Yesterday Lucy the Puggle Dog and I ventured out in the wind and the rain to see how our winter crops were coming along in the greenhouse. I was originally planning to buy some sort of heater this winter so I’d be able to grow more vegetables, but I just never got around to it.
So, what can you grow in an unheated glass greenhouse in the winter? 
Lettuce! 🙂
Lots and lots of lettuce. Not only do we have it growing in two large stock tanks, but we also have lettuce growing in a couple of garden pots as well.
I think we still have a few more weeks to go before we can harvest anything because the temperatures outside are still pretty chilly, but it will be worth the wait for sure. Being able to grow you own lettuce greens in the winter is just plain RAD if you ask me.
Oh and remember how I thought I was growing spinach in the greenhouse? Well it turns out I was growing turnips. Ha! I guess turnips don’t like to be grown in pots though. I planted the greenhouse seeds around the same time as I planted the ones outside in our garden boxes and those ones are HUGE, these, not so much. Oh well, live and learn I guess.
Oh and check out the herbs! Right now we have rosemary, oregano, thyme and purple sage ready to harvest. The oregano and sage is a little iffy, but this time of year if you want to eat from your garden you can’t be to picky now can you? 😉
How is YOUR garden doing right now?
Mavis wants to know.
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Paula says
I think your limiting factor on growth right now is the number of hours of daylight available as much as it is the temperatures. Things should really start picking up by mid February. If you have “The Winter Harvest Handbook” by Eliot Coleman, he does an excellent job of explaining this. After I read it, I determined that between about November 1 and sometime in February (I can’t remember exactly when), we just don’t have enough daylight around here for good growth.
Julie Morelli says
You can grow broccoli rabe too!
Julie says
We’ve got nothing! You can be sure it’ll be a different story next year though!!!
Sandi says
I am wishing for warm weather and a green house. My spinach is valiantly growing and some beets I never harvested seem to be still plugging along as well as a rutabaga.. but the rest is a frozen tundra(lol) as we have has -10 temps this last week… chicken are happy to be out of the coop and running around.. need to chop some lettuce for them soon… well from Mid state new York.. I dont think Global warming is happening quite the way they say….
Cecily says
I started three flats of mixed greens (my own blend) in my greenhouse yesterday. I agree with Paula about the limited light being more of a factor than the temperature. My flats are under grow lights and I usually have greens like those in your fourth and fifth pictures in 3-4 weeks.
Angela Willis says
The 8 degree temps finally killed off my celery plants and most of my green onions. Only thing I have left are herbs.
Teckla says
You can use the turnip tops from your greenhouse in salad, or substitute for spinach in cooked dishes for a different twist! And of course, there are always the chickens! Keep up the good work!
Leah says
I’ve wanted to ask before, but did you have to drill holes in the stock tanks for drainage?
Manani says
Yes! Turn the galvanized tanks upside down and drill holes in the bottom. You will need about 10 holes of about 3/4 ” diameter.
Cynthia Skelton says
I’m growing lettuce in a south-facing windowsill. I’ve only got 5 small pots, but it’s something (and so cheery!). About every other week all winter, I’ve been able to trim away some of the larger leaves and get two salads worth of greens. Not a huge savings, but so enjoyable. I’m growing red salad bowl lettuce, four seasons lettuce, black seeded simpson lettuce, and spinach.