Let's just say that...

Let's just say that -6 degrees F is might cold!

Luckily it's 30 degrees in the hoop house and only got as cold as 29.5 during the night!

Bbbbbbyyyyeeee....  brrrrrr.... for now!

It's snowing...

We're back to a deep freeze here in northern Wyoming.  It's going down below zero for the next couple nights.

This afternoon it started snowing and we've got a couple inches of dry fluffy accumulation.  As I walked Missy tonight, I was struck by the stillness and quiet.  The snow was still coming down in very fine flakes.  Wonder how much snow we'll have in the morning?

I've got the trucks plugged in so that they'll start in the morning.  They don't like below zero weather....

And the little hoop house is all buttoned up for cold weather.. the light is on... the sleeping bag is sprawled over top of the plastic... and even though it's 10 degrees right now outside... it's 35.6 degrees inside the little hoop house.

I promised myself that I would get my seeds ordered this month... I'd better git to it before I run out of month!

Good night... as Ribbit says, "the morning comes early."  And it sure does in my world!  

In the Hoop House... baby spinach

Thought that I'd give you a hoop house update....

It got up to 82.0 degrees F in the hoop house this bright sunny morning... with the plastic covering on.  So, I opened up the hoop house to the fresh air & sunshine...

Back in the early winter I sprinkled some spinach seeds in the soil within the hoop house.  Since it's been getting warmer in there... they sprouted and have their baby leaves!

The arugula is getting gangly and going to seed, but the swiss chard looks good enough to eat!!!  The spinach plant is dying back... I don't know... maybe it's gotten too hot?

So... in the hoop house I have:
arugula
swiss chard
beet greens
broccoli greens
spinach

I think that it's time to plant some lettuce!!!

While the hoop house is opened up, I'm going to give it a good watering!

Overall I'm very pleased with my hoop house experiment!  It has survived subzero temperatures and Wyoming winds.  My goal is to keep my greens alive... and grow some too!  So far... so good!

I've really enjoyed having something green to look at all winter!  And when I open up the house that wonderful earthy smell... is just a little piece of heaven!

Growing... inside.. a report on sprouts and micro greens

Hello gardening friends!

It's another below zero day here in northern Wyoming, -2 degrees F as I write this post at 9:30am.  The dog is desperate to go for a walk... sigh...  She just doesn't understand that mommy will freeze out there!
But tomorrow is a new day... bringing with it... warmer temperatures!!!  I mean like a heat wave, well, practically!  It's going to get into the 30s!

Hoop House Report...
The hoop house is staying toasty even with the double digit below zero temperatures!  The coldest it got inside the hoop house last night was 30.5 degrees... that's not too bad!

Right now the hoop house is up to 43.7 degrees and will get warmer as the sun shines!  Yesterday, even though it was -5 below, the hoop house got up to the 60s because of the sunshine!

Growing Inside: Sprouts & Micro greens...
My husband got me a seed sprouter for Christmas!  It came with 3 trays for seed sprouting.  These are the kind of sprouts that you eat!

Yesterday I heated up some left over vegetable, beef, and barley soup and tossed bunches of sprouts on top.  It was delicious!!!  The sprouts were crunchy and so fresh tasting!

On Saturday, I took 3 pie tins, poked holes in the bottoms... put in a little soil... watered... and added a thick layer of (2010) seeds (beets, bok choy, and carrots).  And... they've ALREADY sprouted!!!

When my micro greens are 3 to 4 inches tall, I will harvest the tender shoots for salads, on top of sandwiches, and for green smoothies!

3 tray seed sprouter... you eat these sprouts! 

Here's some sprouts that are ready to enjoy!

This is my "inside" greenhouse!  I'm growing micro greens.

I took leftover pie plates from the holidays, poked little holes in the bottoms, put them on old plates, filled each with soil... and sprinkled heavily with seeds.

these carrot micro greens are beginning to sprout!

these boy choy seeds sprouted really fast.  Wonder why I couldn't get them to sprout in my garden last year?  I was thinking that the seed was "bad."

the beet micro greens are just beginning to sprout.

double digits below ZERO!

Oh my gosh... COLD COLD COLD!!!
It's -11 this morning at 6:20am.  We're on the end of a cold snap... for now!

But in my precious little hoop house the coldest it got is 28.0 degrees F!

Have a little light bulb and a sleeping bag cover seems to be keeping the hoop house warm...ish!

Snug in the hoop house

It's Monday morning at 8am on this cold, blustery day.

The hoop house is snug as a bug with it's sleeping bag covering and light bulb burning bright.  It's 39.0 degrees in there right now and climbing!

Outside... well... that's another story!  My truck said 5 degrees F about 10 minutes ago.  And... it feels like there's a wind chill going on out there!

The Little Hoop House that Could... continues to SURVIVE despite the cold winter temperatures here in northern Wyoming!

A Peek inside the Hoop House 1/8/11

It's a beautiful sun-filled day here in northern Wyoming with temps heading into the low 30s!

I'm just back in from opening up "The Little Hoop House that Could."  As I lifted the plastic I got a blast of warm air and smelled the rich aroma of dirt and growing things!  I gave the plants a good watering.

The plastic covering will remain pulled up over the pvc support piping this afternoon while the weather is warm and sunny.

Want to peek inside?

Look what I got!

It's Toni reporting from "The Little Hoop House that Could..."  in burrr northern Wyoming!

I'm just back from walking the dog to the Post Office.  I can't feel my cheeks nor my upper legs!  It's a balmy (ha.. ha..) 4 degrees F here this morning.  Oh so cold!!!  I just made some DR tea to sip on while I read my newest seed catalog!

But in the cozy, covered-up hoop house... it's 63.5 degrees F!

Look what I dragged home from the Post Office!!!

What a beautiful cover photo!  All my favorite colors!

My Kitazawa Seed catalog arrived today...

Inspired by Daphne's wonderful harvests of Asian greens... I decided to request my own copy of the Kitazawa Seed catalog, "Your Source for Asian Vegetable Seeds" and take a look...

Look at her tatsoi growing in her hoop tunnel!  Aren't her greens just beautiful?

Since I've started making green smoothies, I've become very interested in different greens.   I hope to grow lots of greens this upcoming gardening season.

Some Asian greens that I'm considering (based on Daphne's success over the past couple years) include:
Mizuna
Komatsuna
bok choi
chinese broccoli
Fun Jen
Tatsoi

Do you have a favorite green?  So far... I love swiss chard, spinach, kale and arugula... and salad greens too!

Hoop House Report
temperature inside the HH at 3:30pm: 55.2 degrees F
termparature outside: 12 degrees F with bright sunshine!

I opened up my hoop house this afternoon.  It had gotten up to 85 degrees all covered up with the heat lamp on.  So I took off the sleeping bag cover and turned off the light... and gave all the plants a good watering.

All the plants look good!  Well, the arugula has gone to seed...

Happy New Year... -9 degrees F

Hello Gardening Friends!  Happy New Year!!!

It's cold cold cold here in northern Wyoming... -9 degrees F right now at 7:20am....  It was supposed to get to double digits below zero last night... thankfully it didn't!  The expected high for today... wait... grab your warmest hats & mitties... 11 degrees!

Hey, we're staying home and eating more of that awesome clam chowder that hubby made last night... and making some more egg rolls... and maybe some sushi too!  Read more over on my other blog... here...

Hoop House report...
Goal: keep hardy greens ALIVE (and maybe growing...) throughout the bone-chilling Wyoming winter
Temperature report:

outside: -9.0 degrees F

inside hh: 32.0 degrees F

I had meant to add an additional covering directly over my plants yesterday but got caught up in the New Year's eve festivities...

But the warming light is adding a significant amount of warmth inside the hoop house because even though it's -9 degrees outside.. inside my little hoop house it's 32.0 degrees F!