Claudia Stover, a Growing Dome® owner of 10 years, had a visit this past weekend from Growing Spaces® owners, Puja and Udgar Parsons.
I’m pretty sure I counted almost 20 varieties of plant foods that she has growing, and thriving, in her Growing Dome right now, in early January.
You probably caught that the outside temperatures had been well below zero for 3 consecutive nights! -14 degrees, -13 degrees, and -12 degrees. That’s getting pretty cold.
If you have ever tried growing food all year round, and you live in a cold climate, or if you live in an area where you get a lot of snowfall, you understand the frustrations that can result.
It’s next to impossible to grow something outside, and when your snowfall accumulations look like this…
…hoop houses and cold frames can take a beating, or simply be covered in deep snow.
So, yes, we think the Growing Dome does a pretty good job at providing an indoor growing space, even in the middle of a heavy snowfall winter in the Rocky Mountains. However, despite it’s effectiveness, despite it’s ability to create a lush in-door nature sanctuary when outside is frozen white, there are some disadvantages to Winter Gardening in a Growing Dome. Udgar explains some of them in the Winter Gardening video above and what to do about it. Here’s a recap on the disadvantages.
Moisture – Any winter greenhouse can have a high moisture content. Here are some tips to help control moisture.
- Open vents and doors on sunny days
- Use fans to move air around your dome
- Use a moisture meter to help with watering
- Be careful not to over-water
I think you’ll find that the disadvantages are a small price to pay, when compared to the benefits of fresh, organic food, all year-round, right outside your back door, where you can instantly transport yourself into the heart of the growing season, Where Life Thrives.
