Vegetable garden season extension is a time frame used for emerging vegetables outdoor of the natural emerging season—that is during wintry weather, early spring, or autumn spring when outdoor temperatures are too cold for plenty of crops. To extend the season, crops must be protected by way of covers small or large.
When soil and air temperatures fall underneath minimum temperatures for emerging vegetables, you are able to keep crops emerging by way of artificially extending the season. Season extension simply method protecting crops by way of keeping up soil and air temperatures at or near-optimal temperatures required for emerging.
Season extending units
Season extension may also be finished with cloches, plastic tunnels, and cold frames—none of which require electric power or gas, and hotbeds and greenhouses which do.
Even the least expensive types of plant protection can building up the choice of emerging days by way of at least one week alternatively additional frequently two to 4 weeks in each and every spring and autumn. That can be a very important boost—14 days to as many as 60 days normal–to the emerging season.
Hotbeds and greenhouses which may well be artificially heated by way of electric power or gas can insure 352 emerging days a 365 days—alternatively the fee is also prohibitive for numerous area gardeners.
When to use season-extending units
Season extension is not difficult. Generally, you will be protecting cool-season crops emerging early in spring and overdue in autumn from temperatures that can lead them to go through—about 40°F/4.4°C and reduce.
Have compatibility the temperature protection the crop will have to the least expensive solution.
- For a difficult frost or extended freeze (an element day or longer—even weeks), protect crops with a plastic tunnel or a conveyable cold frame or greenhouse.
- For a heavy frost (plenty of hours or in one day temperatures at or rather underneath 32°F/0°C), protect crops with a medium to heavyweight row cover or a lightweight row cover doubled over.
- For a light frost (merely an hour or two at temperatures between 32°–36°F/0-2°C) protect crops with an overturned cardboard box, a paper bag, or a lightweight row cover.
Equivalent articles:
Extending the Season
Cloches and Scorching Kaps
Cold Frame to Extend the Season
Plastic Tunnels for Emerging Vegetables
