Mini Hoop Tunnels in Summer

The Evers late spring garden!

What do you do with your mini hoop tunnels once the warm weather arrives? Well, you could take them down and store them until autumn. Or, you can turn them into warm season veggie factories! Heat loving crops like peppers, eggplant, melons and bush tomatoes can be sheltered under the plastic of your mini hoop tunnels to help boost productivity - especially in northern and short season climates. Just be sure to leave the ends of your tunnels open to allow for good air circulation and pollination - from wind or insects.

Plus, the plastic covering will have already ensured that your soil has heated up to the ideal temperature for planting these tender crops. If warm season veggie seedlings are planted in soil that is still cold, they will sulk (wouldn't you?!). If you don't use a mini hoop tunnel, you can place a sheet of black plastic on the bed for a week or two prior to planting, but leaving your winter/spring mini hoop tunnels in place does the same thing and is less work! :)

It's a gorgeous day today (going to be 3 C) and our day length is now above 10 hours of sunlight!! (10 hours and 4 minutes to be precise), so it's time to start sowing those cold season veggies in any empty areas of the cold frames.. tatsoi, mizuna and arugula today.. maybe I'll go crazy and even sow a bit of spinach!

If you want to ask me your year-round gardening question, I'll be at the Chapters in Bayers Lake this coming Saturday, Feb 11th from 2:30 to 4:30. Drop in and say hi, or get your copy of The Year Round Vegetable Gardener signed. (I'll try to be witty!)

Happy Gardening!