Quick hoops and snow
One of the biggest
culinary shocks of our power
outage had nothing
to
do with electricity. We've gotten so spoiled with our quick
hoops
of greens and lettuce that I'm used to trotting out to the garden for
at least one vegetable meal a day even in the dead of winter.
But the uncovered
beds currently look like the photo above.
And, on Friday morning, the quick hoops looked like the photo below.
Despite being
inaccessible, the winter greens and herbs do mostly
seem to be in good shape under the snow. However, one of the
three quick hoops collapsed, pulling out a stake and even breaking a
pole:
I suspect it's no
coincidence that the collapsee is the quick hoop
covering lettuce, meaning that I've been slipping under the sides of
the structure constantly for the last couple of months. (Our
uncovered kale has been doing so well that I've only broached the other
quick hoops once.) Perhaps if I'd taken the time to reseat the
fabric and to stake and tighten everything down more carefully before
the
snow, even this collapse would have been averted.
Looking more closely at
the collapsed quick hoop, I see that one pole
bent double and the fabric was breached in a few places, but the
lettuce underneath is still good (as you can see from the first photo
in this post). When I brushed snow off one end, that pole bounced
back from its bent position, so I suspect we may only have to replace
the one bent hoop and do a little fabric mending.
The experience does
remind me that folks in the far north who deal with
snow cover for extended periods of time probably won't be as thrilled
with quick hoops as I am. Sure, the garden protection devices may
stand up under the snow,
and the greens underneath may thrive, but if you can't get to your
lettuce, what's the point? I'm looking forward to this sunny spot
melting away all of its snow so we can continue to enjoy fresh lettuce
and greens every day.
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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.
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Hi Anna,
Would love to see an eBook on this topic - how to build quick hoops, when to plant, harvest, etc. All the things you've learned.
I commiserate with Maggie with the -32C (not sure where she is from). We've had a good winter so far here in AB. At least we are one of the sunniest spots in Canada in winter (and summer too I think) so this helps a lot. That sun just makes you feel good.
Thought your readers would enjoy a link to an article extolling the many benefits of snow cover for us gardeners up in Alaska! Deep frost protection and nitrogen fixation to name a few.
http://www.adn.com/2008/10/08/550298/blanket-of-snow-is-a-poor-mans.html
By the way, we are enamored with hoop houses up here - they make tomato and corn (yes corn!) growing possible in the summer!
It makes me feel better about our 8 degree low last night hearing everyone else's woes. I'm glad we don't get quite that cold!!
Mona --- I do quick and dirty repairs with needle and thread. I cut a piece of a ruined covering and whip stitch it in place over the hole. It tends to last a couple of years, which is all that the rest of the fabric will last anyway.
J, We use Agribon fabric. You can read Eliot Coleman's experiences with choosing the right thickness here.
Heather W --- I've summed up most of what I know in Weekend Homesteader, specifically October for construction information and July for planting dates. Also, Eliot Coleman's Winter Harvest Handbook provides much more information and is what I based my experiments on.
David --- I'm actually jealous of constant snow-cover some winters, because it's hard on my perennials having the constant freeze-thaw. I do see the benefits of our climate, though, when I realize what it would be like for the winter harvest if we had more snow.
Looks like more snow Friday.
What are the hoops made of? Would PCV make a stronger structure? I've seen some frost protection material that looks more substantial than the cloth you have. Have you seem that?
Hey Anna,
How much space do you need for growing winter greens enough for the two of you? For my fiancee and me, we have a very small back yard, and I would love to grow some winter edibles.
Sounds like there's room in here for another ebook!
-Susan