🏠 GREENHOUSE MANAGEMENT GUIDE 🏠

250 sq ft Protected Production • Year-Round Growing • Orcas Island, WA

📐 Greenhouse Layout & Infrastructure

Area Dimensions Primary Use Notes
Side Line 1 (North) 3' × 25' = 75 sq ft Continuous Lettuce Succession plant every 2 weeks. Mix of romaine, leaf, colors.
Side Line 2 (South) 3' × 25' = 75 sq ft Continuous Lettuce Succession plant every 2 weeks. Complement Line 1 varieties.
Center Bed 4' × 25' = 100 sq ft Tomatoes ONLY 10-12 indeterminate plants. Stake to 6-8'. Year-round production.
🎯 GREENHOUSE ADVANTAGES:

🥬 LETTUCE LINES - Year-Round Succession System

Planting Schedule (Every 2 Weeks, 52 Weeks/Year!)

Week of Year Action Varieties to Plant Management Notes
Every 2 weeks Plant 1/4 of each line Rotate: Romaine (red/green), Leaf (oakleaf/red/green), Butterhead Succession = continuous harvest. Never a gap!
Weeks 1-2, 3-4, etc. Harvest previous planting Ready 4-6 weeks after planting Cut-and-come-again for leaf types. Pull heads for romaine.

Seasonal Variety Emphasis

Season Best Varieties Reasons
Winter (Nov-Feb) Winter Density, Arctic King, Rouge d'Hiver (Romaine) Cold-hardy, slow-bolting, darker color
Spring (Mar-May) Buttercrunch, Bibb, Red Sails, Oakleaf Fast-growing, tender, heat-tolerant starts
Summer (Jun-Aug) Nevada, Jericho, Coastal Star, Summer Crisp Heat-tolerant, slow-bolting (greenhouse stays cooler!)
Fall (Sep-Oct) Transition to winter varieties, plus Lollo Rosso, Red Romaine Preparing for winter, colorful mixes

Production Estimates

💡 PRO TIP: Plant 8-10 varieties in rotation for color and texture diversity. Customers (or family!) love variety!

🍅 TOMATO CENTER BED - Year-Round Indeterminate Production

Annual Schedule

Month Tasks Details Critical Notes
February Start seeds indoors Use heat mat (75-80°F). 10-12 seeds of each variety. Varieties: Sungold, Early Girl, San Marzano, Brandywine
March 1-15 TRANSPLANT to greenhouse 12" apart initially. Add supplemental heat if nights <50°F. CRITICAL: Harden off 1 week. Protect from cold shock!
March 16-31 Install stakes/trellis 6-8' tall stakes or vertical strings. One per plant. Do before plants get large!
April-May Weekly pruning begins Remove ALL suckers. Train to 1-2 leaders. Tie weekly. Indeterminate = continuous growth. Must prune!
May-June First flowers, fruits set Hand-pollinate if needed (shake flowers daily). Consistent water = prevent blossom end rot
July-October PEAK HARVEST! 2-4 lbs per plant per week at peak. Harvest every 2-3 days. Keep picked = more production! Don't let over-ripen.
November Late harvest, slow decline Production slows. Plants may show stress/disease. Continue harvesting until plants fail
December-January OPTIONAL: Winter tomatoes Need supplemental light (14-16 hrs/day). Lower production. Or rest greenhouse, prep for next cycle

Variety Selection (10-12 plants total)

Variety Type Plants Purpose
Sungold Cherry, indeterminate 2-3 Best flavor, continuous snacking, high production
Early Girl Medium slicing, indeterminate 3-4 Reliable, early harvest, disease-resistant
San Marzano Paste, indeterminate 2-3 Sauce, canning, low moisture, meaty
Brandywine or Cherokee Purple Heirloom slicing, indeterminate 2-3 Flavor! Large fruits, eating fresh

Weekly Maintenance Routine

Production Estimates

⚠️ CRITICAL PRUNING RULE: Indeterminate tomatoes grow FOREVER if not pruned. Remove ALL suckers weekly or you'll have a jungle!

💧 WATER CONSISTENCY: Inconsistent watering = blossom end rot + cracked fruits. Water deeply 2-3x/week or install drip irrigation.

🌡️ Climate Management - Temperature & Ventilation

Season Temperature Goals Management Actions
Winter (Dec-Feb) Min: 35-40°F
Ideal: 45-55°F		 Close vents at night. Consider small heater for tomatoes (lettuce OK without heat). Maximize sun exposure.
Spring (Mar-May) Day: 60-75°F
Night: 50-60°F		 Open vents on warm days (>65°F). Close at night if forecast <45°F. Monitor young tomato transplants.
Summer (Jun-Aug) Max: 80-85°F
Ideal: 70-78°F		 VENTILATION CRITICAL! Open all vents. Add shade cloth if >90°F. Greenhouse can overheat!
Fall (Sep-Nov) Day: 60-70°F
Night: 45-55°F		 Transition to winter. Close vents earlier in day. Extend tomato season with night heat.

Humidity Management

🐛 Pest & Disease Management

🎉 GREENHOUSE BENEFIT: NO SLUGS! This is the #1 reason the greenhouse is worth it on Orcas!

Common Greenhouse Pests

Pest Signs Control
Aphids Small green/black insects on new growth, sticky honeydew Spray with water. Insecticidal soap. Introduce ladybugs.
Whiteflies White flying insects, yellowing leaves Yellow sticky traps. Neem oil spray. Vacuum adults.
Spider Mites Fine webbing, stippled leaves, dry conditions Increase humidity. Spray with water. Neem oil if severe.

Disease Prevention

🔧 Annual Maintenance & Soil Management

Soil Refresh Schedule

Timing Task Details
January-February Tomato bed prep Add 2-3" compost to center bed. Work in gently. Greenhouse warms soil faster than outdoors!
Every 2 weeks Lettuce line rotation After harvest, add 1" compost to replanted section. Light fertilizer if needed.
November End-of-season cleanup Remove spent tomato plants (don't compost!). Clean stakes. Sanitize surfaces.
December Winter rest (optional) OR continue lettuce + start new tomatoes for winter production.

Fertilization

📊 GREENHOUSE ANNUAL PRODUCTION SUMMARY

Crop Area Annual Production Value to Household
Lettuce (all varieties) 150 sq ft (2 lines) 250-300 lbs/year 5-6 lbs/week year-round. No grocery store runs!
Tomatoes (indeterminate) 100 sq ft (center bed) 300-400 lbs/year Fresh eating + canning/sauce. Year-round tomatoes!
TOTAL GREENHOUSE 250 sq ft 550-700 lbs/year Premium crops, no slugs, extended season!

🎯 GREENHOUSE = GAME-CHANGER FOR ORCAS ISLAND!

Solves cool springs (tomatoes), slug pressure (lettuce), and year-round production (both)!