Cold Climate Gardening

3 responses so far ↓

• 1 George // Dec 24, 2004 at 4:41 am

  Hello and Merry Christmas,

  “A first time caller, here” (couldn’t resist), asking about cold climate greenhouses. I found a dandy link, but so far no response from Roald -
  http://www.mwt.net/~roald/solargh.html.
  I am not into the commercial side of things, but that could be a possibility. Trouble is, my land in the Laurentians (Quebec) is not land, but mostly rock. Whatever soil there is, it is in patches in crevices. Any tree that grows too tall will be uprooted by wind, snow, etc. Gardening over the years is a hit and miss affair, what with frosts possible in June and more likely in early August.

  A greenhouse with growing lamps, soil preparation techniques, heat recycling, and I don’t know what else seem necessary all year ’round. I’m talking food production, wheat seeds from sprouting (if that’s possible) for flour.

  On the positive side, there are lilac bushes in the spring (on the protected side of the house*) along with hyacinthes; wild apple trees and raspberry bushes, an occasional wild rose.

  Anyone have any advice or books I should read? Moving is not an option; but I did get an offer on the southern exposure (rock face, really) but selling that would cut off access to the potential greenhouse site I have in mind ’cause it’s sheltered from the north and will have the maximum amount of sunshine (because of the height of the rock formation with respect to the ‘valley’ where the above mentioned house* is located).

  Curious George

• 2 Judith // Dec 24, 2004 at 1:51 pm

  Do I understand you that you want to grow wheat for sprouting as a flour additive? So sort of a hydroponic system? The Attra links probably show what you need or where to go to find it. You could also check out the Market Farming Archives ( http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/market-farming/ ) though the current files are not in a searchable form. You could post a query there too. I’m sure your Provincial agriculture department would have more things along the line of those from Alberta’s. The books that come to mind directly are Elliot Coleman’s. …………

  Organic Greenhouse Vegetable Production –site w/ links from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
  http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/ghveg.html

  Organic Greenhouse Vegetable Production
  http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/ghveg.pdf

  Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners (good place to start)
  http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/seasonext.html

  Greenhouse & Hydroponic Vegetable Production Resources on the Internet http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/ghwebRL.html

  Structures Links Extension Ag & Biosystems Engineering North Dakota State University http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/links/structures.htm

  Elliot Coleman’s books Four Season Harvest
  and The Winter Harvest Manual

  Commercial Greenhouse Production in Alberta http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4707?opendocument

  Commercial Greenhouse Vegetable Production http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex1443?opendocument

• 3 George // Dec 25, 2004 at 3:43 am

  Thanks, Judith. Quite the response. Idaho in the mountains (as per your website) sounds awesome.

  I just thought of a family-run nursery in rural Manitoba that, to the best of my knowledge, does not have a website. They have, among a great variety of flowers, some hardy fruit trees, etc. from places like Siberia (or at least the names contain the word).
  If you or anyone is interested, I will dig them up.
  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
  George (Canada-Laurentians in Quebec)