Want to know more about what a high tunnel garden is? Good thing I’ve been prepping up my garden for the winter. So I’ve picked up a lot of insights about high tunnel gardens from searching online which I’m going to share with you.
With my vegetables for overwintering in place and my seeds ready for indoor seed starting, I think I’m getting the hang of this design. Read on to know how you can enjoy the perks extending growing season with a high tunnel garden.
High Tunnel Garden Ideas | How To Extend Your Growing Season
While a lot of gardeners have kept their gardening tools in the shed, I’m adding straw to my potatoes. They’re safely tucked in raised beds inside my high tunnel which means we have enough potatoes ’til spring.
I sure can relate when you get intimidated with growing ’til winter, or at least starting seeds when it’s going to be freeze soon. Aside from the hassle, you’re probably thinking that greenhouses are way too expensive. Now I’m telling you straight up, it’s not.
Find out about the high tunnel garden method and how to make an inexpensive greenhouse in the high tunnel. Plus, I’ve got more high tunnel garden ideas for you, I’m sure you’ll appreciate.
Introduction To The High Tunnel Garden Design
A high tunnel garden design can be a foolproof approach to gardening. Factors such as weather, pests, and soil quality can be a challenge when growing crops for your own food. With high tunnel garden, you can have control over these major factors for a quality production. Pick up more high tunnel garden ideas as you read through.
Temperature Control And Ventilation
Although your high tunnel doors can let air pass in and out of your garden, rolling sides can aid ventilation better. With this mechanism, you can roll them out in the hot summer days and in on the cold days. A well ventilated high tunnel garden can prevent certain plant diseases from ruining your plants.
Plant Spacing And Positioning
You will be tempted to grow more in a limited high tunnel space especially when growing outdoors is restricted. Following up on proper plant spacing will ensure the same quality yields as when growing in the open. You can also plan on vertical gardening to maximize space.
Pollination In High Tunnels
Not all crops grown in greenhouses need pollination like bulbs, root crops, and green leafy vegetables since they are not fruit-producing crops.
However, for plants that need pollination, growers opt to find access to bees to aid in fruit bearing. Growing pollinator-friendly plants in your greenhouse can help.
What Crops To Plant
Did you know that you can even grow trees in a high tunnel garden? There’s actually a wide selection of plants you can grow in the high tunnel.
From herbs to vegetables to flowers and as mentioned, trees. Taking research on companion planting will allow you to grow more in a limited space.
Watering System And Fertilizer Application
Too much rain when the weather is intense can be eliminated in the hoop house. This also prevents the possibility of disease caused by excessive water. You can control the amount of water and fertilizer to irrigate your plants through drip irrigation.
More Out Of High Tunnels
It’s best to use other season-extending tools to help you with what high tunnels alone can’t do. Growing in raised beds will allow you to extended growing season with its ability to stay warmer than the ground below them. While applying mulches in your raised bed, it eliminates pesky weeds and extends growing season with the same idea as the raised bed.
Find out what more crops and vegetables you can grow in a high tunnel in this video:
While we want to increase and extend harvest, factors such as unpredictable weather, cost, soil quality, and crop diseases would not permit us. However, to a willing and avid grower, there is always a way. It comes in the form of the High Tunnel garden design. Growing your own food may come with a little price but the rewards are satisfying.
Tried growing crops and vegetables in a high tunnel garden before? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
Are you all about vegetable gardening? Learn all about these common garden planning mistakes and how you can avoid or deal with them for successful vegetable gardening!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2016 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
