How I grow food year-round despite harsh winters

This is really great info OP. Thank you so much for sharing with us!!!


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Is that the biggest, or only advantage to the 2" over the pea gravel? When you say clogged, what will get clogged?

The Semi-Pit Tunnel Greenhouse looks really interesting.

I have a question please, do you have to do anything for rodent control in the greenhouse?

Also the way you did the plastic so it wouldn't tear, is that something you figured out yourself? Or does the wind resistance method you used feature in books about DIY greenhouses?

The clogging occurs from fish poop getting stuck in the little crevices between little pebbles. The primary advantage of 2" rock is that the crevices are big enough that the poop can flow down through them to the bottom; that allows water to continue flowing through most of the gravel, which is extremely important, since most of the beneficial bacteria live there. (These bacteria break ammonia down into nitrites, and nitrites into nitrates; ammonia and nitrites are extremely toxic, nitrates not so much, and nitrates are basically readily usable fertilizer that the plants then quickly absorb.)

If you have a small system, you could probably get by with pea gravel. It may even be preferable to use pea gravel if your system is small enough, since you'd probably have small fish, and since you'd be in need of as much surface area as possible for the good bacteria to grow on. It may still clog up on you (from poop accumulating in it), but you can manually clean or break that up fairly easily in a small system.

I had some mice move in, and they attracted snakes, and the snakes ate my baby fish. I eventually got a poison bait box from our pest control company about 18 months ago and haven't seen any signs of rodents since. Haven't really had problems with snakes since then, either.

Thanks, glad to hear rodents haven't been an ongoing problem.

I think you mean how I use 2 layers and inflate the space in between with a small fan, is that right? If so, that's something I learned from others. I can't really remember, but it was probably from googling about either how to avoid wind damage or how to increase insulation in high tunnels.

I'd guess that at least some books about DIY tunnel greenhouses would mention the inflation technique, either in the context of providing extra insulation or the context of aiding wind resistance, maybe both.

I did find a good (but old) book about passive greenhouses at our library's book sale a few years ago titled The Solar Greenhouse Book: [link to www.amazon.com]

It's old and dated, but there's still a lot to glean from it. I got it after I'd already built my high tunnel aquaponics system, so it was fun reading about a lot of the issues and possibilities that I had struggled through on my own. I think it would make a pretty good reference book and idea stimulator for anybody interested in solar greenhouses. (of course, this is the only one I've read so I'm certainly no expert on the literature)

YW! You 2 are brothers! :)

Thank you for sharing so much with us. This is great and no telling how many people will be inspired.

Saved the link for later. Amazing job. Hope you'll be around to answer some questions.

Thanks for the information about how you did the plastic, if I ever do this half underground greenhouse idea I'll remember it.

I actually had a copy of that Solar Greenhouse book but had to purge my massive library a few years ago and it didn't make the cut.

The half underground seems to be the way to go in cold climates.

I agree. And the farther north, the deeper I'd make the pit.

Just be sure to always be safe. Slant the pit walls outward, and if you want to go deeper than about 3', then either reinforce the walls or do it terrace style (i.e. the initial walls go down 3' to a ledge at least 3-4' wide, and then you can dig another trench in the middle of the pit that goes down another 3' or so). The goal is to avoid possible cave-ins that could smother someone, especially a baby or small child.

My advice to others is always "Do it safe or don't do it."

I design all my waters with similar safety concerns. It's true that someone can drown in an inch of water, but I still minimize the risk by keeping my waters at or below 3' deep and by making sure they're very easy to climb out of or at least reach safe positions, even for a toddler. (I had my toddler nephew in mind during my designs.)

And on a final safety note: don't electrocute yourself! If you're going to use electricity, design your system such that the electrical current cannot come in contact with the water, regardless of whether a toddler or visitor behaves foolishly around it.

That's great, you'd be a great asset to a community, safety first! I agree, good priorities, very practical.

Only suggestions for building these in snowy regions? I am interested in building one, but need to make sure it can withstand snow through the winter. Also, any ideas for making them taller, adding a middle support every 10 feet, allowing the middle to go up another foot or two?

In places that receive heavy snowfalls, I think it would be good to use a "Gothic style" greenhouse design to help the snow slide off, like these: [link to www.growerssupply.com (secure)]

[link to www.growerssupply.com (secure)]

I would also be tempted to add upright middle supports for extra stability, like you suggest.

I'd like to see this thread revived, as some parts of Europe are experiencing vegetable shortages, and winters growing harsher in much of the US.

For those who have been thinking about starting a garden, or expanding your existing garden, this thread is for you!

Well, the Superbowl is done with, so let's try to get some new attention on this topic now.

I have been thinking about this old post. Nice to see it come up again.

HOW DO YOU SHOVEL THE ROOF on a green house?

I am trying to figure out a roof structure that will hold up. I have 4ft of snow out there right now and it has been -20F.

Well except for the harsh winters bit, it sounds cool.

If you live in even a moderate sized town, there should be some garden store/nursery that has greenhouses. Go look and see if they are using them in the winter and if so, what they are doing.

A steep roof would be best so that snow would slide off rather than build up. There are a couple of photos here:
[link to www.sturdi-built.com]

From experience I can tell you that the quonset hut design will capture precip between the hoops, which must be removed manually.

Here is an article from U of Vermont on snow removal and snow considerations:
[link to www.uvm.edu (secure)]

Since it depends on the shape of roof, you are probably best off googling "greenhouse snow removal" which will get you lots of articles.

Is everybody just done with self sufficiency now that Trump is president?

Of course not, lol

I clicked on this thread because I am always learning something new, about greenhouses. The OPs design will not work here in Alaska for tropical fruits, but they have been extremely successful with semi pit low tunnels in a couple of areas. No way to grow year round, unfortunately, but some people have started seeds in cold frames, inside unheated greenhouses here, in late March.

I have a brand new greenhouse with a wood stove for additional heat. All I need is 20 degrees, which I can do easily with that. I hope to be moving my flats in there, in March.

I don't think most readers here are looking to grow tropical fruits, but veggies for the family.

A local company here was heating their greenhouses with stoves which burned waste oil from the shops, but the state EPA shut that down.

I've been successful with small greenhouses using double plastic (top layer genuine greenhouse wrap), thick mulch and a combination clamp on lights and Christmas lights, but we generally have mild winters. The last 3 years though we have had colder winters so I am looking at that pit tunnel model now.

DIY Greenhouse PVC Hoop House Polytunnel Garden Homemade Cheap Low Cost $100 Build Easy Instructions



This looked good for greenhouse instruction, for making a structure over the pit, if you dig a pit.

It has some good tips too

Last Edited by Lily o' the Valley on 02/07/2017 01:45 PM

This one shows how to make a low tunnel over hoops for season extension, to extend your growing season.

Easy DIY Low Tunnel Greenhouse Hoops


I've used this kind of system too, with a wood "backbone" to give it more strength, and also to hook Christmas lights to, to add a little heat on colder nights, I live where we have mild winters, so it probably would not work in higher lattitudes.

Hoop bender instructions:

FREE conduit tubing bender for your garden hoop houses and low tunnels

Explaining the differences between various greenhouse designs. Their experience is in northern climate.

What Type of Greenhouse Should You Build?

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I have a few systems going but they are in my house. Plus I have many of the same tropical varieties potted that I move in and out. I desperately need to get it all into a greenhouse.
I know I could do the same thing.

I'm in Nebraska. We should connect somehow.