Planting in My Vegetable Greenhouse
I am so fortunate to always have delicious organic produce growing here at my Bedford, New York farm.
As my outdoor grounds crew continues with fall chores, attention is directed toward planting my vegetable greenhouse. I love this greenhouse - its construction several years ago was inspired by Eliot Coleman, an expert in four-season farming. It uses minimal artificial heat - in fact, most of its energy comes directly from the sun, and it successfully grows a variety of cold-hardy crops. Recently, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, planted the seeds for our next growing period.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
-
- This large vegetable greenhouse is located behind my giant Equipment Barn and next to my tropical hoop house. During the colder months, my gardeners keep a good eye on this vegetable greenhouse – temperatures are monitored and the beds are maintained regularly for all the growing produce inside.
-
- The greenhouse is equipped with heavy-duty aluminum vent systems that automatically open and close when needed to allow hot air to escape while simultaneously allowing fresh air into the space. Now that it is colder, both the inside and the outside of these units are covered to help insulate the greenhouse.
-
- Most of the energy in the greenhouse comes from the sun through these giant windows, which can be programmed to open for ventilation or cooling, when needed.
-
- We have a large thermometer at the entrance to the structure, so the temperature can be checked easily several times a day. The ideal temperature ranges from 64-degrees Fahrenheit to 80-degrees Fahrenheit.
-
- We do a lot of prep work to get the beds ready. In this greenhouse we use a compost-based potting soil mix from the Vermont Compost Company in Montpelier, Vermont. This soil is specifically developed for organic gardening and is called Fort Vee potting mix. In all, we have 16 garden boxes for our indoor crops.
-
- Ryan uses this bed preparation rake from Johnny’s Selected Seeds to create furrows in the soil of each bed.
-
- Hard plastic red tubes slide onto selected teeth of the rake to mark the rows. The furrows don’t have to be deep. In general, seeds should be planted at a depth of two times the width, or diameter, of the seed. A seed that’s about 1/16-of-an-inch thick should be planted an eighth-of-an-inch deep.
-
- We always have a large variety of seeds to grow. I am always on the lookout for different seeds when I travel, but seeds are also widely available online and at garden centers. Many of our seeds are also from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Ryan keeps track of what seeds do well at the farm – indoors and out.
-
- Ryan creates markers to identify what bed contains what vegetables. He also makes smaller markers for the end of each row indicating the plant variety.
-
- Here are two garden boxes all ready for planting.
-
- Ryan starts planting in one of the raised beds. Raised bed gardening allows good drainage, prevents soil compaction, and provides protection for those plants that may otherwise get trampled.
-
- These seeds are five color silverbeet Swiss chard. These particular seeds also come from a great source – Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit organization based near Decorah, Iowa, that preserves heirloom plant varieties through regeneration, distribution and seed exchange. It is one of the largest nongovernmental seed banks in the United States.
-
- Ryan sprinkles the seeds in the furrows. These raised beds were designed for easy reach from all sides.
-
- Once all the seeds are dropped into their various beds, Ryan uses the back of a tine weeding rake, also from Johnny’s Seeds, to backfill all the furrows. This model is also good for working in tight areas.
-
- And then everything is given a thorough drink of water. In several weeks, we’ll have gorgeous, nutritious vegetables to eat, share, and enjoy.
-
- We also plant in succession, meaning we stagger the plantings, so there is always something growing and something to harvest.
-
- All my plants are grown organically and have no chemical taste at all. I love fresh lettuce. It’s a real treat to have lettuce like this all year long.
-
- Lettuce is most often used for salads, although it is also seen in other kinds of dishes, such as soups, sandwiches and wraps; it can also be grilled.
-
- In another bed, we also have a maturing crop of peppers. Everything grows so well in this greenhouse.
-
- Pronounced bee-KEE-nyo, the name of this pepper from Brazil means “little beak,” and adds great flavor to many dishes.
-
- The bright one-inch pods taper to a point like an inverted teardrop. The pepper has the distinctive smoky flavor like other members of this species, but also a rich fruitiness that is enhanced by sugar or sweet-and-sour marinades. It also makes the perfect garnish for barbecues and pickles. My family loves these peppers. We pickle them every year.
-
- The scallions are also growing wonderfully. Growing scallions is actually easier than growing onions since they have a much shorter growth period.
-
- Many people ask me what I do with all my many vegetables. I always share my produce with my daughter and grandchildren, as well as friends and colleagues. I also use fresh vegetables for my daily green juice. And, when needed, I bring them to the office for use in our photoshoots. I am so proud of this greenhouse and all the wonderful greens that grow inside from year to year.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
