How to Grow Food In a Greenhouse: Planting Strawberries in Gutters

UPDATE – How to Grow Food In a Greenhouse: Planting Strawberries in Gutters

June 5, 2012 13 Comments

Back in early March I did something a little crazy. I installed gutters our greenhouse and planted strawberries in them. I knew it was possible to grow strawberries in gutters because the man I bought the greenhouse from had them in his greenhouse. But it was February when I first spotted his gutters, and obviously there were no berries growing yet.

So I took his word it would work.

And it did.

This morning I walked out to water the plants in the greenhouse, and guess what I saw. Strawberries. Today is June 4th, I live in Western Washington, and I have a basket full of fresh, homegrown strawberries. Does it get any better than that?

Now, I just have to figure out what to do with my little basket of red gold.

Any ideas?

Peace out Girl Scouts, I’m off to play in the dirt.

♥ Mavis

Go HERE to learn more about how I installed gutters in my greenhouse.

Don’t have gutters? Want to learn more about growing berries in a more traditional way? Check out the book The Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Fruits and Berries: A Complete Step-by-step Guide by Karen Szklany Gault. Amazon has it for sale and it has superb reviews.

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: Gardening, greenhouse, gutters, strawberries

How to Grow Your Own Food: Garden Plot Pictures

May 31, 2012 12 Comments

Well finally there is a bit of green in every one of our 16 raised garden beds. 100 tomato plants, Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, herbs, peas, beets, onions, carrots, and even a few more radishes currently occupy the 4′ by 8′ beds. Also, if you look a little to the left you can also see I have planted a few cucumber and zucchini starts as well.

At this point, pretty much everything has been planted, with the exception of winter squash and a few more tomato plants {you can never have enough tomatoes}. Now, all I need to do is keep everything watered and have the sling shot ready in case Scott the Squirrel or Chippy the Chipmunk come by and try and steal my food.

The beans I planted around the bean teepees two weeks ago are now about 5 inches high.

The English pea patch is coming along nicely. Last year I had potatoes planted in this area and so far I have spotted 6 volunteer potato plants. As soon as the peas are ready to pick, I plan on planting a few varieties of heirloom squash in this area.

Now that the tomato starts are out of the greenhouse, there is plenty of room to walk around. I’m hoping the tomato plants will reach the ceiling by the end of summer. How cool would that be?

The strawberries I planted in gutters are doing really well. I spotted a few pink ones while I was taking photographs last night. Wahoo… homemade strawberry shortcake here we come!

Okay so not a whole lot to see in this photo, but the pumpkin patch has been planted. We should start to see the seeds sprouting in about a week or so.

I don’t think the raspberry patch is going to be as prolific this year as it was last year. I think I may have hacked away too many of the raspberry canes in the early spring. Eeek! Oh well, I’m sure there will be plenty of other fruits and veggies to pick.

And the potato towers… Looking good if you ask me. I am so excited to see how this works out. I wonder how many pounds of spuds we will get from each tower. 25? 50? Care to make a guess?

How’s it growing over in your garden?

Do you have all your seeds planted yet?

Interested in growing heirloom vegetables this summer? Check out The Heirloom Life Gardener: The Baker Creek Way of Growing Your Own Food Easily and Naturally by Jere and Emilee Gettle, the owners of Baker Creek Seed Company. Amazon has this new title in stock.

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: Gardening

How to Grow Food In a Greenhouse: Grey Mold

May 25, 2012 5 Comments

For the most part, everything is coming along nicely in the greenhouse. All the smaller tomato starts have been moved outside {I still have another flat under grow lights in the house} and the pepper plants are starting to fill out a bit as well.

Everywhere I look lately there seen to be new blossoms.

And the strawberries I planted in gutters, are going crazy. I’m hoping for a mid-June harvest. But I do have one problem.

Over the past month or so every once in awhile I would notice a dead brown leaf or two when I watered the plants in the greenhouse. I never gave it a second thought. Until today. Today’s dead brown leaves had fur on them. Or rather mold. And after a bit of online research, I believe I have grey mold. Eeek! Grey mold is cause by improper ventilation. Which in my case, makes total sense. I’ve been so worried about keeping the heat in the greenhouse, that I have been doing a poor job ventilating the thing. Crackers!

Lesson learned. From now on I’ll be more vigilant about keeping the windows open so fresh air can get in so the plants can breath better. Let’s just hope this disease hasn’t set in to all the plants and they all die off. Because that would really suck. Big time.

Have you ever had any problems with grey mold before?

Please tell me all my plants are not going to die. Pretty please.

Looking for a pop up greenhouse? Amazon has a ton of them. Check out this 5 foot Plant House by Flower House. The ratings on it are pretty awesome and it’s currently going for $169 on Amazon.com

*Amazon prices can change at anytime.

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: Gardening, greenhouse, grey mold

How to Grow Food In a Greenhouse: Update

May 14, 2012 13 Comments

Things are really starting to heat up in the greenhouse…

Remember when I planted the strawberries in gutter s? Well, when I planted the strawberries, I was under the impression {from the Greenhouse Guy} that I would only need to water the strawberries two or three times during the summer. Boy was I {he} wrong. I’m finding I have to water these babies every 2 days or so. Wowza! Talk about high maintenance. Oh well, I think it will be worth it in the end. The berries are blooming like crazy, and I’m sure it’s just a matter of weeks before I’ll get to harvest the first crop of homegrown strawberries. And oh how I love local berries.

I planted these strawberries {and onions} just outside of the greenhouse the day after I planted the ones in the greenhouse. There is no comparison. The greenhouse berries have a serious lead.

For some reason, the cucumber starts I planted in the top gutter and the basil seedlings I planted in the bottom gutter are not doing so well. I’m not sure if it is because I’m not watering them enough or what. But if they don’t start growing soon, I’ll have to ditch the idea and plant something else in their place. We’ll see.

The sweet peppers I planted in bakery buckets are thriving. Some are just beginning to form tiny little buds and a few even have white flowers… Yee-Haw.

Flowers are also starting to appear on some of the tomato plants as well.

About 2 weeks ago I planted a tray of cucumber and zucchini seedlings. Once they get a few “true leaves” on them I’ll plant them outside and have a little jump start as I usually plant cucumber and zucchini seeds outside in late May.

And this beauty. Check it out. The petunia and coleus seeds I planted way back at the end of February are finally starting to fill out my large planter. I think I’ll have the Handsome Husband move it out of the greenhouse and around t0 the front of the property this weekend.

I’m excited!

So what’s thriving in your neck of the woods?

Did you make any new garden purchases this weekend?

♥ Mavis

This year I will attempt to grow food year round in via our greenhouse and raised garden beds. If you are thinking about trying to grow food year round as well, check out Elliot Coleman’s book Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long. Amazon currently has it on sale for $16.47.

*Amazon prices can change at anytime.

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: cucumbers, Gardening, greenhouse, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, strawberries

How to Grow Food In Gutters

April 28, 2012 6 Comments

After harvesting lettuce and radishes out of the gutters this morning, I went ahead and re-planted them. When I first planted the greenhouse gutters with radishes in Mid-February, I had no idea it would take 2 1/2 months for them to be harvested. Clearly, it was due to the cold weather. And since I want to be able to use the greenhouse all winter, I think I’m going to need to invest in some sort of heating system.

Hmm. I wonder how expensive that’s going to be.

As soon as I harvested the gutter crop, I called Monkey Boy away from his video game to haul the gutters outside for me. After fluffing up the soil, {and adding a little more} I planted one of the gutters with basil {bottom row} and one with cucumbers {top row}.

Since this is all new to me, I figured why not? I’ve got the space right?

This is my theory, and please tell me if you think I’m nuts.

It’s been my experience that cucumbers don’t have a very deep of root system. So if planted far enough apart {12″} their roots should be able to spread out right? As for the actual vine, I’m thinking I’ll just tie some sort of twine around the gutter and loop it through the little cream colored brackets on the glass ceiling. That way the cucumbers can vine their way across the top of the glass ceiling of the greenhouse. Sort of like streamers. Except small cucumbers will be dangling. Which I’ll admit is a little weird. But why not?

What do you think? Do you think it will work? Will I be able to grow a ceiling of cucumbers? Or have I been sniffing to much Miracle Grow again?

Well isn’t that the bee’s knees. Amazon sells Miracle Grow. And right now you can get a 5 lb box for only $14.43. Yee-Haw!

*Amazon prices are subject to change at anytime.

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: Gardening, greenhouse, lettuce, radish

How to Grow Food In a Greenhouse: Show and Tell

April 27, 2012 2 Comments

The day before the free pot episode, I ordered a few yards of potting soil for the greenhouse. After all, the free buckets in the greenhouse need to be filled, and since I’m not in the business of growing dirt, I had to truck some in.

The only problem was, as soon as it was delivered it started to rain. And for the past few days the potting soil has been sitting under a lovely neon green tarp in my driveway much to the Handsome Husbands horror.

But I’m working on it. Slowly but surely.

Here’s a peek into the greenhouse. It’s in a bit on a transition stage right now. Over the weekend I’ll be harvesting the remaining spring crops; radish, lettuce and spinach, and then re-planting the gutters with some warmer weather veggies. I’m not exactly sure what vegetables those will be yet, but I’ll figure it out soon enough.

I lined the sides of the greenhouse with the white bakery buckets I score at Albertsons. I had Monkey Boy cut out the bottoms of the buckets, then added potting soil and planted them with sweet peppers I started from seed. I’ve tried to grow peppers outside in garden boxes in the past with unfavorable results, so I’m really excited to see how the peppers will perform with the added heat of the greenhouse.

The strawberries I planted in gutters back in early March are just now starting flower. Although they look long and leggy right now, I think once the fruit starts to appear they will drop down and hang over the side of the gutters.

Earlier this week I purchased 6 tomato plants. The Handsome Husband killed my first batch of tomato plants I started from seed and it’s still to chilly to set batch number 2 outside. I figured my only option was to buy a few larger plants to tide me over until the new ones are ready to plant.

With the addition of the new, larger, tomato plants, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m able to harvest some greenhouse grown tomatoes by early June. Yee-Haw!

A few days ago someone asked what my plans for the stock tank were. I wasn’t sure at first, but in the end I set 5 food grade bakery buckets sideways on the bottom of the tank, filled it with potting soil and planted tomatoes and basil. I often use this trick when I’m filling large pots as well. By adding something on the bottom of the container it does two things.

1. It helps with air circulation

2. You don’t have to use as much soil to fill your pot.

It’s suppose to rain all weekend here in Western Washington, but that’s okay, I’m sure I’ll find something to keep me busy.

Peace Out Girl Scouts,

Have a great weekend!

♥ Mavis

Learn more about how to grow food in containers and on a small scale with the book Grow Great Grub By Gayla Trail. Amazon has it currently priced at only $13.59 {32% off}.

*Amazon prices are subject to change at anytime.

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: Gardening, greenhouse, heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, radish

How to Grow Your Own Food: Mavis Invites You on a Garden Tour…

April 13, 2012 17 Comments

Yesterday I walked out to the greenhouse, and decided the time had come to harvest my first vegetable of the 2012 growing season. As you know my goal this summer is simple; to grow 2,000 lbs of fresh fruits and vegetables in my very own backyard. And I think I can do it. After all, we’ve all been taught from a very young age, “If you believe it, you can achieve it.”

Here we grow! Only 1,999 lbs and 14 ounces to go!

Go HERE to learn how to plant rhubarb.
Go HERE to learn how to plant raspberries.
Go HERE to learn how to plant peas.
Go HERE to learn how to build a garden trellis.
Go HERE to learn how to plant food in gutters.
Go HERE to learn how to make a potato tower or HERE to learn how to plant potatoes.

Amazon: Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre $10.17

Filed Under: Garden Tours, Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: garden tour, greenhouse, harvest

How to Grow Your Own Food In a Greenhouse

April 9, 2012 9 Comments

Things are really starting to heat up in the greenhouse. Yesterday it reached 76 degrees inside. Wowza! I need to buy a few lawn chairs and then I’ll be able to rent it out as a sauna.

I think the Butter Crunch lettuce only has about a week left until it’s time to pick, and the Romaine lettuce is not far behind. I’ve never been so excited about lettuce before in my life. This whole growing food in a greenhouse experiment is really exciting.

The radishes are starting to bulk up and are starting to poke above the soil. Not much longer on those either.

The spinach is also taking off. I’m not sure how long it will be before it is ready to pick, but the Handsome Husband keeps wandering in to my greenhouse and eyeballing it. I think he wants it for his spinach smoothies {ewww}. Note to self: purchase an alarm system for the greenhouse.

The flats of flowers, lettuce, broccoli raab and onions are doing well. I have a few more flats under lights in the house and I think I’ll try to bring them out to the greenhouse this week. Once I do that, it will be time to start my cucumbers, and zucchini plants under the grow lights inside. Holy cow… It’s time to get this show on the road people.

Oh, and get a look at these strawberry plants. Wahoo, they are really starting to leaf out. I love it! I can’t wait for all the chocolate dipped strawberries we will be FORCED to make here in a few months. Such torture.

How’s it growing in your backyard? Any seeds seedlings popping up yet?

Botanical Interests Butter Crunch lettuce seeds $1.89

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: Gardening, greenhouse, lettuce, strawberries

How to Grow Your Own Food In a Greenhouse

March 30, 2012 6 Comments

The weather here in Seattle has been a wee bit wet the last few days. With no signs of letting up, I’ve decided to tackle a few greenhouse projects this weekend rather than brave the rain. This is all subject to change of course if we get an hour or two of sunshine.

I’m on the lookout for large 5 & 10 gallon pots. My neighbor Mrs. Hillbilly was kind enough to give me 3, but I’m going to need at least 2 dozen or so more. My plan is to line the greenhouse floor with black pots, add soil and try to grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and a few watermelons.

When the guy installed my greenhouse he left me with a bag full of these cream-colored plastic do hickey’s. They twist into the grooves of the greenhouse and then you can jimmy some heavy-duty string through them. Yes, a ceiling of dangling fruit is in my future as soon as I can find some buckets. Saweet!

In the meantime, things are really starting to come alive in the greenhouse.

The radish seeds I planted a month ago are looking rather hardy.

The Parisian Carrots have decided to sprout and I will need to thin them out soon.

The spinach has some sort of green funk growing on the dirt but otherwise look rather healthy.

The lettuce looks perfect. I can’t help but give it a little pat and talk to it every time I walk by.

The strawberries, OH MY WORD look at them. They are going to be gorgeous.

There is no way Scott the squirrel and his crew are going to steal these babies.

The basil I started from seed under grow lights about a month ago is looking really good now too. I re-potted the basil and set it out in the greenhouse a few days ago and it’s looking really good. Next I’ll be re-potting the cilantro.

The coleus and petunia starts are also growing really well. Once they get a little bigger I will use them in my window box, flower pots and a few other places in the garden.

And last but not least, rounds 2 & 3 of the Butter Crunch and Romaine lettuce are coming along nicely.

What’s on the project list for today? I’m on the hunt for a small heater to put in the greenhouse. I’d like to be able to set the tomato plants out there asap.

This has been Mavis, reporting live from Seattle.

Have a great day!

Filed Under: Gardening, Greenhouse Tagged With: basil, carrots, Gardening, greenhouse, lettuce, radish, spinach, strawberries

How to Grow Food In a Greenhouse: Planting Strawberries in Gutters

March 11, 2012 17 Comments

Yesterday’s forecast called for rain off and on all day, so I decided to go ahead and install the second set of greenhouse gutters. The first set I installed a few weeks ago went well, so I decided I might as well go ahead and install a few more.

After the gutters were in place I filled them with 1/4″ of pea gravel.

Then I added moistened potting soil.

I ended up planting 65 strawberry plants in 40′ of galvanized gutters. I think it will be interesting to see if there is a difference in the yield of berries I am able to harvest from inside the greenhouse vs the ones I planted outside the other day.

I have 1 more “berry project” on my list I’m going to try and complete this week, and after it’s finished I’ll be on berry maintenance mode until the end of June.