Winter Prep in containers

[Meadowlark]

I grow about 90% of the veggies we consume. I'd like to push that % even higher and even possibly grow the elusive celery that has elluded me all these years. Extending my growing season about 4 weeks would accomplish that, I believe. Build a greenhouse? No, much easier and cheaper way for me.

I think I've arranged that extension through the use of Nsulate covers for HK containers. I can get close to 10 deg. of protection, enough to easily extend my growing season about 4 weeks, normally. The frames are made out of repurposed materials including pvc made obsolete by Pez replacement, chain link fence pipes that were bent unusable in hurricanes, and some excess tomato stakes. Labor involved about 2 hours including assembling the materials.

That's seven HK containers four of which are currently in replenishment cycles. I figure on some combination of 70 pounds of potatoes, 200 pounds of tomatoes, and multiple cabbage, broc, lettuce harvests will be available through the winter from these. Then next spring, just replace the top 7-inch layer of soil with No N-P-K required garden soil and they will all be ready for spring planting never missing a beat.

I'm really looking forward to pushing my production levels up to 97% or so with the addition of these covered containers in extended growing.

 

[oneeye]

I grow about 90% of the veggies we consume. I'd like to push that % even higher and even possibly grow the elusive celery that has elluded me all these years. Extending my growing season about 4 weeks would accomplish that, I believe. Build a greenhouse? No, much easier and cheaper way for me.

I think I've arranged that extension through the use of Nsulate covers for HK containers. I can get close to 10 deg. of protection, enough to easily extend my growing season about 4 weeks, normally. The frames are made out of repurposed materials including pvc made obsolete by Pez replacement, chain link fence pipes that were bent unusable in hurricanes, and some excess tomato stakes. Labor involved about 2 hours including assembling the materials.

That's seven HK containers four of which are currently in replenishment cycles. I figure on some combination of 70 pounds of potatoes, 200 pounds of tomatoes, and multiple cabbage, broc, lettuce harvests will be available through the winter from these. Then next spring, just replace the top 7-inch layer of soil with No N-P-K required garden soil and they will all be ready for spring planting never missing a beat.

I'm really looking forward to pushing my production levels up to 97% or so with the addition of these covered containers in extended growing.

View attachment 98681

Are you using the same soil in the pots as you have in your garden?

 

[Meadowlark]

Are you using the same soil in the pots as you have in your garden?

Yes. It is the best soil I know of and tests out "No N-P-K required" .

I'm also running a little demonstration/experiment

"https://www.gardening-forums.com/th...ture-and-organic-gardening.29270/#post-251728"

to replenish container soil in situ using traditional methods of green manure, chop and drop, and compost.

Not everyone has access to great garden soil and commercial soil products are very expensive, hence this demonstration that anyone can do for just pennies...but it does take some time. Right now, I'm at 6 weeks having completed all the steps and waiting on a soil test to see if I need to go longer.

 

[Meadowlark]

The prep work back in July is certainly paying off now with the first frost/light freeze predicted for here tonight.

I've got three HK containers of tomatoes which are each loaded with fruit and four HK containers of different potatoes whose plants are past blooming now and can really benefit from a few more weeks to grow out those tubers.

Very easy to put up the Nsulate protection with the structure prep previously completed.