2020 year-round growing guide
As 2019 winds to a close, here at Gothic Arch Greenhouses, we are making a new commitment to embrace a healthier, more environmentally-conscious lifestyle. With our new 2020 year-round growing guide, we aim to make the most of our greenhouses and boost our health and wellness through sustainable, clean eating with home-grown, farm-fresh food. We want to share this journey with you, through our upcoming blog series! We’ll share our growing calendar, cultivation tips, recipe ideas, health benefits, vitamin and mineral information, and more! We hope you’ll be a part of our journey!
Planning ahead: Preparing for year-round growing
Cool weather vegetable harvest
One of the first considerations is how much greenhouse and garden space you will have. If you are a city or apartment dweller, don’t assume this question will keep you from being able to grow fresh food! Many cities now have community garden areas for people to share public space for growing. Other options include rooftop greenhouses, growing on your balcony, or even on your windowsill.
If you are a homeowner, when choosing how much space to dedicate to food you should consider how many vegetables does your family eat? Do you also want to grow and dry herbs? Will you be planting rows, using a greenhouse, or both? In each blog installment, we’ll give recommended spacing per plant and time to harvest to help you plan your estimated yield from the space you have available.
If you already have a greenhouse, is it heated? Your planting choices are more extensive if you can keep your overall temperature above 65 degrees day and night. If you have an unheated hoop house, our planting guide will give you options as well.
Will you be adding supplemental lighting? Most leafy greens and root vegetables do well in a winter greenhouse with a little added light. Our 2020 year-round growing guide includes plants that do well in winter shade as well as those that prefer some sun in the winter.
What to plant in Winter for year-round growing
Sustainable food from your edible garden, year-round
As early as January, frost-tolerant plants such as spinach, bok choy, many lettuces, kale, swiss chard, and broccoli can be started in an unheated greenhouse. They are tolerant to lower temperatures and can be transplanted outdoors 3-4 weeks before your expected last frost.
If you have a heated, sunny garden space, now’s the time to start other cabbages, carrots, turnips, beets, winter squash, garlic, and asparagus.
More Winter year-round growing by zone
In Zones 6-10, indoor vegetables and herbs to start now are notoriously slow-to-grow celery, parsley, leeks, and onions. Celery and parsley will need several weeks to germinate, and onions can take several months to be viable to transplant outside.
In Zones 1-5, overall colder temperatures may limit your growing choices, but nutritious microgreens such as arugula, beet greens, mizuna, and pea shoots are a good choice for January.
Sprouts can thrive indoors whatever the weather
Growing sprouts is another option.
They germinate quickly and are packed with nutrients. For example, one cup of bean sprouts contains more than the daily RDA of Vitamin C, and broccoli sprouts have high levels of phytochemicals, causing nutritionists to consider them a “cancer-fighting superfood.”
Unusual varieties like radish, peas and even sunflowers are also healthy and fun to try.
Greenhouses for year-round growing
No matter if you’re a new gardener or an life-long pro, a greenhouse can expand your growing options, extend your growing season, and provide you a space to enjoy a fruitful hobby with benefits that go on and on. If a greenhouse fits your future plans, give our experts a call. We can guide you towards the perfect growing solution that fits your budget and your space.
We look forward to a healthy, nutritious, earth-friendly 2020, and from all of us at Gothic Arch Greenhouses, have a wonderful new year!