Growing vegetables in the winter in a USDA hardiness zone 5 is a little challenging but very rewarding. Today, December 8th, we received our first measurable snowfall and our first harvest of radishes, spinach and salad greens from our greenhouse. While our method for growing vegetables is rather low tech, it is very effective.

Here's a quick rundown on our technique if you are interested or want to give it a try!  We installed several raised beds in one of our greenhouses that we use for plant propagation and filled the beds with organic potting soil. Next we drenched the soil with water several times, using warm water for the last soaking. We then direct seeded with organic seeds that we sell at our nursery,  into the beds.  Next we lightly misted the seeds,  then covered them with remnants of the clear plastic that we cover our greenhouses with. Once the seedling popped, we uncovered them and let them be. We found that with the humidity in the greenhouse no additional water was required. We inserted a soil thermometer in one of the beds to keep an eye on soil temps and used a separate thermostat to keep the house heated at night to 48 degrees with an overhead propane heating system. Several weeks later, we reaped the rewards of having fresh vegetables in the winter.

We still have a multitude of other vegetables growing that are not ready to harvest yet including beets, carrots and kale.  For a little nutrient kick, we water with Maxicrop kelp fertilizer every few weeks.

 






Our first crop of Cherry Belle Radishes on December 8th! Our radish and lettuce crop is doing so well this winter that we will be supplying one of the local middle schools in our area with fresh greens, radishes and carrots this winter.