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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Cole crops and frost

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  • From: Lucy Goodman <goodows AT infinet.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Cole crops and frost
  • Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 07:05:00 -0500

Ken,

the cole crops you mention can take temps around 25˚F if unprotected. Toss a 30 wgt row cover and the cole crops will do great in temps as low as 15˚F. put a hoophouse up around the cole crops and they are good even if the temps gp below zero. Our cole crops survived -15 last winter in a hoophouse. They only quit producing when we pulled them out to make room for spring crops. We had kale (winterbor) brussle sprouts & chinese cabbage in the hoophouse last year.

This year we have B sprouts, cabbage, chinese cabbage, broccoli, kale and spring mix in one hoophouse and everbearing strawberries in another. the strawberries don't seem to mind the cold but the still air and condensation in the hoophouse is causing lots of mold problems. Need to figure out how to get air moving. Unfortunately the structure is about 500' beyond the extent of any extension cord so powering a fan is problematic.

W had cantaloupe in a hoophouse but decided to let it die last week by not putting its' row cover back on. we did cover some plants in pots that were also using the hoophouse (eggplant, tomatoes, rosemary). the end result was lots of dead melon plants except where a couple had crawled under the row cover. everything that was covered showed no signs of cold damage what so ever. Row covers are remarkable things.

The quality of the strawberries and cantaloupe have been excellent all fall-extremely sweet and flavorful.



Lucy Goodman
Boulder Belt Organics
New Paris, OH
Check out the Boulder Belt website:
http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/boulderbeltcsa
"There is no way to peace---peace is the way."
A.J. Muste





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