Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["S. Follette" <marketgardener@thymeforewe.com>]

I'm a grower from Maine.  We have about 100 frost free days in my area.


> We could go into season extension ideas - how do folks get a jump on the
> warm weather, start seedlings for transplant, cold frames, hot beds,
> greenhouses, row covers, etc. etc.? What's your pleasure?

I start spring seeds in 1020's in the house.  Some seeds, like tomatoes and 
peppers, are set on heat mats to be sure they stay warm.  After germination 
the seedlings are moved to the greenhouse and potted up into six packs when 
they have their first true leaves.  We start transplanting out into the 
garden in early to mid May, though that won't happen this year.  The ground 
will still be frozen or muddy at this rate.

We use cold frames and row cover inside three hoop houses for winter 
growing.  They're 14' x 40' (1) and 14' x 25' (2).  We've done this for two 
winters and have been lucky thanks to mild winters.  This spring's heavy 
snow has been hard on the hoops.  They're staying off the greens and peas 
but only barely.  I realize now I can't depend on them for another winter. 
We're ordering 20' x 48' steel frame high tunnels this spring and fall.

We use plastic milk jugs over some seeds to give them a warm start.  We use 
regular and slotted row cover over wire hoops for some crops in spring and 
fall.

Learning to use cold weather crops that don't need extra protection has done 
a lot for our productivity.

Robin