Something new I tried this year

[Taiji]

I recently closed in a south facing porch hoping for a heat gain during winter so we could open the doors and windows to the house and help heat the house. That part worked out great. (out here most people call a porch like that an Arizona room!)

I thought I'd try an experiment so built a 4 foot long planter box of scrap lumber. Started some lettuce, collards and snap peas on a heat mat and transplanted them to the box. I've been so surprised with this result. I figured they might not get enough light at this time of year, but I guess at this latitude there is enough. These plants have never rec'd any artificial light.

There's enough window and ledge space for 3 more planter boxes like this one, so that's something I'll be building this summer. I figure if I stagger the plantings I'll be able to have enough greens for salad all winter almost every day. Never dreamed I could do this. So far no indoor pests.

[ButterflyLady29]

Looks tasty.

You don't need to start cool weather crops on a heat mat. They will sprout just fine without it. The only things that really need the heat are peppers and eggplant. Well, there are some flowers that like the heat but I can't remember which ones right now.

[jal_ut]

Lookin good!

[Taiji]

Looks tasty.

You don't need to start cool weather crops on a heat mat. They will sprout just fine without it. The only things that really need the heat are peppers and eggplant. Well, there are some flowers that like the heat but I can't remember which ones right now.

Good to know, thx. I've probably been using electricity for no reason. Thought the heat might speed things up, but probably not.

I really do have to harvest some of this, this weekend for a salad. I've been putting it off cause I don't really want to spoil the arrangement!

[digitS']

I thought of putting something like this on my deck but it would be separated from the house because of needed access to the back door. Even with some insulation in the floor and ceiling, it's likely to be as cold as my greenhouse (sunshed). It is certainly possible and would provide a place to start plants for the growing season even if not to grow salad & stir-fry greens through the winter.

You have done great, Taiji! If you can spare the space for the additional planters, you should do it. I find the veggies in the greenhouse to be especially tender at this time of year .

I've had some good winters and some problems. This winter, there were 2 problems. Too much rain in October limiting the growth of what I wanted to transplant indoors from the garden. I should have been able to eat those veggies during December but there are actually a few of them still out there. The second problem was a long series of cold, snowy days with very, very little sunshine, far too long. Seed that I planted sprouted but the plants have not made much growth. All of the veggies have to go soon! The furnace repair guy has to get in the greenhouse to make sure that I have heat to turn on when it's time to move the 2017 plant starts out there from my spare bedroom's South Window.

There, I've gone on too much about my winter growing but I see so much opportunity for you with that "Arizona room." Attached to your home, you should have much more warmth than my waaay exposed & unheated greenhouse. Give some thought to transplanting from outdoors. Seeds sown at about the same time should pad out the winter harvest. There are some problems outdoors in the fall but ... it might work for you.

Will you be using that indoor area for your growing season plant starts?

Steve

[Taiji]

Yes, I hear you. Here we have had an exceptionally wet dreary winter as well, at least by our standards. Still, the stuff seemed to grow well in the window. The porch wasn't really closed in until the first of the year, or I would have planted the stuff maybe around Nov. 1. Next year should be even better. I'll probably always stick with cool weather stuff in there; it isn't heated and does get cold at night, though it hasn't frozen in there this year at least.

There is another room adjacent to the "AZ" room where I do start my seedlings and have my light setup. It was an already closed in part of the same long porch and is south facing as well.

I open the doors and windows from the house to the new room when the temp in there is at least the same as in the house to get the heat gain. Works great!

Well, time to go up pot some seedlings!