Growing Veggies Inside a Screened Porch?

**donnainzone5** 9/12/2010, 12:35 pm

In a few years, I plan to move to Bend, OR, which has only a 70-90 day growing season.

Recently, I came upon a house plan with a large screened porch. If properly situated (and drained), do you suppose I could turn it into a home for some of my SFG?

martha 9/12/2010, 12:42 pm

what do you mean about properly drained?

I did a very quick search on Bend. It is interesting because it is Zone 7, but I immediately came across several references to a "very short growing season".

I'll be interested to see what people in that area have to say.

**donnainzone5** 9/12/2010, 1:00 pm

Martha,

Thanks for your input.

I think you may have found North Bend, OR, which is near the coast. Bend is in Central Oregon, about 3,500' above sea level, and I understand it's in Zone 5 or 6.

As to drainage, I'd either have to grow in pots or figure out a way that water from my boxes wouldn't accumulate or stain the floor (probably concrete).

boffer 9/12/2010, 3:48 pm

I guess the Bend Chamber of Commerce has done a good job. I had no idea the climate there was .... less than perfect. I've been through the town a half dozen times and remember it as semi-arid and sunny skies, regardless of temps. In reality, it appears it has almost as many cloudy days as Portland and colder too. Oh well.

If you could glass in the screened porch, then you would be talking 'green house', which would offer more gardening possibilities in that climate. I know we can we figure out ways to manage box drainage Smile

There was a forum member by the name of Catnip that I chatted with a couple times in the spring. She lived in Redmond, OR -not too far from Bend. It couldn't hurt to shoot her an e-mail.

**donnainzone5** 9/12/2010, 7:49 pm

Boffer,

I've been in contact with Catnip, but a while back. She put me in touch with the owner of a local nursery.

Yes, my idea was to glass in the screened porch, although that particular floor plan has the living room looking that direction.

I suppose I could always do a greenhouse....

Bend is a great small city, with about 12" of precipitation each year, mostly snow.

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