How Does My garden Grow

Inside my hoop house

My garden journal, an actual physical sketchbook, in which I record my successes and failures in edible gardening at 8250 feet since 2011 served as my reference when I was urged to enter a State Garden Club contest. And the same journal is also my record of first frosts and last frosts, the late snow which brought the hoop house down, and the hail storm which shredded the 4 mil plastic covering. I now use 6 mil. And am a firm believer in climate change.

My photography has recorded the development and growth of the hoop house which once covered two raised beds and is now 11' x 16'. Every year I add refinements because every year I challenge, not always successfully, the hail and snow and winds in an effort to extend my gardening year. Or should I say eating year. I eat what I grow. And I grow what I like to eat.

This year it was the new back wall. My contest entry was already submitted with last year's successes and failures.  The rigid front wall had stood against the winds and so I went ahead with the new plan which also included a potting bench made from a pallet. I garden on a budget.

The fiberglass back wall before trimming

 I won the State of New Mexico Garden Club award for my submission so I cannot enter that competition in that category again. But that didn't stop me with my 2019 improvements. The back wall has always taken brunt of storms so after completing it I paused to see how it stood up. It did so time for the 4 mil plastic skin.

The back wall all trimmed

 Of all the questions people ask how I put on the top is always the most asked. In the beginning I often recruited help. But it had to be help on a very still morning and sometimes the two didn't coincide. A couple years ago it occurred to me I was doing it wrong.

And to be fair I had tried several different ways. Some of which worked but just barely. After the plastic goes on I crisscross with tie down ropes to hold the plastic on against spring winds. Why couldn't I use the ropes to hold the plastic while I am spreading it across the poly hoops?

Plastic tucked under the ropes waiting to be raised.

And I had usually covered the low tunnel (the original hoop house) earlier to get a start on lettuce and other cool crops.  If that plastic was not there I could put planks across the raised beds and use them as a scaffolding of sorts to raise the plastic. Six mil survives most hail storms but it is also quite a bit heavier. Tossing it over the top was not an option.

The raising of the plastic under the loose ropes was a perfect solution because it held the plastic in place and also extended my time to get it done. I could take breaks.

Plastic over the top and ropes tightened down

Once the plastic is in place the ropes can be tightened and then I can begin to tuck in the ends and secure. With the solid ends the plastic tucks down between the solid ends and the pool noodle covered poly bows.

My first poly tunnels were not big enough for me to stand up in but this one is.  And so the planting of seedlings and sowing of seeds can be carried out even on cool mornings. I used to begin my gardening on June 1st but still ran the risk of frosts. Now I begin on May 1st.  And early frosts in the fall could end productive harvesting in early September. One year in August. Now my season runs to the end of September. The hoop house helps but my climate zone has also gone from a 3 to a 5a. But per my garden journal there also more freak occurrences like the freezing frost on June 21st one year. And a bomb cyclone exploded my garden shed one spring.

Gardening at my altitude is a real adventure.

All drawn up and tucked in for season

The forecast for the coming week has snow flakes in it. Means I am going to have to be alert to any piling of snow on the plastic. The pool noodles actually help with that.  BTW my edible gardening entry went on to nationals where it won 1st there too.