I would like to be able to grow salad greens (or other things if possible) through the winter on my property. There are challenges though that might limit success.
1. North facing property. The sun occasionally comes up over the southern ridge, but rarely.
2. Lots and lots of rain in winter and cold wind.
Potential Benefits of circumstances:
1. Rarely freezes with temps ranging between 25-60 in winter, average 50 daytime, 40 nights.
2. Rarely any snow.
3. Vegetation tends to grow virtually year around.
I'm wondering if a small wofati
greenhouse would work to grow salad greens throughout the winter and then hot plants (peppers, tomatoes, etc) during the summer? Summers are cool with a breeze and temps around 70 all summer long.
There is a flat area just above the site where I plan to put in my dugout
shelter this summer. The slant of the wofati roof would face up hill toward the south.
Questions:
1. Would salad greens grow during the winter in indirect light (its light out but no direct sunlight most of the time) if this structure could keep the soil and ambient temp inside theoretically warmer?
2. Is there anything else that might grow in such conditions during the winter?
3. Without direct sunlight does it matter where the cold frame is located or
should it be located facing the south to capture any light possible?
My regular garden plot down below the shelter site goes under
water each winter so anything I put there is only seasonal. I've thought about a floating
greenhouse but that might draw issues with the State and/or with nosey fisherman, tourists, etc. Plus there is no additional light to be had down there anyway. Plus + there would be potential issues with beaver and otters and e-coli, etc.
I'm really trying to explore additional ways to prolong my growing season (9A). I'm near the ocean (about 1 mile by crow) but really in a kind of microclimate in my cove, protected on all sides by high, steep ridges. I avoid the lower temps in both winter and summer that are seen just a mile or two further inland. Growing is really great in summers, but not so much success for tomatoes or peppers (yet).
Just wondering if a wofati greenhouse in these conditions would be worth the trouble?
IH