Our Greenhouse In January - We're Still Harvesting Food In Our Winter Hot House

It's January. It's Dipping into the -20s here on the Wilderstead. Our 4 season winter greenhouse is still going strong. So here's a little tour of our greenhouse in the snow and freezing temps in northern Ontario. Yes, with a little effort, it is possible to grow food year round in northern climates. Canadian winters are cold and snowy, but there are some things you can do to make your winter greenhouse garden flourish.
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[@frazermurray8605]

Zone 6 in central Sweden here. After watching your video I realize there is hope for us here. Thank you! I'm inspired! Don't you just love Canadians!

[@Wilderstead]

Wonderful!

[@juliecc3036]

I've installed mirror's to reflect more sunlight into the greenhouse. It actually helped increase the intensity of sunlight in the greenhouse

[@AndreaDingbatt]

-20 to -30!! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!🤯🥶 I'm in the North West of UK!! But I am from a much warmer Country!! So,, I thought that the UK is Cold!! Yikes!! -9°C is the very coldest winter temperatures I've experienced here!! You are doing an Amazing job for gardening and the health of your pollinators, ~I was watching the recent video about this!!🐝🦋🐞🕷️ 🐝🌷🌻🏵️🌺🌱🌱🌱☘️ Namasté 🙏💞 Best wishes and Kindest regards. Andréa and Critters. ...XxX....

[@simpleforging3339]

that is some top shelf information on how to grow outside when its -20. Thanks for this. Good show.

[@Wilderstead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ireenakeeslar5693]

I really like how you show stuff in your video. It gives me very practical things to think about. So many people do not do that, THIS is helpful! Thank you!

[@Wilderstead]

Glad it was helpful! You're welcome!

[@rosemaryvan6885]

I overwintered pepper plants in my house last year and got a few peppers from them. Then stuck them back outside last summer to get a jump start. Brought them in again and have them under grow lights and they are all flowering again. In zone 5.

[@Wilderstead]

That's our plan going forward. Just gotta plan a little better for it this summer.

[@soulscry8697]

I was able to keep a few sweet pepper plants going myself for 3 consecutive years until we moved...its amazing that pepper plants grow into large bushes with "bark"...they are definitely not annuals in truth but with warm growing environment they continue growing. I imagine one can do this with any plant. Its purpose is to exist and propagate.

[@TheCanadianBubba]

Every season you will keep improving ! Thanks for bringing us with !

[@Wilderstead]

You bet!

[@patriciahogg5763]

Impressive!!!

[@Russ4704]

I would suggest you use some LED lights, they are fairly inexpensive. Also, grow some dwarf pas, carrots, cabbage, and some dwarf tomatoes.

[@McCoysOakHillFarm]

Yes I am alive! :) It has been an interesting 2 years for me with a lot of changes. I am glad you guys are doing alright. I have lighting issues trying over winter plants in my house in a cool room. It would make more sense to grow established cool weather plants for the most part. Hopefully this year is a better one for me still many obstacles to overcome for me at this point.

[@Wilderstead]

Was nice to have you drop in on the live today!! First one we’ve done in a long long time hahaha!

[@tessamoland797]

Lord! This is too much for me! Don't get me wrong, I can see how successful your idea is. But I just moved to a Zone 3. I'm still trying to get acclimated to -30 to -50. Thank you for giving me some hope when I can get prepared to do something like this one day

[@HiddenSpringFarm]

The fact that you guys are even attempting this amazes me. Good on you for trying to figure this out. Looks like you can still get some growth in there too. Lots of trial and error I guess. Thanks for blazing the trail for the rest of us, Chad.

[@Wilderstead]

Tons of trial and error for sure. Growing in winter has been something we’ve been plugging away at since the very beginning of the channel, back when we were in Manitoba. Every year is a little more successful. Cheers!

[@northstarprepsteader]

You have done so well in keeping it going and thriving. My weather is very similar and I can certainly appreciate the task of growing year round. Great job!

[@Wilderstead]

It is definitely a task! Soooo worth it though. Keeps us busy and out of trouble during the winter months 😆 Thanks Cathy!

[@jbonkerz]

I overwintered some peppers in my basement. It doesn't get colder than 60F(15C) down there. I cut off almost all of the leaves and branches while leaving the nice Y shape that pepper plants tend to have. I also only let them get a few hours of light per day. Just before winter ended I increased the amount of light to 12 hours, and fed them nitrogen to get them back to growing again. They did well for about 3 years like this. I ended up losing them one winter when we had our dishwasher hose break off while it was running and it flooded my plants in the basement below.

[@Citystead]

Your guys greenhouse is so good, I really need to get back to work on mine haven't gotten much done on it the past couple years

[@Wilderstead]

It's a little bit of effort at this time of year, but well worth it! Thanks, Josh!

[@TheOldSwedesFarm]

Looks like you've got some good success. Some supplemental light would help the radishes and lettuce. Of course that adds to your power demands. You've got a great operation! Cheers!

[@Wilderstead]

Yes, it’ll be a bit of cost for power, but that’s alright considering the food production. And the lights will only run a couple hours in the early morning and evening, so minimal cost. Cheers!

[@offgridwanabe]

Nice I never finished mine before the winter set in but I am getting the itch already. I put in pex under the the concrete floor (patio stones) in a hope to hot water heat it.

[@Wilderstead]

Oh nice! That was something we have been toying with doing. Might still happen. Hopefully you get it finished up this summer and can enjoy it next winter buddy!

[@yennyjen5742]

Wow! I am in zone 4 🥶🥶 so glad I found your channel. I am in the process of converting a old shed into a green house. And have some containers inside. Has been getting warm lately.. in the 70’s while outside is 30 degrees. Bit some days the soil in the containers freeze

[@tracyurquhart8013]

That's so awesome! Inspiring that is for sure. Great video Dave!

[@Wilderstead]

Thanks so much!

[@huntersmoon2351]

Ha!! My greenhouse is housing my newest flock this winter. Getting my compost build over winter. The sun heats it up in the day. Chickens love that. I have seed starts in house. When I get the coop addition put on they'll move out and my plants will move in 👍

[@Wilderstead]

We might use a hoop house next winter from some birds. Good plan!

[@huntersmoon2351]

@@Wilderstead I tried the panels for hoop greenhouse. I had a heck of a time. Plastic kept blowing off. I didn't hv all the good material needed though to do it successfully. I've been seeing alot of steaders doing the hoop houses for their chickens. I'm sure you be successful 👍

[@huntersmoon2351]

@@Wilderstead a dear friend last year saw how hard I was trying w the greenhouse thing and I think he felt sorry for me so he gave me a greenhouse he had using it for storage lol. I had a great season last year! I'm forever grateful for that kindness🙏

[@pikehomestead]

Love this is still producing we are looking at ways to grow all winter to extend our growing season

[@Wilderstead]

Hopefully this gives you some ideas!

[@ericryckman5174]

Amazing guys!

[@ravincathomestead-cecilia2894]

Wow nice, the greenhouse is producing nicely, take care and stay safe and warm

[@Wilderstead]

Thanks, and you too Cecilia!

[@pamt8430]

This is awesome!!

[@Wilderstead]

Thanks Pam!

[@frankmaranville9549]

Add a 55 gal barrel of water. It will release heat at night. Also look into a rocket stove. You run exhaust from stove around the perimeter of the building and put "cob' around it. Much of your heat is going out the roof. You should do it in your house as well.

[@Wilderstead]

Do you have experience using these methods? We’ve tried some of these, the results were not desirable at all.

[@frankmaranville9549]

@@Wilderstead This is really what you need. For the house and greenhouse. Why not add the soda can heater to the greenhouse? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKiop51jf9aIpbM

[@Wilderstead]

See, here's the thing. A good friend of ours planned a greenhouse around exactly that. And guess what. He doesn't use the greenhouse in the winter because at -30C, it just doesn't cut it. He's now looking to install a large cast iron wood stove instead. After he rips out his monstrous rocket stove/'thermal heat bank'. It seems great in theory, but in practise, not so much. They keep a baseline temperature, thats about it. Which is great. But it's not going to heat anything to a livable or productive temperature on its own. If it did, you wouldn't be able to touch them. Similar to the water barrel idea. The size of water storage required for the cold temperatures here would have to be double or triple the size of the space you are trying to 'heat'. Doesn't work. The greenhouse heats itself fine during the daytime, which is why we don't use a solar soda can heater for it. The solar heat only works when the sun is shining. We are, however working on a design using the soda can solar heater to create a small thermal bank in our chicken coop to keep their water from freezing in the winter. And a second design using the same solar heater concept for in floor heat in our house during the winter months.

[@scrappyquilter102]

Lucky me - I found you today! New subscriber. You two are a WEALTH of knowledge and information esp. the chickens and the greenhouse. I only have 1/4 acre lower Georgian Bay but in my heart I am a true blue homesteader! Please keep sharing. Best, Liz

[@Wilderstead]

Welcome to the Wilderstead!

[@joyceobeys6818]

Lettuce n Swiss chard grows great in winter! N root vegys ! Nice green house! I put Epsom salts on mine n a sunlamp to help!

[@Wilderstead]

Thanks Joyce!

[@huntersmoon2351]

I like your heater,I thought about doing that. Maybe next year🤗

[@northernmemaw4036]

Wow!! Awesome green house 😊 Thanks for sharing 😊

[@Wilderstead]

Thanks for watching! 🥬

[@MelissaMasters-eg2wq]

Chop up the peppers herbs and things and put them in bottles of olive oil they will foment and keep for a long time

[@daniellerediker2904]

You need supplement light to imitate the summer season for peppers

[@PreppingWithSarge]

that's outstanding. I was still getting peppers and basil until last week (no hothouse) The cold snap here in Charleston finally stunted them though. Keep up the great work!

[@Wilderstead]

Thanks Sarge

[@garsidegardens3366]

The greenhouse is looking good Guys. Happy New year to ya ENJOY

[@Wilderstead]

Thanks guys, and same to you!

[@lostcreekcabin2021]

You have spent some time getting this greenhouse operational. It's looking great. Can't wait to get mine going this year . 🐓🔥

[@Wilderstead]

It’s been a learning experience for sure. Every year gets a little better. Stay warm up there buddy!

[@thaliahelene]

Have you seen the hotbed system Dirtpatchheaven uses? She’s zone 3-4 so it’s plenty cold there. The beds are self heating powered by rabbit manure. It’s interesting.

[@Wilderstead]

Yes! Actually, we have an older video of setting something similar up in a different greenhouse. We never kept going with it once we started heating with wood, though.

[@onewhitestone]

you should look into heat storage. Storing heat from the day or from that wood stove will carry you through the night. A metal barrel on top of the wood stove will hold a lot of heat. Fill it with salt, it holds more heat than water. You can also put them on your north wall for heat storage.

[@Wilderstead]

The entire greenhouse is a heat sink. 400 lbs of cast iron, and about 600 lbs of soil in 2 foot deep beds. The water bucket method doesn't work for us. We've tried. And I'm not going to buy a ton of salt to fill buckets with lol.

[@HadassahHaman]

Thank you for sharing! I learned a lot from this clip. I'm a gardener in zone 6, just built a hoophouse so I understand challenges with climate control but hadn't considered lighting as an issue for initial plant growth!?! 😏 As far as overwintering peppers...the plants thrive in temps between 60-80. A 10 degree differential may be ok but above or below that, they don't do as well. May be best to harvest all the peppers, trim leaves, clean stems then transplant root and bare tree indoors in your house where temps are more consistent with 60-80s. Thx again for the video! Just found it but happy gardening and good luck with your pepper plants this year. 😊 HSTL Zone6 ❤️

[@wakeupthebear]

You should use a compost heap with radiator the in green house. Lots of videos how to do.

[@Wilderstead]

Tried it, have videos on it, doesn’t work in our climate without a compost heap the size of the greenhouse.

[@denislosieroutdoors]

Thanks for the update there eh! I'm in Saint John New Brunswick and been thinking of doing the same thing... Thanks for sharing very interesting... like seeing what u have over wintered when u planted etc. lots of good info

[@Wilderstead]

Should have a new one up with some new additions in a few days. Cheers! Thanks for watchin, eh!

[@codysaunders7348]

Not enough daylight for the peppers over the winter, but you could keep them dormant and replant in the Spring. I'm in Ontario, zone 4B

[@bddollen7384]

- YOU HAVE A FULL OUT “ SMOKE HOUSE” FOR ALL SEASONS .. !!! -

[@SwampHodag]

If you painted that back wall black, would it help warm up the building faster? And maybe black soil boxes would build a thermomass? A black water tank fir a thermomass? I'm just spit balling here

[@AndreaDingbatt]

Hi there!! I'm just wondering if you have tried to do "Hot -Beds"?! It's a system that I have been using for years now. With a lot of success, put simply the best way to use this system is the use of the heat ~ from my compost heap. (Underneath the growing areas!!) And, ensuring that the plants are getting plenty of sunshine,, ~ by putting the Hot -Beds facing South!! I hope this will help you with your winter growing, Peace ✌️🕊️ Namasté 🙏 Andréa and Critters. ...XxX...

[@Wilderstead]

We’ve tried hot beds. There are some past videos about that sort of thing we did. Reality is that -30 is -30, and without actual heat, our greenhouse will freeze.

[@AndreaDingbatt]

​​@@Wildersteadbrrrrrrrrr!!🤯🥶 I am sorry for not knowing that you have to deal with temperature's like that!! Best wishes and Kindest regards!! Thank You so Much for Sharing your time and advice!! I'm certain that you will continue to be successful!! Peace, Love, Light and Joy to You and Yours!! Namasté 🙏💞 Andréa and Critters. ..XxX... Ps, I am sorry for being not great at English, it's not my 1st language. I'm a very recent subscribe to you and your channel is Awesome!!

[@jamess1787]

Dave, Idea for you: Consider putting in some black 55Gallon drums (even cut in half and stuffed under your garden beds; alotta work!) and fill them with water, wrap your wood stove exhaust pipe with copper pipe and use convection to move the cold water from the barrels around the stove pipe. This might help pull the greenhouse through the night, leaving the heater as "last ditch effort". Can use the drums to water the plants Luke warm water too :). Good idea with the rocks! Drums: might need to blow out a wall and add a small addition?

[@Wilderstead]

Hey James, we have tried the water barrel idea, and so many other heat sink ideas. We’ve figured out that this particular setup is best for this size of a greenhouse. A much larger greenhouse definitely benefits from that type of heat sink, though. We have also been toying with hot water heating as you’ve mentioned, but we’re looking at doing that with compost heat as opposed to the woodstove copper piping. I’ll be putting in some upgrades this week, so next greenhouse video will have a few new tricks we’ve learned in it. Thanks for watching and stay tuned!

[@jamess1787]

@@Wilderstead love it!!!!! I'm looking forward to the videos!

[@MistyMeadowsPermacultureFarm]

Thanks for this. It's fantastic to see what others in cold climates are growing in greenhouses. It was -34C here last week. I'm designing a passive solar greenhouse with backup heat. I think your setup is great, although I'm looking at propane heater as a backup/SHTF scenario for those -40C to -50C surprises.

[@Wilderstead]

Excellent! One thing to think about with propane heater is the moisture it will produce. Not necessarily a bad thing in a greenhouse, but something to consider. We’ve steered away from all things natural gas for heating here, primarily because in a SHTF scenario, that stuff won’t be easy to get ahold of. We have amassed a decent collection of solar power generating items instead.

[@MistyMeadowsPermacultureFarm]

@@Wilderstead Thanks, that's definitely a concern. Our greenhouse will also have solar panels. I'm learning about propane, but will use it as a very last resort. We prefer wood heat. Maybe an outdoor wood furnace. So many options to explore. Makes my head spin! Love following your adventures from rural Northwestern Ontario. 🙂

[@Wilderstead]

@@MistyMeadowsPermacultureFarm that’s the awesome thing about this lifestyle - so many options to try and learn from. Glad to have you along with us!

[@user-wk7dt1nc9n]

very interesting. I grow in a portable greenhouse-thermos. I recently tested the first module on my channel.

[@Wilderstead]

I will check it out

[@blaircox1589]

Being northern as well, I've wondered if the cost of heating the greenhouse could be better applied to artificial lighting and much better insulated shed/building/room. We don't get much sunlight for three months anyway. I guess if you have the wood from your lot, could save money on the electric heater and increase your thermal mass. I don't have enough light in winter to bother heating my greenhouse, but if I did, I'd lean towards the old thermal mass stoves used in Europe.

[@Wilderstead]

It is amazing how much the greenhouse actually warms up in the day just from the sun, even with the limited sun we have in the winter.

[@willbarbour9695]

Light pollution is a serious consideration given the wilderstead priorities but that should make a big difference for sure. love the setup bro

[@willbarbour9695]

to fix light pollution, you use can use curtains at night but then you've gotta open them for sunrise or you lose the sun and whole greenhouse aspect.

[@Wilderstead]

Light pollution is definitely a consideration we’ve though about. The light will be running during sun up and sun down times. It’s more to increase light intensity as opposed to increase daylight hours if ya get what I’m sayin

[@willbarbour9695]

@@Wilderstead totally. You're a better botanist than I am babying plants.. A lumens thing not a length of time thing. Makes sense given your scraggly lettuce reach. They'd stop scraggling if they got enough light intensity where they are.. Light length of time would induce flowering or typically seasonal changes in plants or what would you be watching for there? Lettuce would be in panic mode thinking it's fall and would rush flower and seed to get it up before the freeze if you needed more hours?

[@middleway1885]

Any plans on adding geothermal air circulatory system? Or how about ElectroCulture techniques? Great stuff!

[@streetsshallprovide2029]

Cool! Though why not just build the greenhouse attached to your house? Utilize the heat you are already producing/burning in your house and gain some passive solar heat from you greenhouse for the house during the day? Dig the video though.

[@Wilderstead]

Darn, shoulda thought of that!

[@maskedbandit_champion]

nice

[@Wilderstead]

👍

[@michaellamela763]

Wouldn’t it be better to have the electric heater low since heat rises or did you just have it high so it’s out of the way of everything? Awesome green house

[@Wilderstead]

The circulation fan takes care of moving the air around evenly. Yes, it’s up high to keep it out of the way.

[@tonybumbacco7494]

Nice work Dave! Keep the great content coming! Looking forward to possibly crossing paths out on Harmony Bay in the hunt for dinner! And i promise no more TSC embarrassing shout outs while your there! HAHAHA

[@Wilderstead]

😂 no worries at all buddy! I’ll have the hut out soon enough. Finally have ice, just a matter of letting it thicken up a bit. Cheers!

[@tonybumbacco7494]

@@Wilderstead hows the ice thickness dave? sorry to bother you thanks!

[@Wilderstead]

Hey buddy! We were out about a 1/2 km from harmony yesterday. 10-12 inches of nice black ice. Could watch the fish coming up once we had the hut set up it was so clear. Fished 30 feet of water. Perch were steady for us all day.

[@tonybumbacco7494]

@@Wilderstead thank you fine sir!!!!!!!

[@Wilderstead]

No problemo! Roughly the same spot we met out there last year

[@EssayonsFG]

Wow! It is super cold up your way. I best stop complaining about our 10 degree weather. LOL

[@Wilderstead]

😂 cheers Sapper!

[@janetrush8340]

Found your channel looking a for a greenhouse design. I love your greenhouse and your channel. I live in Tennessee and we have mild winters ( 20F ) is our average low. I started by covering an established bed of spinach and kale with a low tunnel. I was amazed at the harvest all winter. I plan to (my husband :) ) build a reclaimed glass green house soon. Trying to stay small, but big enough for the two of us. Your green house gives me hope that we can do it. Thank you for the details. I must start following you.

[@Wilderstead]

Awesome!

[@Lilyandmoomin]

You may be better to put winter broccoli, leek, broadbeans and cabbage…. In your greenhouse, and seeing as your log burner is over sized you could kinda extend the greenhouse.

[@Wilderstead]

The wood stove is oversized to accommodate proper heating with the glass roof and windows surrounding the greenhouse. A larger greenhouse would require a larger stove.

[@jomama81ranch8]

Kale and onions? What about tomatoes & green peppers?? 😶

[@Wilderstead]

They’re in our other winter greenhouse videos.

[@xperyskop2475]

Get good grow light It will change your life

[@xperyskop2475]

Spider farmer or Mars Hydro or migro Lights . You already have electricity in the greenhouse small lights have around 100-200Watt usage

[@Wilderstead]

We've added lights in there and sometimes turn them on. Mainly a spring thing for seedlings at this point.

[@gedhuffadine1873]

That's cold!

[@Wilderstead]

🥶

[@JimDockrellWatertone]

Cool experiment. Are you going to expand on it? Have you thought about adding thermal mass around the wood stove to keep the heat going longer?

[@Wilderstead]

With the woodstove, we’ve been adding rocks around it for some thermal mass. By next fall it’ll be fully enclosed as high as we can with the rocks. The beds are 2 feet deep, for the thermal mass provided. Happy new year to you guys. Still can’t believe we haven’t managed to meet up for a puff!!

[@Chris-nt9lk]

How often are you filling the wood stove? I moved to some acreage near 150mile BC and have your typical wood framed and plastic covered green house. It gets us spring/summer/fall but no way will it do anything in the winter

[@Wilderstead]

It all depends on the weather and temps. The most recent greenhouse video goes over that and various other heating methods we’ve tried over the years. Cheers!

[@callhone1951]

Where are you located. You mentioned supior .

[@annemiekevaneijkeren4486]

I wonder if it is worth it with all the electric it takes for lights fan and the like.

[@Wilderstead]

Depends on how much you are interested in where your food comes from I guess.

[@donwilliamson1825]

Anywhere near sault ste marie?

[@Wilderstead]

North of Sault. We visit sault sometimes though 😊

[@greenthumbprepper8653]

We r getting a greenhouse this spring and are looking forward to winter veggies next winter!! With a greenhouse like yours, made from reclaimed windows. Does it require a permit as a permanent structure? Based on size.

[@Wilderstead]

We live in an unorganized area in northern Ontario. Permits aren't necessary here for the vast majority of buildings. You'd have to check with your local municipality and building regulations.

[@greenthumbprepper8653]

@@Wilderstead it’s all about living in an unorganized township. We don’t live too far apart. I’m near the shore of Lake Ontario.

[@greenthumbprepper8653]

I guess I’ll check what my local codes are, I know some places are more liberal with land use. Btw. Mrs GreenThumb loves that greenhouse!!!

[@Wilderstead]

@@greenthumbprepper8653 it's exactly why we moved out of southern Ontario. That and the over populated mess it has become down there.

[@The-Ancestral-Cucina]

@@Wilderstead I’m curious. How far North in Ontario would one need to go find unorganized townships?

[@lindsaywarne1466]

What is your growing zone 3?

[@Wilderstead]

Yes, on the edge of zone 3/4

[@GeorgeNicola]

Very "sustainable" greenhouse.

[@dougtwigg3285]

😂😂😂 did any of you clapping seals realize he doesn’t have any plants in the greenhouse😂😂😂

[@Wilderstead]

😵‍💫- might want to pay attention to things Doug, ya Twitt….