If you’re going to have a garden in a cold climate, using some sort of season extension technique helps to increase your yields, get earlier harvests and know that at least some of your plants will be protected from June snows, July hail storms and August frosts! Whether it’s a cold frame, frost cloth, cloches, or you have the space and budget for a greenhouse, I highly recommend using some sort of season extension.
In my video above, I take you on a tour of what is now growing in the greenhouse. Since it’s now too hot for cool season crops like mustard greens, arugula and lettuce, it’s time to transition to giving more space to the hot season crops like peppers, tomatoes, basil and eggplant.
The important thing to understand about greenhouse growing is that it’s not a static environment. Because you are growing for longer, there is often a succession to what you have growing in your garden beds at any given time. Mustard greens and arugula that weren’t harvested go to flower and contribute to attracting beneficial insects and pollinators. Volunteer calendula can be allowed to flourish or cut back and laid on the soil to act as a mulch. Check out my video above to take a tour.
And if you’re interested in seeing the greenhouse during other times of the season in previous years, check out the videos below!