How Our Winter Garden Survived -23°F (-31°C) With No Heat

Please join me for an update on our winter garden after a week of subzero temperatures and a low of -23°F (-31°C).

Highlights:
0:22 How we protected plants from the cold
0:22 Didn't remove snow from north wall and bottom of hoop house
0:50 Covered outside and inside of door with 6 mil greenhouse film
1:52 Why I did not use supplemental heat
2:23 Covered cold frame and low tunnels with 2 extra layers of 6 mil greenhouse film (5 layers of cover total)
3:42 Temperatures outside versus hoop house
4:34 How did the plants hold up to the extreme cold?
6:50 The plants we're growing are more cold hardy than most people think

Oscar Cameos:
4:14 4:34 6:21 8:16

I'm passionate about an approach to organic gardening that is frugal, easy, sustainable, and works with nature to achieve amazing results. My videos will help you grow more healthy organic fruits and vegetables, while working less and saving money. I don't push gardening products. I don't hype bogus "garden secrets". I provide evidence based strategies to help you grow a lot of food on a little land without spending much or working harder than you have to!

[OneYardRevolution]

Highlights:
0:22 How we protected plants from the cold
0:22 Didn't remove snow from north wall and bottom of hoop house
0:50 Covered outside and inside of door with 6 mil greenhouse film
1:52 Why I did not use supplemental heat
2:23 Covered cold frame and low tunnels with 2 extra layers of 6 mil greenhouse film (5 layers of cover total)
3:42 Temperatures outside versus hoop house
4:34 How did the plants hold up to the extreme cold?
6:50 The plants we're growing are more cold hardy than most people think

Oscar Cameos:
4:14 4:34 6:21 8:16

[brian]

You could compost inside the hoop house to keep it warm too

[maryt]

I use a metal bucket with hot coals overnite to keep greenhouse warm. The plants love the CO2 and the warmth 👍😁

[JebGardener]

It's nice to see your garden survived the cold. thanks!

[sheraleethomas]

How I wish this channel would come back! It was SO informative and educational.

[rachelmacdonald]

This is truly impressive. I live where it gets to -30C and -35C for a few days and sometimes even a a few days down to -42C or so, and I would never have considered it possible to grow vegetables even in a hoop house in this kind of environment!

[spoolsandbobbins]

The health and colour of your greens is nearly unbelievable!!! You must have INCREDIBLY fertile soil. And I’m so happy for you that there was so much sun!!!! You’ve inspired our family so much here in Nova Scotia when our temps don’t get quite that low (this year perhaps only -30 WITH wind chill). It’s just amazing what u can do and grow with a little effort and passion! Thank you!!

[leidycasadiego]

Being in zone 5 and seeing this being possible is unreal! Thank you so much for the video!

[LL-ocxw]

Really hope you are doing okay - so many of us here miss your videos. You've been so informative and generous sharing with all of us. Hoping and praying you're well. :-)

[marysgarden]

Thank you for the inspiration. I'm a fellow chicagoan and never thought it was possible.
I grow indoors in the winter months
Maybe it's time to expand the garden!

[bearrivermama]

I feel your pain! We had -49 and wind chills at -70. Nice old northern Minnesota weather. This gives me hope. We are hoping to build a greenhouse and hoop tunnel next year.

[sandradoane]

Really miss your videos and information. As we head into the winter re-watching your cold weather gardening videos. This is my first year finally with a small low tunnel. It’s my first attempt and hoping all goes well. Best to you and your family and Oscar too.

[stephenoshaughnessy]

Concerning heaters in your greenhouse, you can run the power cord through some PVC pipe that is buries underground. The power cord can emerge inside the greenhouse and plug into a heater. You can turn the heater off and on from inside the house.

[theenergygardening]

Last year, my first green house, collapsed with the weight of the snow. Ofcourse that was my first attempt. This year I have better idea to improve the strength and was further looking for heating options, which I now have to begin with the fall/winter months here in the PNW. Thank you for sharing!

[jeepron]

That’s just amazing that the plants made it through that cold weather. I just finished my green house. I’m ready for seeds mid February.. And build some cold frames this year too. Thank you for all your insight on growing under cover..!! Have a warm fantastic day..!!

[MH-rjjf]

i love the occasional cat zoom-in edits. clear, informational, and cute.

[linaantonova]

Hi Patrick! I am a longtime gardener of the old school methods. I recently discovered the magic of permaculture and I am just amazed at how awesome, practical and logical it is! Can't believe I've done it the wrong way all these years! I Absolutely love all your videos, so instructive and well structured! I binge them in every spare minute I get! I am from Montreal Qc, and with our harsh winters, I am sooo inspired by your hoophouse, I've never had the courage to try one for the whole winter because I though it would be pointless, but you inspired me! We will be building one this summer! We just purchased our new home with a decent (by Montreal standards) back yard and I CAN NOT WAIT to start our first raised beds, we'll be starting them this fall tho, as per your recommendations, we'll observe well the first summer, and we'll be doing the lasagna layering method to start up the good ground! I have a few questions for you: 1- I can't stop wondering how big is your back yard? We have young kids so at least a part has to stay grassy (clovers :) ), I wonder how much I should take up for the garden part... most importantly: 2- currently the yard is a wasteland where two huge shepherds run and make all their needs, the ground is a beige-grey dust where absolutely nothing grows... maybe too acidic from the dog urine... I wonder how we should decontaminate, or should we just dig up the parts for the garden, discard that soil and add on new ground (and then do the lasagna layers for the raised beds)? Huge thanks for your time, and by the way I am primarily french-speaking so sorry if some stuff is unclear.

[lamprinedatsika]

Hello Patrick. Very impressive that your garden survived with so low temperatures! The greenhouse is a big deal. You have done a great job and your garden looks like a summer. Bravo Patrick. Congratulations!!!

[maryedmo]

As I watched you shoveling the snow to open the hoop house, I thought he's a gardening warrior. You teach us so much! Thanks!

[preciousmetalhead]

You know you’re a real gardener when shoveling snow is part of your daily chores in the garden.