Raised Bed Gardening - Cement Blocks > Greenhouse!

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High Tunnel Construction

High Tunnel 2019 - Growth

Youtubed!

June-July 2019
Small crew supplied some weekend hours to turn ideas into reality
Native soil is a horrid clay and ground is level enough to create a swamp after any rain. A local company donated truckloads of gravel and many hours of labor installing drainage and to raise, grade and level a base for the High Tunnel. They also set the support "pilings" for the framework.

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August -November 2019
Tomatoes, grown from pruned suckers, nearly exploded with growth!
Large, strong stems with gigantic leaves
Sadly, planted in August, only a percentage of the Tomato crop ripened before plants were killed by sub-zero cold.
We were forewarned and harvested hundreds of pounds of partially ripe and green Tomatoes and had some success of ripening by closing up in paper bag with Apples to force rapid ripening.

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Plans are for planting frost resistant crops in March and "Summer crops" in April. Intention is for harvesting a full month earlier than outside crops, then replanting for an additional harvest into late Fall.
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2020 - Plans
High Tunnel will get automated ventilation, and irrigation - Includes:
VENTILATION - Thermostatically controlled exhaust fans at peaks, will use 3 x 4 arrays of 120mm 12V fans, 1 set at 85ºF the other at 90ºF.
Typical cooling will be natural convection through screen door >> partial opening of 1 side >> opening of both sides to additional >> forced exhaust at hot peaks.
Fans powered by solar panels and only engaging during Sun, as needed.
IRRIGATION - 250 gallon rainwater reservoir through 12V 50psi pump on a digital timer divided into 2 supply lines "T ing" with "J s" of soaker hose into 11 beds. Soaker hoses may be covered, or buried(?), on each raised bed, which could regulate usable water for differing plantings, less or more evaporation.

All outside beds:
Additional topsoil and plenty of compost available to deepen and enrich all beds!
Should be able to complete planned rainwater irrigation systems. Major beds will receive soaker hoses but block holes might require additional, manual supplemental water. Being subjected to natural rain, irrigation will need manual operation through monitoring of soil condition.

Additional outside area?
Compost area produced a bonus of Pumpkins and other Vegetable plants, (from composted veggie seed)! But suffered from animal destruction.
We received a large donation of 6' fence and should take minimal effort to "fence off" a protected area for Pumpkin, Squash, climbing Beans maybe even Corn? Small "boxes" of rich composted soil (I acquired a nice pile of 2 x 12 x 4' lumber) will support large areas of vineing Squash-Pumpkins etc.

Dollar Tree has 25¢ packets of seeds ... stocked up.
Still waiting on some seeds from China, nice selection of Nasturtiums coming, (edible and reputed to repel Cucumber Beetles!)
Did purchase a supply of basics from US

Pantry is supplying some nice stuff:
Shriveled Beets - will plant in HT but not water for another month
Small Sweet Potatoes - hang half deep in water to start sprouts, will take cuttings of excess sprouts and root in water
Small Colored Sweet Peppers - Cut open shriveled ones to dry and ripen seeds
Sprouting Onions - can always find some dirt for them!

I do plan on some starting from seeds in February but saving the "Seed Starting Party" for mid-March. We post a party notice and get some dozen+ volunteers to help plant our seed trays, with a passel of kids to "help" sifting and filling the dirt. Most can take a collection for home growth too.

Will likely cover a bed, or 2, as 2nd level cold frames inside the High Tunnel. Start in inside Grow Tower in February and move to High Tunnel to make room for March seed starts. (can supply some emergency warmth to a couple covered beds). Starting Onions, Beets, Celery, Parsley, cuttings of Oregano and Rosemary etc., way early and my own sheltered Basil ... of course.

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... Just noticed ... for the 1st time, this thread has just exceeded 100 views per post!
Guess people need something to think about, besides Winter?
Not growing Season yet, but planning and preparing.

. 2020 Action List - Plan of Attack!!

January
Received Horse Manure - Adding, along with composted leaves and veggie matter, to top of beds - 3 days near 50!
Reattached rainwater collection to get some warm water and replenish tank - has not frozen!
Starting perishable and heavy frost resistant vegetables seeds inside High Tunnel - old Beets and sprouting Onions, Radish seeds
Starting frost resistant , Celery, Lettuce, Onions etc in heated, lighted Grow Tower

February
Starting Peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplants etc, in Grow Tower for April transplant to High Tunnel
Planting frost resistant seeds in High Tunnel - Radishes, Beets, Lettuce, Celery, Carrots etc.

March
Starting Tomatoes, Pepper etc plants for garden transplant in May - planting party!
Move February started plants to protected beds in High Tunnel
Planting more frost resistant seeds in High Tunnel
Turn compost and manure into bed's soil

April
Planting frost resistant crops - Onions, Radishes, Beets, Celery, Lettuce, Peas etc. from started and seeds
Transplanting Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants, Sweet Potatoes etc to High Tunnel
Will use Sweet Potatoes and Nasturtiums as ground cover

May
Weather Channel has a reasonably reliable 15day forecast and will plan planting after danger of last frost
Transplanting Peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplant etc to garden
Starting Squash, Cucumber, Beans etc.
May protect Squash, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Melons etc with protective nets till strong and healthy, then rely on Nasturtiums and Neem Oil as pest deterrent.

Had some great mid-January weather, mid-50s, so put a sign on the shop door, "Closed due to weather" and did some gardening.

Yesterday
Prepped all 11 High Tunnel beds, 2" of composted leaves on each bed, then turned in with a heavy fork. Dug in 10-12" and turned over. Then topped up with 2" of fairly composted horse manure, then heavily watered, will be turned in come Spring.
Expecting extended cold and single digit nights so drained the 250 gallon water tank.

Today
Got working on the Pantry section of outside garden. Pulled up all the stunted Onions and set inside for separation and replanting. Cleaned out all 16 beds, except the Fall planted Garlic. Covered with 2" of composted leaves and turned in with heavy fork. Found lots of worms and varied soil quality, some areas had fairly clumped clay soil and would benefit from additional compost come Spring.
Manually "Cultivatored" all clumps level then added 2" of horse manure on all but 2 beds. To be rototilled before Spring planting. Some beds are now too full, should settle some, but may need to shift some soil to other beds if any more compost added.

Still needed
Need to prep fence beds, Dig up, separate, and replant Rhubarb. and, of course, then will get started on prepping all the beds in the Family section (about 30 beds + 100' of fence bed).

Later
Will need to rebuild the irrigation for High Tunnel and garden. Planting party planned for mid-March, but will be starting some stuff early.

Already talk of a high tunnel expansion-extension. Can't get enough of a good thing?
Will detach western endwall, add 36' high tunnel, then reattach endwall ... simple.

Near 50 again today, so hooked up the water collection to collect rain ... getting some thirsty herbs and Onions. Monster Radish from last year still getting bigger!
Expecting warm rain today.

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... 2020 garden plans. - 2

1st off, renaming "Community Garden" to "Pantry Garden" and "Family Gardens",as a way of not encouraging visitors to be helping themselves to produce meant for others.

Radishes, Onions, Potatoes, Green Onions,Rhubarb, Chives all growing nicely and our seed starting party produced a nice crop of Tomato, Pepper, Eggplant, Marigold, Nastertium Onions etc. seedlings,

Pantry Beds primed with compost and Horse manure, to be rototilled ln come Spring. Will be moving Tomato support structures to alternate beds as a crop rotation function. Peppers,Squash etc moved also, Garlic planted in new rejuvenated bed also.

Pantry Beds have been planted with Rhubarb, Onions, Green Onions, Garlic and more Garlic and ready for Radishes, Peas and Beets. Waiting on May for the Summer crops.

Weather has provided some wonderful days for "playing" in the garden! A real joy to get out of the house ... safely.

Will be posting pictures again after resolving minor camera issue.

Seed starting party was a success!

Most everything sprouted. Tomatoes at 2 inches after only 2 weeks, but most impressed that nearly all Peppers have germinated. I attribute quick growth to the addition of the Halogen bulb as additional warmth. Last year, Peppers took a full month plus to break the surface.

I must also, grudgingly, pay homage to the Mircle-gro potting soil. It has remained loose, yet holds the seedlings well. Last years bagged "topsoil" hardened into some hard, clumpy mass that seedlings found difficult to fight through.

Nice flats of Marigolds and Nasturtiums, but most impressive are the Basil I separated from a Walmart fresh herb potting. Pulled apart and repotted into 6 healthy "fonts of aromatic rejuvenation". Also planted 3 mini-window sill planters, each with 3 Basil types, typical, broad leaf and Italian (smells like Licorice).

March
Dug up 5 Rhubarb plants from nasty clay soil, split the roots into near 20 fresh plant and set best 16 into deep freshly enriched topsoil. Finally, a dedicated Rhubarb bed, all plant doing well, leafing out nicely! Will likely mulch to deter competition from weeds.
Planted Radishes, Onions, Lettuce, more Garlic and prepping fence beds for Beets and possibly Peas ... all frost resistant!
April
Just moved both Tomato structures to freshly rejuvenated beds.
Harvesting 1st batches of Radishes next week. Onions planted into High Tunnel (January) starting flower stalks already, pruning to promote bulbing. 2nd planting of yellow Onion sets doing nicely, for harvest as green Onions.
Hoping to transplant Peppers and Tomatoes etc into High Tunnel in about 2 weeks. At minimum, will start some Summer Squash, before any pests arrive.
May
Will be planting Summer crops, Squash, Cucumbers, Eggplants etc and transplanting Tomatoes, Peppers etc.
Nasturtiums growing fast and should make great ground cover, insect repellent and salads.
Looking to keep Squash and Cukes covered and screened till fairly mature to give a fighting chance against pests and disease.

Totally enjoyed this thread. A retired guy, retired horticulture director, surreptitious following every post. Great work. You’re an asset to your community.

Got tons of free time, spend most of it playing in the garden (set up exercise equipment in the High Tunnel).

But, weather is getting nice, time to be cruising the Trail again.
Found a cute video about "my" trail.


[youtube]J1m1TAUW7zA[/youtube]

~250 feet of 4 foot wide Family Beds rototilled and ready for raking and planting.
Plus 100 feet + along the fences.
Planting delayed till near May 15, due to cold snap, frost and snow!

Pantry Beds tilled and raked. Rhubarb, Onions, Radishes, Lettuce, Garlic etc, all growing nicely.

High Tunnel producing 2nd crop of Radishes and Lettuce really nearing picking size.
Been harvesting some very tasty Parsley and strong Italian Oregano.
Monster "mutant" White Radish near 20" x 3"+ wide, grew right through the Winter, finally flowering (kept growing to harvest seeds).

Advertised yesterday as the perfect day for Spring planting. Had a good dozen show up, helping plant the Pantry beds and their family beds.
Mid 60's and sunny, followed by 2 days of warm rain , then 2 full weeks of 60's and 70's. Should give generous boost to Onions, Garlic, Radishes, Lettuce ... everything!

Pantry section got Beans (60' of fence), Tomatoes (80 plants), planted Cherry Tomatoes on ends of rows and along path
Pepper seedlings seem a bit stunted so, moved from Grow Tower to Greenhouse to safely enhance growth.

Greenhouse received about 60 Tomato plants and some dozen variety of Hot Peppers.

Thinned Greenhouse Lettuce and transplanted to Pantry Garden block holes, weather is ideal for transplanting! Also started a full bed of Beets that need transplanting. Year old Beet seeds, so soaked a couple packs then threw into Greenhouse bed and obtained hundreds of 3" Beet plants, ready for separation and transplant.

Upside down hanging Tomato baskets had material deterioration and will likely replace with pails or buckets. Provided a bounty of Cherry Tomatoes, last year, but full size Tomatoes did poorly, so, trying a variety of various "Cherries".

Still need to assemble 4' x 4' 2"x12" Squash-Pumpkin beds, will cut pieces for 3 and get someone to treat with Thompson Water Seal before assembling. Will try to protect with Nasturtiums and plastic covered frames with ventilation screen. Cucumber Beetle and Squash Bug problems!

Moist weather has been perfect for transplanting. Moved hundreds of Beets from bed in high tunnel to outside beds, dozens of Lettuce seedlings and hundreds of Sweet Onion seedlings. Onions sets will flower and go to seed, while Onions from seeds put all their energy into large bulbs!

Started Planting Zucchini and Summer Squash, from seed, they prefer deep soil and strong light to get properly started. Planted Nasturtiums among them to help deter Cucumber Beetles and Squash Bugs.

Got some plastic pails to use as hanging plant holders for upside down Cherry Tomatoes. Will cut hole in bottom and will use sponge with slit to hold plant and cover hole. Got red and black, might line pail with something to lessen heat absorption, or cover outside? Of course, will grow Basil out of tops! Got 1 taller, thinner, square yellow kitty litter pail that might work better, will find out ...

Food Pantry day today, so will need to divide my time between planting and restocking food supplies.

This is an awesome thread DrkAngel; that "Compost Tea" really interests me.

Odd question- I'm about to close on a house that has a MASSIVE backyard that the prior owner had built into a huge garden. Would you be willing to offer some pointers to me? I've planted and dicked around in gardens for the past few years, but nothing serious like this.

Planting near complete!
140+ Tomato plants & 5 upside down Cherry Tomatoes (built 2 from 2.5 gal plastic pails, 2 from 5 gal pails and 1 from large square kitty litter bucket)
120+ Pepper plants
60 Summer Squash type plants
40 Cucumber
10 Eggplant
100+ lettuce
500? Beets
500? Sweet Onion from seed
50 feet of P0le Beans on fence and 30' of Bush Beans in beds
60' of Sugar Peas on fence (flowering}
3rd harvest of Green Onion
4th and 5th harvest of Radishes
Built 3 4'x4'x12" frames for Pumpkin/Winter Squash "beds", cardboard on bottom and filled with compost & Horse manure, placed in compost area and fenced to keep out the critters

Been taking pictures but waiting on replacement usb CF card reader, old Canon eos Rebel camera.

I want to know where you live so when the plantings grow, I can swing by and take some yum yum

Around here there are some community gardens that people plant things. I always wonder what they plant, the garden boxes are about 3 or 4' wide by 8' long. Yesterday I rode by one, a lady had a bunch of something in her hand and I'm riding by saying to her feed me I want that we are hungry too :lol: just havent eaten yet when I rode by. An hour later I am sitting in a Mr. Sub having a sandwich and forgot about the garden lady. Now everytime I roll by a community garden I always wonder what the heck they are planting.

DrkAngel said:

Planting near complete!
140+ Tomato plants & 5 upside down Cherry Tomatoes (built 2 from 2.5 gal plastic pails, 2 from 5 gal pails and 1 from large square kitty litter bucket)
120+ Pepper plants
60 Summer Squash type plants
40 Cucumber
10 Eggplant
100+ lettuce
500? Beets
500? Sweet Onion from seed
50 feet of P0le Beans on fence and 30' of Bush Beans in beds
60' of Sugar Peas on fence (flowering}
3rd harvest of Green Onion
4th and 5th harvest of Radishes
Built 3 4'x4'x12" frames for Pumpkin/Winter Squash "beds", cardboard on bottom and filled with compost & Horse manure, placed in compost area and fenced to keep out the critters

Been taking pictures but waiting on replacement usb CF card reader, old Canon eos Rebel camera.

Click to expand...

"Community Gardens" ofttimes encourage visitors, many gardeners are willing to share some of their bounty, visit while someone working and ask.

Our Community Garden suffers from an excess of "help yourselfers" and is being subtitled "Family Gardens" and "Pantry Garden".

Forgot to mention piles of Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro and dozens of Nasturtiums (repel many pests, great ground cover and tasty leaves & flowers).

Just completed fencing on both sides of high tunnel, 40" high 1"x2" welded wire.

Early morning June 12 ... we got a light frost!
Only affected Pumpkins and Squash, most severely in our new "compost garden". Put 75' of 6' fence around 3 4'x4'x12" beds and 2018 compost pile, filled with a mixture of well composted leaves and horse manure.
Inspired by "wild" Pumpkins that grew, but were plagued by woodchuck vandalism last year.

Family garden has been being pilfered by woodchuck that has repeatedly tunneled under fence ...
... looking to exact vengeance for my destroyed Lettuce and Pea plants! Wrath hath no fury like a farmer wronged!!!

DrkAngel said:

Family garden has been being pilfered by woodchuck that has repeatedly tunneled under fence ...
... looking to exact vengeance for my destroyed Lettuce and Pea plants! Wrath hath no fury like a farmer wronged!!!

Click to expand...

Gardening tools can be fearsome weapons!

Volunteer got bit by young woodchuck hiding in Rhubarb bush ... came to it's end under a flat spade.
His father got cornered, next day, and met his demise when a large brick fell on him.

CF card reader arrived in US and expecting delivery shortly.
Garden pictures ... soon.

Harvesting Lettuce and Beets today. Maybe some Snap Peas ... volunteers might sample them all up though ...

Tied up all Tomato plants and removed a massacre worth of suckers.
Saved half a dozen of each variety and soaking/rooting in water. All rooting well after placed in shaded area for 1 week +. Will be planted in moist soil, sheltered from direct Sun and watered daily, till healthy growth confirmed.

Pantry garden endowed with soaker hose irrigation. Tomato beds enhanced with wood chip mulch, natural, not colored.

Got all the supplies for automated High Tunnel irrigation and should complete some day this week. Need to configure a water pick up filter, likely a hole covered bottle, covered with a sock? Don't want to clog soaker hose with debris.

Metal Metal Soaker/Irrigator ?....https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Metal+Soaker&i=lawngarden&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Filter sock ?...https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=filter+sock&_sacat=0

Camera accessible:

Week #3 June 6, 2020

Many Tomatoes started but several beds need clear and prep.



Last year's mutant Radish, finally went to seed.



5 total upside down Cherry Tomato "baskets".



Lettuce doing nicely..




Exercise equipment ... can't just sit and watch things grow.



Lettuce and Beets


Pantry Section, with Tomato structures in new locations.





Squash, Nasturtiums, more Squash and Beets.


Rhubarb in new dedicated corner bed.



Family Gardens, with wood chip mulch.



Front gate area.



Family Gardens, overview .

Week #5 June 19, 2020
Growth explosion!

Dedicated Volunteers



Pantry Garden
Making expanded use of "companion planting". Oft times 3-4 different crops, timed to harvest as other crops need the room, or companioned to help protect against pests.



Squash & Beets



Beans, Beets, Lettuce and Onions



Wood chips as mulch



Sweet Onions from seed, Garlic on the right




Leaf Lettuce, Nasturtiums, Cucumbers, set Onions, Head Lettuce, seed Onions.



Fence bed with Beans, Onions Lettuce.



Rhubarb!



Family beds.



Cherry Tomato corner.



Alternate view.



From the front.



Radish - Celery - Parsley going to seed



Upside down Cherry Tomato.



Lettuce & Tomato.



Tomatoooes



Tomatoes, Peppers, Celery.



Beets, Tomatoes, Lettuce, with herbs on the side



Up the alley



Compost Garden



1st Beets




After weeks without rain we picked up 2 inches in the last 2 days.
Expecting a glorious burst of growth. Weather dependent, Friday's pictures should show impressive advancement.

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It's been fun watching your garden mature over the years.

Good job!