Weather has been unseasonably warm - dinner on the patio at Joy's for Christmas! Dinner on restaurant patio Christmas Eve ! Have only had maybe 1 freeze, although we might have another tonight. Two GHs working well together.
CROPS:
Lemons: continue to ripen
Jalapeno: Last of jalapenos on the plant that has already produced 2 summers and 1 previous winter - want to see how long it can produce.
HERBS: Doing very well
GREEN EXTRA DWARF PAK CHOY: Growing nicely in GH2
RADICCHIO: Not doing great
LETTUCE CELLTUCE: Not doing great and tastes bitter
LETTUCE: Planted 11 new containers of various lettuce and pak choy - it's in the "nursery" with the starter heat pads. Testing out many different seeds to see which do better in my winter GH.
Hubby has been working hard on adding a second 6 x 8 GH (GH2) and figuring out how to join them together with a walk-thru. The building is basically up and closed in, but he is ordering some additional parts to finish the "joining". I was able to go ahead and move a bunch of the excess supplies (pots, etc) from GH1 into the new GH2. And then I moved all of my outdoor plants (lemon tree, mulberrys, figs, herbs, jalapeno, etc) into GH1. Added new soil to them first and a dose of good organic fertilizer. I could have waited maybe a week or two, but here it suddenly turns cold and I didn't want to work in the cold. Will just have to watch the temps (mostly 70 daytime right now and in 50's at night - but Wed. we'll have 79).
My ultimate goal (once GH 2 has a walkway) is to move plants that don't require as much warmth into GH2 -- and try to grow some spinach and lettuce in there this winter. GH1 will be kept warmer for the lemon and seedlings. Plan to put screening all down one of the 8' long sides of GH2 and along the door (and then pop the wall panels in when it freezes). We'll see how it works out -- wahoo, hopefully this winter GH season will be better for me than last.
It really hit us yesterday. Freezing. Today won't get past 37. Just a few days ago I was running around figuring out how to cool the GH off.
Went down to 27 last night and I had to add a third 65 watt incandescent bulb to the "cathedral" popup GH. So there are now 3 of the 65 watts in there plus two strands of the incandescent red Chistmas rope lights. Have insulation board all around the side walls (about 3' tall) and have tented the plants with the mylar blankets. That's keeping it at 60. I have bees in there! And lemons, tomatoes and jalapenos (along with flowers) that are all producing !
They "big" GH is wrapped in the solar pool cover and with the T5 grow light, 3 of the 65 watt flourescents, and several strands of the rope lights, it is staying around 54 during the day. At night I have to run the heater - and on a higher setting. When it goes down into the twenties it's a whole different ball game.
After a week of above high temps (70's and almost 80) we are now freezing as of yesterday --drizzling rain - door to GH hard to open this A.M. By 10 A.M. (a couple hours without heater) the GH was only 48 degrees. Three 65 watt bulbs, two strands incandescent rope lights, and 3' grow light were all that was keeping it warm. Added three mylar blankets around the corners and it is now running 57.3. This GH has clear solar pool cover on roof and wrapped inside around the walls, so makes a big difference. Outside temps running 33.
Popup cathedral GH having a little harder time now that I've moved it out from under the patio. Although it is tented with mylar blankets, and two 65 watt light bulbs and two incandescent rope lights, it is staying around 51 degrees.
My daughter has spent the last ten days in Michigan with her father who passed away from cancer. Finally she was able to fly home with her husband last night and when they got home realized immediately her beautiful kitty (about ten years old) had deteriorated greatly from the cancer she had recently been diagnosed with. Little Sammy was in a lot of pain and the had to take her to the clinic and end her suffering. Today we helped them bury her in our back yard (we have an acre, and they don't own their own home just yet). It was a very sad day -- cold, rainy and sad. My husband helped prepare the final resting place for Sammy. She will be greatly missed.
