At this point in the season I think we’ve learned what is a good cold weather, low light crop for our location, and what is not.  Despite a slow start last Fall, our high tunnel and winter harvest (yes, very Eliot Coleman) has been a huge success. We're in USDA zone 7, I suppose, with an average winter low of 0 to 10F. We’ve had nights below 10 this winter, but not many, and under the row covers inside the high tunnel it’s stayed considerably warmer. Still, even under the row covers the plants freeze, but without the wind and snow to damage them they’ve done well, thawing each morning as the tunnel warms. Some varieties have fared better than others. I was going to rate them on a scale of 1 to 10, but I’m not sure that really tells the whole story, so I’ll put them into three categories: great, good, and not worth the trouble.

Great (no freeze damage)

Spinach, Arugula, Chard/Beets, Mizuna, Cilantro, puts on new growth even in the lowest light. Kale – Toscano and Winterbor, great for harvest, but little new growth. Carrots – Napoli, great for harvest, and a fair amount of root growth. Mache – A very slow grower, and it may not be worth the trouble.

Good (very minor freeze damage)

Salad Turnips – Tokyo Market, Hakurei, Radish – Shunkyo, Crunchy Royale, Daikon – Oharu, Miyashigie, Rouge d’Hiver – Romaine Lettuce, Tokyo Bekana, Curly Endive, Komatsuna, Pak Choi

Not worth the trouble (significant freeze damage or too little growth)

Sylvesta - Green Butterhead Lettuce, Flashy Trout Back – Romaine Lettuce, Radicchio

Rouge d'Hiver

Purple Mizuna, Daikon, Turnip, Cilantro, Tokyo Bekana

It's January, and there is still a lot happening in the high tunnel.

I'm looking forward to longer, and warmer days.  We had a low of 16 degrees inside the high tunnel this morning, but the vegetables stayed warm enough under their row covers.

Here's a warmer shot taken late last summer.  Our bull Nabisco is spending some quality time with the Longhorn cows next door.  I think there may be some belted Longhorns running around the pasture next spring.

Today was another snow day, but the snow is not sticking around long.  Cows and sheep are extra hungry in the cold weather, and they’re greedily tearing into their evening meal of green, leafy alfalfa.  Earlier this afternoon Susan and I picked the last of the outside romaine, and the first of the collards and Brussels sprouts; those sprouts have been in the garden for seven months, and the greenhouse before that, that’s an awfully long garden space commitment.  The greenhouse had tomatoes and basil, and in the high tunnel we picked a variety of greens.  Looks like another nice dinner that could not be more locally produced.

Another high tunnel bed is prepped, and is waiting to be planted; I hope to get some seedlings transplanted today.  I have kale (dinosaur and curly leaf), various types of lettuce, beets, cilantro, chard, and some other stuff ready to go.  More cilantro should be ready, but I can never remember it needs darkness to germinate.  The other thing I can’t seem to remember is that some lettuce is really fussy about its germination temperature.  I’ve been planting three types of lettuce this year, Green Butterhead (Sylvesta), Flashy Troutback, and Rouge d’Hiver.  I like to germinate lettuce in good light, in ¾” soil blocks, and at soil temp of 70 to 73 degrees.  Unfortunately, Rouge d’Hiver germinates poorly at temperatures above 68.  So, I have about 20 Butterhead, 20 Flashy Troutback, and 8 Rouge d’Hiver.

I’ve grown weary of fighting the cold, the wind, and the short growing season we have here in the Klamath Range, and I hope a high tunnel is the answer.  A high tunnel, at its most basic, is a frame covered in plastic, large enough to walk through, and is used to grow crops in the winter, or simply to extend the summer season.  High tunnels generally have no added heat or cooling, and crops are planted in the ground.

My high tunnel will be used as a season extender, and for growing winter produce.  During the coldest part of the season I’ll use row covers for additional protection.

Here’s the plan, for usage that is.  There are two plots, and the tunnel will get moved once per year from one plot to the next, probably around November 1.  During late August and September I’ll plant fall and winter crops outside in the uncovered plot.  When the weather gets too cold in the fall my warm season crops inside the high tunnel will be done, and I’ll drag the tunnel over the plot that was planted with carrots, spinach, etc., and the tunnel will stay there until the following fall.  I’ll replant inside the tunnel during the fall and winter, and then get my tomatoes, peppers, and such planted around April.  Moving the tunnel gives me extra grow time, but it also allows the ground to be exposed to the rain and sun every other year, and this will help keep the soil in good condition.

Project Photos

Leveling the site.

Digging the beds, and screening out the large rock.

Building the trusses.

The hoops are up.

Doors and end wall vents are installed.

Roll down sides are working.

Plastic looks good on top.

Time to clean up, and finish the beds.

Done.