Well, spring is fast approaching and this will be the first year planning for a spring garden in my Hoophouse.
The learning curve is real
The seed packets say “6-8 weeks before last frost” … but the hoophouse frost is going to have a different timing than the outside frost, won’t it?
Hoophouses: season extenders
Hoophouses are season extenders - you can garden later into the fall (or winter) and you can plant earlier in the spring - but, how much earlier?
Cold weather plants, such as carrots and some lettuces, are great for early spring planting. But, again, how early is that, when you are planting them inside a protective structure?
Carrots, cabbages, peas: these seeds will germinate when the soil is 45F. Other seeds can need an 80F soil for germination.
Is 45 F the magic number? Is this how I decide what and when to start planting in my greenhouse? I think so.
My February Soil
The soil in the greenhouse is currently (as of Feb.12/23) 38F. So close!
So close, that I think I can start some cabbage seeds indoors and transplant them into the hoophouse in the very near future - and/or wait until that temperature reaches 45f and direct sow the seeds.
My plan
My plan? To do both. I won’t know until I try.
Gardening is one big experiment as you never know what the weather will be like in any given year… but, when tackling “firsts”, well, you are starting at square one and are learning what works best for you, your gardens, your environment, etc.
Tomorrow, I think I will start a couple of cabbage plants indoors, so that I’m ready to get that head start.
