Growing veggies in hoop houses...

[Radbrew]

I'm in some 6b (west Michigan). I have a 4 raised vegetable beds 8x4', 3 of which have hoop houses. I'd like to use hoop houses to extend my season, primarily by warming soil and starting earlier.

I'm trying to figure out when to plant seeds and transplants though.

1 bed I'd like to dedicate to cold season veggies like spinach, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, Brussel sprouts. The other 2 hoop house beds will primarily have peppers and tomatoes.

I'm starting the tomatoes and peppers inside. Without the hoop house, I'd usually transplant these around mid may and direct sow cold season veggies beginning of April (although haven't done sprouts or broccoli before).

 

[Jewell]

Gardening tends to be trial and error specific to your microclimates, etc. I’d recommend getting a soil thermometer and using it as a judge for planting in your hoops. Test the soil temps early morning before sunrise and at the heat of the day. The size of your hoop houses will have a lot to do with soil temperature fluctuations. Then have fun and enjoy getting your hands dirty. It often helps to keep written records for planning the following growing season. With hoops you can grow some greens and cole crops really late into the fall/winter.

 

[headfullofbees]

Your hoop-houses are ideal size for hot-beds, whereby you can grow year round, though limited by light, of course, if your climate is anything like mine.+In such circumstances, peppers will still be fruiting near Christmas.

 

[Radbrew]

Your hoop-houses are ideal size for hot-beds, whereby you can grow year round, though limited by light, of course, if your climate is anything like mine.+In such circumstances, peppers will still be fruiting near Christmas.

That would be awesome

 

[Don Perry]

My only advice is use good soil , well fertilized with aged compost and nutrients. Stay away from chemical fertilizer if you can. Chicken poop and AGED cow manure are a good place to start. Don't fill your beds with the bagged top soil. I did and BIG MISTAKE !

 

[Radbrew]

I compost, but it’s not nearly enough for all my beds. Need to find a source of cow and chicken poop.

 

[Don Perry]

Yep. There is a product out there IF YOU CAN FIND IT, called Coop Poop . Comes in 40 # bags at around $25 a bag

 

[Jewell]

If you have access to logs, tree trimmings, branches they make a fantastic foundation for raised beds. Look up huglekultur. We had stumps left from having to remove three diseased filbert trees and some branches. They provided the foundation for two large raised beds. Best gardening decision I ever made. The soil is beautiful, loamy and the best growing areas in the yard.