A high tunnel is similar to a greenhouse in that it’s helping us extend the growing season, keeping plants and food safe from frost or the occasional cold spring day, and it increases the heat inside on sunny days to mimic warm spring and summer days.
A high tunnel is different from a greenhouse because it serves as a hybrid between totally enclosed growing space and an open field. In a greenhouse, plants are grown on benches and shelves and in raised bed kits, but in a high tunnel, crops are often grown directly in the soil or in raised beds.
This year, our 3,000-square-foot high tunnel helped us grow and harvest early crops of leafy vegetables like lettuce and kohlrabi.
