The ability to extend the growing season is an exciting prospect for folks who want to grow more long-season crops, like hot peppers and melons.
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Today, when so many more people are passionate about producing their own food, the ability to extend the growing season is an exciting prospect for folks who want to grow more long-season crops, like hot peppers and melons.
An excellent new book, Growing Under Cover, written by Niki Jabbour, a well-known Canadian gardener, deals with this very topic. Her first book was the best-selling, highly relevant The Year-Round Vegetable Garden.
I recently spoke to Jabbour who lives in Nova Scotia. Even though her garden is still under ice and snow, she is starting to plant and seed in her under-cover plots. It’s always fun to speak with anyone who is both creative and passionate about what they’re doing. Jabbour is all of that, and it shows — she has 150,000 people following her blog.
Growing plants and vegetables under cover is so much more valuable than just extending the season, and she provides many reasons for doing so.
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1. Protective coverings allow for earlier starts and far later harvests of our regular crops.
2. Longer seasons provide more time to grow a greater variety of foods, such as melons, that benefit from the extra summer heat.
3. Growing under cover allows not only a longer season but also a warmer one. So, we can try growing a whole range of exotic foods that we could never even attempt before.
4. Covers provide protection from Mother Nature’s whims — late snowfalls, hail, heavy downpours and wind.
5. Depending on the type of structure, the location and the heat resources, you truly can harvest year-round.
6. As we become more skilled in the art of gardening, we really can save money by growing more of our own food, and under-cover gardening can greatly increase those savings.
7. Growing in a more protected environment will help minimize the challenge of garden pests, such as rodents, rabbits, deer and troublesome insects.
“Location, location, location” is a familiar refrain, and one that Jabbour highly endorses. She is very clear about the importance of situating growing areas where they will receive at least four to six hours of full-on quality sunshine. Sometimes this isn’t possible, and in those situations locate your structure where it gets at least some light, then leafy greens and even a few root crops can be grown successfully. Some herbs can do well in lower-light locations.
Covered structures can be very versatile in terms of size. Jabbour says that a huge yard isn’t needed, and that smaller cold frames and bell cloches work well in limited-space gardens. I asked if appearance in highly visible places, such as housing complexes that have strata councils, was an issue. She was adamant that attractive, functional under-cover growing options are available.
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Poly tunnels work well when temperatures are cooler, but in warmer weather, they can become very hot. “What about cooling?” I asked. She agreed that it’s key to provide ventilation, even in mild weather. “Rolling up the sides is one of the best cooling measures, and roof or end-wall venting is essential. Good air flow is necessary for minimizing disease problems. When temperatures become quite warm, using shade cloth on the roof will help cool the air. Shade cloth and poly are available at building supply and garden stores.
When I asked about wind issues, Jabbour reminded me that she lives in Nova Scotia where she gets almost hurricane force winds between 100 and 140 km/h. She says: “No matter where someone lives, it is important that all structures are secure, and all poly covers are tight.”
Access to water and electricity are needed in order to provide fans for air circulation and supplementary heat during cold winters.
Jabbour uses raised beds for warmer soil and for the ease of growing. A minimum of 12 inches of soil is required to grow a wide variety of crops. Organic gardening is her passion. Not a fan of peat-based soils, she amends her soil with compost, manures, kelp, fish meal and organic, slow-release fertilizers. She believes that getting the pH level right is key to growing successful vegetable crops. “You really need to take care of your soil. Everything you do depends on this.”
Jabbour is very firm about not overwatering in covered tunnels and watering only the soil and not the foliage. She waters deeply to help the roots grow down. She likes to use mulches, such as straw, as top dressings to cut her watering in half.
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As for pests? Yes, they’re always going to be with us. She says the best way to minimize the problem is constant observation. When watering, keep an eye out for aphids, slugs, caterpillars and their larvae. Occasionally, she uses an organic Safer’s Soap product, but mostly hand picks any visible, harmful pests. She also really likes using natural predators.
Jabbour has written an excellent book, covering all the details you need to know about growing under cover. She provides great growing and harvesting techniques, ideas for winter protection and tips for growing more exotic vegetables. I love her passion. The bottom line is we all can start growing eight weeks earlier and extend our season about six weeks later by growing under cover. This is a ‘must-read’ book for all gardeners.