Planting My Vegetable Greenhouse Raised Beds
I am so fortunate to always have delicious organic produce growing here at my Bedford, New York farm.
As my outdoor grounds crew continues with fall chores, attention is directed toward planting my vegetable greenhouse. I love this greenhouse - its construction several years ago was inspired by Eliot Coleman, an expert in four-season farming. It uses minimal artificial heat - in fact, most of its energy comes directly from the sun, and it successfully grows a variety of cold-hardy crops. And yesterday, my head gardener Ryan McCallister, planted the first seeds of our next growing period.
Enjoy these photos.
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- This is the inside of my vegetable greenhouse. The ideal temperature when in full use is around 80 to 85-degrees Fahrenheit to keep all the vegetables growing their best. We have a large thermometer at the entrance to the structure, so the temperature can be checked easily several times a day.
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- Most of the energy in this greenhouse comes from the sun through these giant windows, which can be programmed to open for ventilation or cooling when needed. I also have a grow light system installed for nighttime use.
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- On one end is the head house where I keep a number of favorite seeds. I am always on the lookout for different seeds when I travel, but seeds are also widely available online and at garden centers. Some of my favorite source include Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Vilmorin, and Botanical Interests.
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- I reuse markers season to season inside this greenhouse. These are already labeled and ready to insert into the beds.
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- I spend a good amount of time preparing the soil before planting any seeds. I have 17 wooden garden boxes that fit the entire length and width of the structure. Earlier this year, the beds were tilled, amended with good compost, raked and fed. I use a fertilizer specially formulated for growing vegetables – Miracle-Gro® Shake ‘n Feed® Tomato, Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food.
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- To start, Ryan uses this bed preparation rake from Johnny’s Selected Seeds to create furrows in the soil. Hard plastic red tubes slide onto selected teeth of the rake to mark the rows. In general, seeds should be planted at a depth of two times the width, or diameter, of the seed. A seed that’s about 1/16-of-an-inch thick should be planted an eighth-of-an-inch deep.
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- Some vegetables, such as kale, need to be planted a little deeper. Ryan uses a hoe to go over a few of the planting rows to deepen them another inch or two.
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- Here is a closer look at one of the furrows. All these beds are raised. Raised bed gardening allows good drainage, prevents soil compaction, and provides protection for those plants that may otherwise get trampled.
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- Next, after Ryan selects what seeds he is using, he makes corresponding markers.
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- Each packet is placed next to its corresponding marker at the foot of its designated planting row. I like to make sure we keep track of what varieties grow well, so I know what to use again. Ryan lays out all the packets first, strategically selecting what goes in each bed, so every crop is planted in a different location from last season. This is called rotation planting which helps maintain soil fertility, enhances its structure, and helps prevent pests and diseases.
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- Ryan will plant two beds of spinach. I use spinach every day in my green juice – it’s always picked fresh. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2.
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- Every season, I also plant beets. Beets are sweet and tender – and one of the healthiest foods. Beets contain a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains, which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support.
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- This bed is designated for carrots of various types and colors.
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- These seeds are pelleted, or coated, carrot seeds. Pellets make seed handling easier for small-seeded crops.
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- Other vegetable seeds are not coated.
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- Ryan drops seeds carefully in the bed. These raised beds were designed for easy reach from all sides, so that work can be done quickly and efficiently.
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- He drops two or three seeds equally spaced. Once the seeds germinate, the weaker, less robust seedlings will be removed in a process called thinning. Thinning allows the best and strongest plants to grow, and gives them more resources like sunlight, nutrients, and water.
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- Once all the seeds are dropped into their various beds, Ryan uses the back of a small soft rake to backfill all the planted furrows.
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- And then everything is given a thorough drink of water.
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- Notice, some rows are left unplanted. Ryan will drop seeds again in a couple of weeks as part of succession planting or staggered planting which allows for continuous harvesting throughout the growing season.
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- Every bed is planted. It’s the beginning of an exciting new growing season – indoors. In a couple of months I’ll have nutritious and fresh vegetables to eat, share, and enjoy from this greenhouse.
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