10 years old and still hugely informative. Many Thanks

@virginiabob3665

9 ай бұрын

It is actually 47 years old.

These videos are truly hidden gems! Their books are awesome too! Extremely simple techniques that work very effectively using very minimal technology. What's not to love?

Mr Coleman, I just want to say your books revolutionized the way I've farmed vegetables. Years ago an Ag Dept agent held up a copy of The New Organic Grower and said "If you're serious about market farming, buy this book." I did, and I've lived by it ever since. The other two books are great, but the Grower is my garden bible. Thanks again.

Mr. Coleman thank you very much to you and your wife for so much great information from green houses to the tomato's. I learned of your videos from other on you tube that referred to you. Please don't stop.

Thank you for putting these videos out there. Can't go wrong with Eliot!

What a great teacher Eliot Coleman is. Thank you, blockguru, for sharing these videos.

Thank you for the video. It is no matter what mil of plastic that you used for greenhouse in Florida. It would not last long, but it can only depend on the thickness of plastic. The thicker of plastic, the longer it last. Florida is common hot weather, plastic will dry and clash in small pieces. To save some money, I have no choice to use clear plastic around the side/vertical structures, not top roof.

Thanks Eliot...love your stuff. I grew 9 or 10 different things based on your Winter Harvest book here in SLC, Utah. It was the coldest winter we've had in 50+ years. I actually did more than winter harvesting, I actually planted right during this time with your double cover trick...Jim

LOVE your tips...I am a tomato lover and grower as well. Here in Quebec my tomatoes last year were the best I ever had. My whole neighborhood was hooked on my tomatoes. This year I am building a greenhouse!

We used all found items to build our greenhouse​, including a fan from an old mainframe computer for ventilation, and housing electrical wire to help support the plastic, and a small window on the opposite side of the greenhouse from the ventilation fan. We spent less than $100 on remaining materials; 6ml plastic, LED grow lights because our yard has too many 🌲, water misters, and a timer for the fan to control the temperature. So far, in two weeks our plants more than doubled! Artichokes, Bibb and Romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and fingering potatoes!

Alright Eliot..thanks for the answer. I might have to come in and ask some more questions as I get closer to doing all of this. I just now came back from a farm/garden shop that told me I had to have all these fancy things to bolt the plastic to a piece of wood, and then had to buy all these "lock" type of things to make this work. He also told me the clips won't work. I'm just sticking with what you've put together here. Hope it works-the goal is to eat all winter out of it

I'm the chimney guy in Belfast, ME. One of my customers grew the sweetest crop of assorted melons ever. Amazed I asked her the secret, and it was the green house. She had two teenage sons and one refused to help plant the melons in the spring, and the mother made the other son sell his melons, a valuable lesson learned. It pays to steal water melons. :)

Hi Eliot-I just made a fresh arugula and radicchio salad from our gardens. Along with carmelized pecans, slices of Granny Smith apples, crumbled blue cheese and a honey-lime vinaigrette, this was a fantastic salad. Your information on growing the right crop for the right season is just great. In our cold weather the radicchio lost all it's bitterness and the arugula lost that overwhelming peppery taste. What an unbelievable tasting, fresh salad right from our winter harvest garden bed! Thanks again...you've added a lot to what I personally do here in our home in northern Utah..Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

That sound delicious, Jim, now I'm hungry! Keep up the great work, and keep striving to learn more, do more.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

Eliot-do you ever make your way out west to lecture? Jim

Just went out and checked-it was 8 or 9 degrees last night and it was 32 in the greenhouse. Everything looks fantastic but now the sun is coming out. I've removed my row cover to let things heat up and then will cover later in the afternoon. This is a lot of fun. Harvested salad for 3 people of mache, mizuna, leaf lettuce, tatsoi, and komatsuna last night. Nobody could believed it was just picked from my garden. I've had to make some amendments to my greenhouse that I will tell you about later. I've still got a couple of things to work on, but with the light snow we have in the forecast I think I'll be OK for the time being. I hope I'm not boring anybody with all of this. I'm making a lot of mistakes with the greenhouse but I'm getting there. Thanks Eliot...Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Excellent! See? Have faith, go forward, eat a salad every day at home for optimal health. That shouldn't bore anyone! Keep the thread going here Jim to help other growers. Keep those covers TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT, no air leaks!

Thanks very much for the info and the greenhouse ideas. Great video, best I've seen in a long while.

I got 4 season gardening as a Christmas present last year and have constructed a small greenhouse here in zone 7. I can't wait to see how it all works out.

What a lot of great ideas! Thanks.

Great video , love the greenhouse construction tips

Thanks a lot you are the very smart farmer i ever find in you tube'

Great, Jim! Mache is a one time crop for salad crop sales, but for home use, you can do cut and come again.

Thanks for the great information

very clever.thanks for sharing.

Wonderful! Really useful.

Hi Jimmy. Its all about TENSION. The rope, properly secured through deep ground staking will tie it all together, firmly, through the tightening of the rope. But, the buried plastic will actually be "the firming-up principle" which makes a solid greenhouse. No painting needed for the clips, no reaction, no.

Harborside, Maine. USDA hardiness Zone 5. We use these techniques in the Williamette Valley Oregon with great results, too. We even grow citrus in greenhouses up here!

Thanks Eliot..yep, I've got that book right here. That's what got me going on all of this...Jim

Super Video Quite Informative Liked

Hi Jimmy. It all depends on how much wind you experience. More wind, more clips....I think about 5 for low winds and 10 for high winds. Again, the availability of clips depends on your location. You can always find the brand name and ask the local hardware store to order them special for you. You must paint the electrical conduit with a white latex to prevent the 6-mil from deteriorating as the two types of plastics are chemically antagonistic.

just amazing

Hi Jim. Rebar bends in a gentle curve rather easily. You just need to poke one end in the ground or up against a wall and then walk and curve it where you want it. Rebar at that length will arch, not necessarily bend the metal.

Thank you Eliot....I'm on track to implementing your 4 season harvest. I can't tell you how pumped I am to try it. I only have 96 square feet to grow in, but I'll be growing veggies and produce for 3 people this winter. I sure hope it all works. I can't wait until the first snow when I can go out to my homemade Eliot Coleman greenhouse and tinker around out there while it's a snow storm outside. Should be fun. Mache-can it be a cut and come again crop or is it better as a once harvest?

We've had very cold temperatures. At our house we've had almost a foot of snow and near zero degree temperature at nights for over a week. With the windchill it was below zero. As I understand it, windchill has no effect under a greenhouse. I've been able to continue harvesting many things. To my surprise, some of the salad greens have withstood a mild freeze, thawed, and have not been ruined. The ones that turned brown and mushy were the more mature, larger heads of lettuce. The salad greens that didn't get very large are all OK. In particular, skyphos has been a good performer. It got to be a little smaller than medium size, and it continues to look and taste good. Mizuna, tatsoi, mache, and particularly the claytonia have been exceptional. Beet greens continue to be good. Swiss chard-the larger heads, have turned brown and mushy and are now no good. My guess is I let them get too big. I don't know if I should just cut them down to the crown level and let them grow back in the spring, or start an entirely different crop in that space for the upcoming season. Leeks are looking a little brown at the edges but are looking good in the ground, as are the carrots and even my red potatoes. The smaller green oakleaf has done really well, along with the parsley and rosemary. All in all, this has been a great learning experience. I've got some newer things I'll be growing in the spring and will be getting those ready in a few weeks. Lots of fun....Jim

Very good tips. Thanks. May The Most High bless You both with all that You need. Love, and respect.......Seven Thunders///////

Thank you!

I have a small urban garden in philly so i'm interested in how to extend the growing season on a small plot. your ideas have inspired me to think about the versatility of what i can do in my small spot. I had 100 tomato and pepper seeds started last winter in my basement with visions of selling them to the neighbors. the end result was a large crop of six foot high plants with many pounds of tomatoes. i trimmed for bush results after watching praxus and others. the funny thing is when i bought my house 30 years ago the second thing i did was dig out the concrete slab and plant tomatoes and i never got anything. just this last year after starting my own seeds. do the plants know something?

Great Vid

Eliot-hope you don't mind all the questions. Nobody around here is doing what you've done or what I'm trying to do. So far, I think I may have figured the anchoring of my greenhouse dilemma. Two questions: at what point do you cover your beds with row cover in the greenhouse? Our temps at night are around 30 and I've been growing all the things in your 4 season harvest book. But when I come out in the morning that row cover is pretty wet! Everything looks really good. Second question: just before I started covering my crops with the greenhouse and floating row cover I had no pest problems. As I've looked under my row covers now, it looks like something is eating my poc choi and komatsuna. Everything else looks fine. Any suggestions? I'll go out there and look tonight with my flashlight to see if I can see anything. Now that I've got the greenhouse solidified, I think this will be an enjoyable experience. My greenhouse withstood 60 MPH wind gusts last night and came through nicely. Thanks again Eliot..Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Jim. Figure that roughly 10-15 degrees warmer in the greenhouse at night, so cover if temperatures will get anywhere near 22 degrees. It is always better to be safer than sorry. Cover when in doubt, remove in the morning. Insects will be a small problem with the rise in temperatures in the greenhouse and covers. Best solution is to remember to keep each plant nicely spaced out from the next one, cultivate shallowly around each plant every few days or so, keep the soil from dead or dying leaves. Hand picking and crushing of the insects takes time, but since they're a little slow, is an easy way to keep them at bay. You could spread a little diatomaceous earth around the soil and keep it dry for a few days. That will slow them down. I hope this helps.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

blockguru Thank you Eliot. I'll send you a picture when it snows so you can see it. Pretty cool stuff you've shown the world. More should be doing it.

OK Eliot..everything is coming up great and lots of it is ready to harvest. Question: Tokyo Bekana-is this used as part of a mesclun mix with other salad greens, or is it used as a stir fry item? Should I be harvesting the whole head or use as a cut-and-come again crop? It sure tastes good and looks exceptional in the gardens..thanks..Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Tokyo Bekana is a salad green, use small baby green in bunches, but I wouldn't market the second cuttings, but use the second cuttings for braising green sales.

Hi Eliot....just a couple more questions for you. In the greenhouse you built-what kind of rope did you use(purlans)to tie the hoops together with? Last question-your stir-fry mix-I've purchased all the seeds I need from JSS(so glad I did), and am growing all the things necessary to put this together. What do you sell these for in your neighborhood. I'm a long way from where you are in Utah, but so far, everything is up and looking really good. Just love all your stuff..thanks again..Jim

Eliot: I read something this morning on compost that I wanted to get your take on. Here it is: "Can compost be used as a substitute for fertilizer in the garden? It can be used as a source of nutrients, however, there are not enough nutrients present in the compost to supply the needs of vegetable crops and ornamental plants." I've used nothing but compost for 15 years as the sole ingredient for nutrients. I guess one could say if its working then don't change anything. But maybe I could be having more success adding more things. Thank you. Jim

@blockguru

8 жыл бұрын

Jim. Compost can be everything to vegetable crops, provided the field or garden was mineralized first when it was created. After that, the secret is in the compost and how it was created. Not all compost was created equally. Remember what you put in compost will come out as your all around garden fertilizer. Put everything you can find into the pile: leaves, straw, weeds, minerals, kelp or seaweed, kitchen scraps, native soil, manure, ANYTHING natural. Make it heat up high enough, keep it watered and fertilized with compost tea and/or manure tea with kep and cool let it cool down, turn it, heat it up, cool down, aged for two years covered....This will be all you need.

@jimteahan6446

8 жыл бұрын

thanks again Eliot..very information post

Far better than the plastic clips is the green, soft, stretchy tape-size ties. They will not cut or break the limb and are quite flexible. For drying tomatoes, we use trays in the car (got the idea from a TV show). Great for our neck of the woods (Tennessee). Love the San Marzano (of course) but the green/black ones ("Russian") is great for aging. We picked several buckets of this one before the first frost and as they aged, we had the last "fresh" tomato in December.

Hey Eliot..thanks for answering my question earlier. I'm getting my materials together to make a 12X25' hoophouse. How many of these garden clips would you suggest using on each rib of the hoophouse? I know you can buy them at Johnny's, but are there local places that sell similiar things? I don't even know who to ask about that one. I've purchased my 3/4" electrical conduit which are 10' long. I'm planning on using 6-mil plastic-will that last over the electrical conduit?...thanks, Jim

Thank you

Try using a melon scoop to take out the core it takes out less meat and in one swoop its out that's what I use.

Great!

Hi Jim. Price of stir fry mix will depend on location and clientelle. But, you should fetch anywhere from 4-9 dollars a pound for stir fry greens. Test low, and keep going up, as quality goes up too with practice.

Eliot, would you post info on the metal greenhouse kit, it looked much like a carport frame with plastic for the covering. Thanks...!

Eliot...I'm considering using a low tunnel under a low tunnel. I've got a set-up that I can do this with one of my garden spots. The outer low tunnel is the ones made from galvanized EMT by JSS that covers 6' across. Then, I've got these little hoops that I used to use that are only 2' off the ground. What do you think?

@blockguru29

9 жыл бұрын

That will work just fine. Try to remember to create easy access for work and harvest.

You can use 1/2" PVC, again, rebar inside. However, in our experience, the polyethylene plastic will weaken against the PVC by chemical reaction. It is best to paint the PVC pipes with a white latex paint for best results. Sandbags will work, but nothing will compare to the savings in heat and security like burying the plastic.

Hi Eliot...long time-no see. I'm planning on building some low tunnels-just bought bender from JSS. Also ordered more agribon #19. I thought you cover your crops with the floating row cover, and then put plastic over the hoops? From the instructions on the JSS website, it says to put floating row cover directly over the hoops, and then when it gets really cold put the plastic over it. Please clarify. Hope your farm is doing great. The winter harvest was exceptional.....you'd be proud of what it did

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Either way is OK. However, once the hoops are up, your best solution is to place the floating row cover over the hoops, and then the plastic over the floating row cover and hoops. This is because some crops might be next to the pipes and thus wouldn't get sufficiently covered without going over the hoops.

Eliot..at 16:35-16:45 you attach the electrical conduit piece to the greenhouse. How does it attach? I understand putting the rope inside the conduit but can't see how it will firm up when having it rest against the hoops. I've also ordered a bunch of garden clips from JSS-is there a reaction between the plastic and the clips? Do I need to latex the insides of the clips? Still learning but getting close...

Alright Eliot..thanks again...Jim

Eliot....i thought that you had or will be having a new book coming out for home gardeners for commercial use?

Brassicas--like arugula, mizuna, choy, etc.

great video. can hoj tell me what you use for your tomato beds? looks like they are in standard beds. what do you have to give such big green plants. thanks,gary

@blockguru29

9 жыл бұрын

Yes, standard beds, but we use compost and organic amendments, see this video here to know how: kzread.info/dash/bejne/n4eC15OIcq7XmJM.html

Do you think I could use 1/2" PVC instead of conduit and do the same thing for putting up the hoops? Could I use sandbags every 4 feet instead of burying the plastic?

Nowadays they can be found on Amazon. Search: Tomato Trellis Clips

@Jake-dx1mf

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

Hi Eliot..thanks for all the tips along the way. I've come through the hard winter and I've already started to plant for spring. Much has been planted and much of it is already up. Here's my question: I've got leeks, lettuce, poc choi, radicchio still back in the garden. They didn't get very big before the temps plummeted and daylight was well under 10 hours a day. Now that we're coming up to almost 11 hours a day and the temps are warming up, should I just pull these or will they start to regrow if I leave them alone? It's almost like they hibernated all winter and never really grew much at all. It's been a fantastic winter. I just build my 1st cold frame and it's all up-tons of new stuff all grown in the worst kind of weather successfully...Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Jim. The answer to this question lies in the actual planting date of the crops you just mentioned. If you planted them early in the winter, they could be stunted. But, if you planted them in late fall, just let them be and they should turn out well, they were just hibernating. Check your varieties too, like some radicchios could end up bolting. Plan on reseeding these in soil blocks and be ready in case the varieties end up bolting.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

Sounds good Eliot...thanks for all your timely replies and help...Jim

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

Eliot-I've been stunned by how good the taste of claytonia, mizuna, and tatsoi are. I'm now waiting on minutina and kohlrabi. I've always been a fan of Space spinach, so I was ready for that. About the only other thing I can't find is your "butter chard." All I've got is rainbow and fordhook giant but I harvest them when they're small. I haven't seen anything that would resemble a narrow yellow stemmed chard. This whole experiment is really quite something...see what you started..Jim

If you would like to store even more tomatoes in less space, try drying them and then put them in the blender or food processor I make Tomato powder It is great to add to sauces and meals to give it flavor I can get a lot of tomatoes in a quart jar this way. I like to do them in large pieces as well, but I use a lot of the powder as well

when you described how you made your first greenhouse you said you used a 20' piece of rebar and then put that into plastic water pipe. How can you bend rebar like you did? Thanks....grew several of your suggestions for winter gardening out here in Utah and boy, was it ever good...Jim

My idol

Eliot...I've got my greenhouse up and my row covers underneath(agribon 19.) Our high temps for the next 10 days will be around 25 with the low's in the single digits. There doesn't look to be much sun at all. Will my plants be able to make it with no way to heat up with even partly sunny days in the forecast? Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

They should be able to. Make sure at least the greenhouse has absolutely NO AIR LEAKS, seal it up tight. Then, do the same for the agribon. If it was me, I'd go in for a small harvest and give each plant a little space from the next, so that the leaves aren't all touching each other. This creates an air and soil warmth gap so the leaves won't get moist and possible "melt" on each other. They should be fine, but if it gets any colder, consider a heater, electric or propane.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

Ok Thanks Eliot

Ok..thinks looking very good and tasting mighty fine. Questions: 1)I have certain crops under the greenhouse like kohlrabi that is basically hibernating. The leaves are pretty good size but nothing is really growing back there. Will this continue like this until February and then all of a sudden start growing like crazy as we get into March? Similar question for salad greens-on the cut and come again lettuces, will the greens grow back in the spring or is it better for me to just clean out the area where the lettuce was, amend the soil, and then wait to seed in spring? I like the idea of keeping the thread going. There has to be others learning the same things I am...thank you Eliot...Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Jim, 1). Yes. But, cole crops can be unpredictable, depending on seed source and exact time the seed was planted, as far as whether it will bolt and flower or continue on and produce. 2.) Salad greens will grow back in the spring. But, it is 50/50 whether to come-again or to re-seed. Reseeding will get you the best most vigorous salad greens, but, depending on the late winter weather, the cut and come again could produce earlier. Try both for comparisons, and trial certain varieties to test them for production.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

good enough Eliot-thanks

its late july, and i just planted 72 seeds in a jiffy seed starter. Im hoping to sell some seedlings to locals, and keep 3 or 4 plants myself and share or sell some fruits. living in southern IL. Im thinking i may want to put up a small hoop house over my picnic table and keep the plants in it through the winter. variety of choice...beefsteak. i would welcome any input from more experienced growers.(this is my first time)i want this low budget

Special UV protected plastic will last 5 yrs or more. The material sold at the hardware stores won't last a year in 24/7 direct sunlite. I recovered several greenhouses w/material purchased at Farmtek.

I can't ever watch the whole video of this cause I get ideas and run off to my garden

@buckswild5331

5 жыл бұрын

when i watch these videos in the winter i get so antsy

Have a windy area so I would like to try the 10 foot rebar hoop suggestion. However i didnt hear what was used to connect them in the middle. Anyone know?

Hi Eliot, I really enjoyed your video. Especially with the greenhouse. I've notice in your video, you don't have much weeds in the growing beds. Did you just do a lot of weeding or did you grow your plants in heavy composted beds? In addition, do you hand transplant all the veggies or do you have a special technigue to direct seeding them? Any advice would greatly be appreciated. When you can I get a copy of your book?

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Beds are weeded with the collinear hoe when weeds are small. Compost is applied, but only at about 2 inches deep and tilled in with the 3-tined cultivator. Most veges transplanted by the soil block method, direct sowing of salad crops using the six-row seeder. All this and way more can be found in the book: "Four-Season Harvest", by Eliot Coleman.

where did you buy the clips for the tomato plants?

What if you live in Minnesota in the winter? You probably need some kind of a heater. Polar Vortex -25 below

Thanks, just bought 300.

I'm in the process of getting ready to build my first green house. I have been doing sq ft gardening. Do they seem to do good in a big green house. I have put down some rebar and pcv tubing across the beds that I made and will purchase the plastic. Is it ok just to purchase the plastic that Lowe's sales for a sq ft garden bed, I live in Alabama. We have been having late winters here but seems that we are getting colder winters. I appreciate all the help.

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Kathy, It is OK to buy the 6 mil plastic sold at Lowes. However, be forewarned it will only last 1 year, or 2 years if used and then stored. That's because it does not have UV inhibitors built into it. If you're on a budget, fine, if you have some extra investment, try buying some quality greenhouse plastic film, 6 mil UV protected at FarmTek dot com.

@chefkathyteal6428

10 жыл бұрын

thanks for the info. looks like It will be a few years before I can purchase a greenhouse kit. I think I will try making ones using the cow panel seen on you tube next year For now I will use rebar in the ground and 10 ft sections of pvc to form the hoops over my bed and cover it with plastic.Do you know how I can calculate the plastic length needed for a 4 x 8 raised bed that has the 10 ft pvc hoops? The hoops touch the ground on both sides of the bed. I was planning on using the lg office clamps that is sold for holding papers together to keep the ends closed. Thanks for all your help. I am disabled so what ever gardening I do has to be raised.

Eliot..this is turning out to be quit the thread! I've decided to go low tunnels, using the agribon 19 directly over them, and then the plastic over all of it. Does that create the micro-climate you discuss in your books? When you put your hand under the floating row cover, even though you're in Maine, are you still in Georgia as you discuss(a zone and a half for each layer of protection?) Question-it looks like JSS had adopted your timing of the fall crop with their seed schedule. I've already started a few things for the fall-brussel sprouts, kale, carrots, etc., but was planning on doing the rest of it(all of it)by the first week in September. But that puts my garden in full force by the middle to end of October. Do I just let things sit in there and hibernate? Basically, this planting in September will last through the winter? I hope I asked that question clearly. If I plant Hakurei turnips in September they will be done if 6-8 weeks. Do I let them stay in the ground all winter until our family is ready to chow down?....lots of questions for you, hope it's not irritating. Thanks for taking the time to educate us...Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Zone and a half per 6 mil plastic, not agribon. Yes, let them hibernate, which they will do if temperatures go below freezing and skies are dark, but other than that they will continue to grow with enough light levels. Yes, it will last through the winter if you can keep it dry enough under cover away from wet and frosty conditions that will rot the produce. 6-8 weeks only applies to regular growing conditions, NOT winter harvests. Plan on several more weeks to finish the crops in winter light hours. Keep them in the ground as perfect storage system.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

Okay, I've got it. I guess I'll use the JSS seed guide and go from there. All will be planted by August or early September at the latest. I thought I heard you say in a video somewhere about the "great leap forward" which was double protection(agribon over crops and then plastic over all of it)and how each layer of protection is the equivalent of moving 500 miles to the south. My JSS low tunnel just arrived. Can't wait to have a full blown winter harvest season. Thanks Eliot

21:24 There was a hummingbird in that greenhouse!!

Eliot...my setup this fall/winter will be a low tunnel 4X16' in size. Just put up the EMT(JSS bender is very nifty)in preparation for covering at a later date. For the cool fall weather it will be #19 floating row cover, and then for the harder winter it will then all be covered with plastic. Am I right in thinking that this single layer of plastic moves me 500 miles to the south? The row cover just gives me a little more but not much? Here's my next question-what can't I do with a low tunnel that I can with a high tunnel? Other than protection for the elements when harvesting, what other advantages does the high tunnel have over the low tunnel? I'm a small home grower so I don't need to cover a lot of ground. These low tunnels are done very cheaply. Thank you...Jim

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Not necessarily 500 miles to the south per say, but imagine your area with late frosts in fall and earlier last frosts in spring. Not much, and is only as effective as it is from ANY air holes/leaks. Nothing really, HOWEVER...it will all boil down to convenience. Low tunnels are cheap and easy, but over time, harvest after harvest, will leave you bending down and refastening the cloth over and over a hassle. High tunnels can be safer from frosts by burying the edges and creating a zipper door for ease of access. Innovation with both are still wide open. Keep tinkering!

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

I always thought with a simple cover of plastic over your low tunnel you moved a zone and a half south. I hear you on the harvesting part. But this isn't a commercial project-not yet anyway. I must be a little thick in the head. From the Winter Harvest Handbook on page 56: "...when you enter the protection of one of our cold greenhouses.....the microclimate you encounter is that of a location approximately one and half USDA zones to the south. When you reach your hand under the row covers you have moved another one and one-half zones south...." To me this means plastic on the outside, and floating row cover underneath-exactly what my low tunnels are. I think your answer on this one will clear my thinking up...thanks Jim

Hello Eliot, I watch all your videos and I'm interested to start my own garden. I want to know where I can buy that steel frame greenhouse kit so I can build my own. Can you provide some idea or diagram to build a small greenhouse for me? I would be very appreciated.

@blockguru

8 жыл бұрын

+Ricky Ma There are so many choices today, it depends on where you are. I would get a catalog or browse the website "Farmtek" for ideas and build your own kit. But, try to find someone local who has a greenhouse and ask them to see it and recommend suppliers and builders in your area.

when sunlight hours go below 10 hours a day, do plants stop growing everywhere, or is it just in certain USDA zones? How do we get produce and veggies during the winter months if that is so, or do I not understand it? If one were to use artificial light, would that allow plants to continue growing the persephony period?

Please can u tell me how whichever microns have the cover nylon of greenhouse? Thanks

@blockguru

6 жыл бұрын

It is not nylon, it is polyethylene, 6 millimeters.

This was purchased many years ago and the manufacturer is not around anymore. Try a local google search for "greenhouse square tube frame".

Hello Eliot! I've read your books and I am trying to apply everything I've learned. This year, I decided to start all my veggies in soil blocks. I made a mistake with my tomatoes. I planted in 3/4" soil blocks but they were too far from the light. They are now a little etiolated and I was wondering if I could recover some of that mistake at the potting up step. I bought new lights and will move the lights closer to the plants, but I am sure you have a trick for the transplanting! I was thinking of moving them in the 2" blocks, but since I'll be dropping the small 3/4" block inside the 2" block, I don't see how I could plant the stem deeper in the soil to recover a bit of that longer stem (as well as create more roots along the stem). Any advice? Thanks a lot :)

@blockguru29

9 жыл бұрын

Sabrina. It is an easy remedy. The tomato stem, no matter how long it is, can grow roots all along the way up to the first true leaves...So, rotate the 3/4" cube 1 turn and plant into the 2" cube. That makes up for 3/4" of stem. Sometimes the stem is so long that I will rotate 2 turns, YES!, turning it upside down where the root is the top of the soil block and wrap it around itself for a total of 1-1/2", of course keeping the green leaves upright. The roots will be just fine! Keep moist and wait for the bottom of the block root to "scar" over from the light and air, and it will grow great!

@IsaSab

9 жыл бұрын

blockguru Oh wow this is great! Plants are so adaptive. I will try this. Everyone thinks I'm crazy for trying the soil blocks and trying the winter harvest.. imagine what they'll say when I explain I rotated my stems lol! I am really happy that you replied, I can't believe I am talking with the person who really gave me a push on my gardening skills. I live in Quebec and I just moved into my house 2 years ago. Past 2 summers were spent making about 2000 square foot of gardens and raised beds. Last autumn, I setup a mini greenhouse with windows I found. My mizuna, lettuce and radicchio lasted until mid-decembre. They died when the temperature dropped to -15C. I have a flat top to my greenhouse, so when it snowed a few days in a row (and I was at work, unable to remove the snow), light didn't reach the window and couldn't heat it enough. My experiment convinced me that it could really work, so this summer I will build a REAL cold greenhouse! I ordered all the varieties from your Winter gardening book and now I am about to set some in the mini-greenhouse again! I've planted some 2 weeks ago, but then it's went down to -20C for 3-4 days in a row. I think their all dead except the Mizuna. It's amazing to be able to garden in December and then start the seedlings as soon as January. I love gardening!! I am aiming at auto-sufficiency, and thanks to you and your team I am confident that next summer will be really prolific. Thank you so much :) I love the way you think, create your own tools, test, try and share your knowledge with us.

@IsaSab

9 жыл бұрын

Sabrina Taschereau Eliot, I have two other questions if you come back here.1 - I like the technique used to weed by cutting the small weeds with the tool you made. But doesn't cutting the weed make it stranger and it would come back later? On a small scale (2000 square foot) garden, should I try to remove them manually to get the roots?2 - The cucumber beetle. I read that if I put a net/cover on the plant for the first weeks after transplantation it will make it hardier and able to resist better. But are the beetles an indication of something imbalanced in my soil? Is there a website with good references of which bugs/weeds found in our soil signify what kind of imbalance? Like the aphids meaning that there was too much nitrogen in your greenhouses?Thanks.

@blockguru

9 жыл бұрын

Sabrina Taschereau Most weeds will be killed by a combination of chopping and root disturbance caused by the collinear hoe or stirrup hoe. If a weed has gotten that big to "come back", the use of the hoes are obsolete, pull weed out completely from the root tips. When weeding there is the best rule: Weed early, weed often, weed lightly everyday. The cucumber beetle is present everywhere. If it infects a plant, it is an indication that the plant is stressed. Yes, proper soil balance is needed, but the most important kind of soil is high in organic matter in the form of black, highly decomposed aged compost. Focusing on incorporating that type of potent compost in your garden will give the plant everything it needs to defend itself. Just make sure to give each plant enough space to breathe.

@IsaSab

9 жыл бұрын

blockguru Thank you very much. I will definitely follow the "weeding rules" this summer. I have one last question for you if that's ok. Maybe you have a video that could help me out. I am looking to plant peanuts and sweet potatoes, that require a summer a little longer than what we have in Quebec. I will plant them in a raised bed so the soil heats up faster. I will put a high tunnel over them to be able to plant them earlier and harvest later in the fall. I am not sure what fabric to buy.. I am confused in the AG 15, AG 19 and clear greenhouse film. I don't think I am looking for a huge frost protection since I was thinking of planting around may 1st (2 weeks before last frost date). I think the AG 19 is for frost protection because it's thick. The Ag 15 is lighter so serves more as an insect barrier.. So I would go with the clear plastic in order to get more light transmission and retain the heat. Is that correct?

Eliot, can you tell me the 5 winter crops that germinate in winter?

@blockguru

5 жыл бұрын

Nothing does naturally. Greenhouse temperatures may not be enough in some climates. Try mache and the asian greens and spinach in a warm window or greenhouse, protect at night, add lights after they sprout, water sparing until daylight reaches 12 hours again.

where did he get those pipe clips to hold the plastic sheeting on the pipe i cant find them

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Search johnnyseeds dot com and find "season extension supplies".

I keep coming back Eliot. We're in zone 6 when on Nov 14 sunlight goes below 10 hours. I have a brussel sprout plant thats well established but nowhere near mature. Buying transplants in early spring gets us infestation of aphids and it gets too hot to fast so they don't make it. If we grow them and put transplants out in late summer, there isn't enough time for them to finish. What should I do with our brussel sprout plant now? Do I bring it inside a cool garage and put it back out in early spring in the hope that it will finish? Ive been waiting to taste a frost dusted brussel sprout but Ive never been able to because of this issue. Suggestions?

@blockguru

4 жыл бұрын

I would put a cover over it just where it is to prevent it from freezing and hope it sprouts in the early spring. Different varieties will do different things so its not a given it will sprout or flower. Timing is critical, you'll have to experiment, but forsake buying other's starts. Grow your own and do successive plantings to trial and error best start dates and times to finish. Go with a good organic hybrid seed source for right now.

@jimteahan6446

4 жыл бұрын

@@blockguru Thanks Eliot

Eliot, an interesting "error" happened this week. I have planted my tomatoes in the greenhouse already. I covered them at night and they have lived through -5C (outdoor temp) without problem. One night, I forgot to cover them. The tomatoes in the middle of the length of the greenhouse are all dead. The ones near the sides (length-wise) have not frozen, do you know what phenomenon happened there? The temperature was probably the same in the whole (unheated) greenhouse because it was -6C for several hours that night. No water barrels or ventilation in use. Also, I would love to be able to meet you and get a bit of help with a biointensive project I would like to start. I am willing to make the 14 hour drive to get to your farm, but can we schedule a meeting of some sort? I don't know how to reach you other than here! Thanks.

@blockguru

6 жыл бұрын

The closer to the plastic, the more it trapped warmer temperatures from the soil and blocked the killer air flow that cruised down the center and zapped any free standing plants. Please contact my publisher, Chelsea Green for more information on consultations, thank you very much.

have any experience with growng brussel sprouts? Im in zone 6B-SLC Utah. Pretty serious winters-not as hard as yours. Ive tried to grow them in spring, but aphids ruined over time by the fall. I tried to grow them in time for fall by growing in mid summer-now they aren't big enough-I dont think. They are about a foot and a half high and the formation of sprouts has begun, but very small...we have about 2 more weeks until daylight goes under 10 hours. Will they make it over the winter and start growing again in spring, or not? I can't seem to get it right-either aphids if started early because of heat(and aphids), or not enough time if I start a little later ...what to do?

@blockguru

5 жыл бұрын

When started early, Brussel sprouts should be kept in a controlled (ie, cool, part shaded) nursery with a lot of space around them, no leaves touching, and foliar sprayed with compost tea. Overwinter? Depends on the variety grown, but some varieties can be covered with agribond frost cover and will produce in the spring. Go with seed varieties of your region and consult with the seedsman for best brussel sprounts.

@jimteahan6446

5 жыл бұрын

@@blockguru thank you for getting back

I have a raised bed for tomatoes but not a lot of sun. Is there a good variety of Tomatoes fro more shade ?

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Sun is what makes the tomato produce, so it is important to grow it in mostly sun, but an old Czech variety known as Stupice should get you something.

@chefgiovanni

10 жыл бұрын

blockguru Thank you, cut back some trees for more sun too. Went with raised beds.

@corporatejungles

10 жыл бұрын

chefgiovanni I cut the bottom limbs on some old oaks in my yard and opened up the lower soils to more light. It is almost full sun under those trees now. the trees were 40+ feet tall so I took out about 20 feet of lower branches. I am having to relocate all the hostas planted under there now becuase they are burning in the higher light. You might try that.

@chefgiovanni

10 жыл бұрын

corporatejungles Great idea. I got a big pine and some other trees, might top them off. Tomato plants are now 3 ft + but they want more sun.

Eliot..I live in zone 6B-pretty cold/snowy winters in northern Utah. I'm having space one up in the garden and am wondering-is there anything I can plant now? I have a low tunnel covered with #19 floating row cover and then plastic on top of that. Should I just want until the 1st of February? Or, can things like claytonia, spinach, and mizuna sprout and grow(though slowly)right now?...thank you...Jim

@blockguru

8 жыл бұрын

+Jim Teahan Not about zone, about length of days. I would say for Utah, and you could check on your length of days in an almanac or something, that you will want to get ready, but start cool season greens in about another month. You need at least 12 hours to get things growing without lights and be strong and vigorous. But you can germinate them under the 11.5 hour mark of daylight.

@jimteahan6446

8 жыл бұрын

+blockguru Eliot-thanks for the response. We are certainly under the necessary 10 hours of day length. If I wait a month as you suggest, we will only be at 9.5 hours. By January 29 we hit the 10 hour day length mark. By the 3rd of March we hit 11.5 hours. Should I just want until March to plant? I just need something to do in the garden..thank you, Jim

@blockguru

8 жыл бұрын

+Jim Teahan By all means get them all going now, just for your experience, but it will just be a slow grow. In the end, they all catch up with the same size when the light hits 11 hours. Reference my chart on lettuce growth in "The New Organic Grower". A dutch study on growth and harvest rates for lettuce for an entire year. Study that well and apply that knowledge to all cool salad green and salad crops.

how does he bury the edge on the fancy greenhouse?

@chrissavoie638

7 жыл бұрын

Tom Kelly he didn't bury it. That one was on skids to make it mobile. He hammered pipes next to the outer sides and bolted the frame to the pipes.

Eliot...can you make a suggestion for a variety of arugula that is only mildly peppery? The varieties I've been growing are very strong, even at the baby stage. I had a salad from a very nice restaurant the other night that had arugula in it that was delicious. But it had virtually no pepper taste. I was able to track down the farm where it came from, but the response I got was that it's "proprietary." I tried to tell them Im just a simple home gardener but to no avail. I don't grow arugula in the summer because I think the heat makes them have even more of an edge. Spring arugula is less so, but only by degrees. The variety I have under cover for winter is now pretty strong as well. I'm about ready to just bag arugula all together if I can't find something that isn't so overwhelming. Thank you..Jim

@blockguru

8 жыл бұрын

+Jim Teahan Rocket Arugula, or any arugula that is described as Large leafed or largest leaves. Those will be mild.

@soundbyjake

8 жыл бұрын

+Jim Teahan There's a difference between salad arugula (eruca sativa) and wild arugula (diplotaxis tenuifolia) The salad type is milder. Wall rocket is spicy and a tenuifolia type so I wouldn't use that. I would go with the mildest cultivar that you can find (like johnny's Astro) and if you don't like that, then bag it, you probably just don't like the taste. I wouldn't be surprised if the arugula that you had in the restaurant salad was grown with chemical fertilizers, muddling the taste.

@jimteahan6446

8 жыл бұрын

Even if that were the case, why would chemical fertilizer make for a better tasting crop? I've heard Eliot and others speak on the importance of soil fertility and the importance it has on the taste of crops-being grown organically that is. And, the salad greens were from Earthbound Farm-an organic farm in California

@jimteahan6446

8 жыл бұрын

Doesn't the time you grow also affect the spiciness? My thought was that if you grow it in cold or cooler weather and if it's cut when small, you lose a lot of the spice

i need a help from u sir.so i am from Nepal m gonna do a floriculture of (jerbera flower) so please suggest me how can i make a cheap and best green house.hope for a positive

doesnt that string cut into the plant?

Hi Eliot…quick question for you, and I think I know what you're going to tell me. Do you compost your year end tomato and cucumber plants?..thank you..jim

Eliot, Do you use hydroponics at all or even aquaponic systems?

@blockguru

8 жыл бұрын

+George Henson No. That can be done by others. This is a organic soil system here. Not to say that there's not great potential in those 2 fields.

Hi Eliot...back with more questions! Can you tell me-is there a benefit of layering compost? I've always heard that layering is important(from the wife's book :-) ), ...but I end up mixing up my compost pile every day, so is it actually needed?

@blockguru

4 жыл бұрын

In my experience, layering is critical, and leaving it alone to break down, to heat up, turn, cool down, and heat up again type of cycle is more important than mixing every day.

Boy, I'm having a heck of a time with this greenhouse. I can't bury the plastic because this part of the greenhouse is on grass. But that's not the biggest challenge. One of the biggest problems is the rope. In any decent wind(15+ MPH-with much stronger winds coming in the winter) it becomes slack, and the ribs will almost collapse. Not quite collapse, but the 3/4" PVC has almost become mis-shaped. I used the clove-hitch knot as recommended. And to tie off the ends I've tried to tie a knot around a piece of rebar that's been firmly pounded into the ground. I've used a piece of PVC as shown to tie it off, and I've ended up taking them off and just using the rope. It doesn't seem to make any difference. I can't seem to get the rope to stay tight enough to hold everything together. I wish I could send you a picture so you could guide me a little more. With the exception of the burying the plastic, I've followed the instructions to a T. Right now it's pretty frustrating for me. I hope I'm able to figure something out. My little hoops seemed to be a lot easier. But I'm still hoping to be able to go out to my gardens this winter and enjoy a greenhouse and not get snowed or rained upon. Any suggestions?

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Jim. Sorry about your difficulties...Now you said it yourself, "With the exception of the burying of the plastic..." You MUST bury the plastic, as it is the king pin corner stone technique for a light weight greenhouse, you will see. You must get in that grass and at least remove sod squares, dig, pick ax, whatever it takes to bury a foot or so of the plastic under the soil and replace the sod. Tamp it in firmly, make that grass come back so the grass roots (now ON TOP of the plastic) will knit together and hold the plastic down against the wind. THEN shore up your ropes, tighten down loose pvc to pvd connections. Burying the plastic is the only way, but you must see for yourself. I hope this helps.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Eliot..I'm sure it will

Hi Eliot, quick question for you...do hakurei turnips get woody if they get too large, or, are they okay if they get big? And, do you sell the greens separately, or do you just harvest and sell all together?

@blockguru

6 жыл бұрын

Yes, will get woody, keep moist and cool. Both. Customers should have the option of custom blends or singles. Know your customer before you sell.

@jimteahan6446

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you Eliot....hope the season is going well for you folks

Hi Eliot-a question for you. My spring lettuces are and have always been very good. But, as the season wears on I've noticed something that I have no answer for. I clean it with a salad spinner and notice there a a lot of tiny little green bugs. Sort of like little green gnats. I can clean the lettuce, but it takes a lot of washings. And there's a lot of them. This doesn't happen to my colder lettuces or salad greens coming out of the hoop house in winter. This particular issue is the lettuce coming out of my very small cold frame 2X3' that was originally planted in late November. We've had 60 salads out of that box and now I think it's done. Any ideas? Thank you.

@blockguru

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Jim. Sounds like aphids. You're going to have to remove those boxes and solarize the area with summer sun and then plant a summer cover crop like buckwheat. Mow and compost and then amend with rock powders and homemade compost.

@jimteahan6446

2 жыл бұрын

@@blockguru Thank you Eliot

how tall is he? did he design the door so he doesn't have to duck?

try $1600-2000 for greenhouse kits like that with UV protection ploy, you growing books sound interesting.

Hi Eliot...my overwintered carrots have turned out to be "fuzzy"-that's the best way for me to describe them. Did I leave them in the ground too long? I can scrub all the fuzzy stuff off and they taste pretty good after they've been cleaned up and peeled.

@blockguru29

10 жыл бұрын

Too frequent and too shallow of watering. Go deep less often when watering carrots. Once every 4-6 days allowing the water to go deep according to your percolation rate of your garden soil.

@jimteahan6446

10 жыл бұрын

Alright, thanks Eliot