaryE and the others who have shared their wealth of knowledge with those of us who are clueless. Thank You!
We moved from Santa Clara, CA to Boise ID in June of this year. My husband and I are struggling with the thought of putting up our greenhouse. We know we're going to have to make some changes in the way things were done in CA. There, the brugmansias, orchids and some of the other guys were comfy/cozy with the aid of a tiny heater. Here, the above mentioned critters are content infront of a 6 x 8 west facing window.
MaryE, in your beds of lettuce, are you using heating cables? We're going to put up our 8 x 10 GH where it will be getting a southern exposure. It will be protected from northern winds. We're working on a solution to the covering, snow problems and interior heating. We don't plan on putting the brugs and orchids out the in winter, but I would dearly love to have fresh veggies in the winter.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Judy

Idahoan, we are only about 150 miles apart and the climate is a little colder here but pretty much the same otherwise. I certainly wouldn't consider myself very knowledgable in any field, but only somebody who experiments and sometimes has things work out for success. I have no heating cables that work, the old one burned out and the new one tripped the circuit breaker, so I took them out. Things would be growing faster if I had warmer soil. Some recent days the greenhouse temp has been in the upper 70's or more, but other days like today when it snowed off and on all day the furnace ran a few times to keep the temp at about 55. Look around at the greenhouses in your area, ask questions of those who own them and you will see what kind of greenhouse is best for Boise. Mine has a rigid 3 layer skin, is insulated around the perimeter of the foundation and is heated with a propane furnace. We are in a very windy area.

Idahoan, I am west of you, in NCWash. near Canadian border. I have what i consider a small GH, it is 10 X 14. I'm thinking that if you only build an 8 X 10 you will be sorry, as that is very small. I wish mine were at least 2 feet larger both ways. I heat electrically, and it is costlyt but worth it to me. I love being out in my GH. I have to walk about 25 or 30 feet from the house to the GH as it is at N E corner of my garage. I don't try to keep anything in it in the summer, and try to keep the temp. just above 50 in winter, which right now when it is so cold is not easy. It was 4 above this morning and will be colder tomorrow I am sure as it is now only 6 degrees. Good luck with whatever you decide. I plan to plant some radish and lettuce seeds tomorrow. Donna

Shellydar, I too love Clematis, have about 20 of them scattered around my 2 1/2 acres of garden. Here is a picture of C. Kakio. If you would like to see more let me know and I will post more. Donna

I didn't have a digital camera when I was taking Clematis photos, so sorry you will have to scroll down to see the picture. Donna

Thank you Mary E and Donna,
The green color you see is envy. Planting lettuce...maybe next year.
We got Charley's catalogue and have been checking it out for additional ideas for the greenhouse. One thing we're going to do is add 3 - 4 feet to the length. I agree it would have been a tad too small.
My husband has figured that a small gas furnace is probably the way to go. He's decided that dropping in an additional gas line would probably be cheaper than heating with elecricity.
I know of no one around here who has a GH. I think we'll do some looking around the Botanical Gardens here where there are greenhouses and see if the people in charge will share some knowledge.
Thank you both!
Judy

You're welcome, Judy. Another way to get in touch with people who have greenhouses is to ask the clerks when you are at any store where plants are sold, people know people and greenhouse owners love to talk about their greenhouses and what they grow. Happy hunting!

Hi, I'm new to this greenhouse stuff. I tried to start some flower seeds last year and they sprouted but died. I think part of my problem must have been the heat. Growing in a greenhouse in central Texas poses difference problems. I have a very good electric heater for warmth, but the afternoon temps in my area, are frequently in the 70's. If it's 70 outside, it's 80 or 85 atleast inside unless the fan turns on. I can set the thermostat to open the vents in the walls and turn on the fan. I'm just not sure it's worth it for a flat of seedlings. I bought a seedling flat that came with a wick that sticks down into a tray of water, so I'll try again this year.

Hi Shelleydar and Everyone,
I have a little 8'x16' greenhouse that i mainly use to winter brugmansia and some houseplants to big for the house. I like all the suggestions on what to grow in there in the winter. I do use it to start my tomatoes and peppers in late Feb. I want to try the rockwool thing of starting seeds, have to send for the rockwool. Shellydar, I love your photo's of your clementis and garden, you have the rustic look I really want in mine. I have tried a few clementis, with no luck, any suggestions?