Hey Anne,
what are you using for the metal hoops in that brassica bed?
I was inspired by Elliot Coleman Four Season Harvest. He promotes growing “year-round fresh food no matter what the climate”, and tells you how in his books. His books have been out since the '90s so they are probably at your local library.
You can buy these already made, but I’ve just made my own from this and they work fine for lightweight coverings. I’ll weave the ends into chicken wire to support bird netting. If I need it taller and sturdier I thread the wires into 1/2"PVC sunk on either side of the bed.
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Thanks, I have been using PVC but I think I like the metal ones better.
I use PVC for heavier coverings and for the poly covering in winter. Looks like this
It is less likely to smoosh with snow and distort w/wind. The wires are for protecting things in summer where rain and wind go right through. The exception is in the hoop house, when the poly is on and we are getting into the low 20s or lower, I’ll put row cover over the more tender plants so I can grow lettuces and other like things.
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Here is a better pic I posted one winter.
A winter’s day 
in a deep and dark December
I am alone,
gazing at my garden, see the pics below, under poly we’ve escaped the snow.
I am a nut. I am a gardener. 
(For you younger folks that Simon & Garfunkel)
Celery & snow peas
Iceburg lettuce
This lettuce yields salads all winter and is pretty cold hardy.
Celtuce. Going in a stir fry tonight!
Salad turnips. Crunchy salad additions all winter. Cilantro also in the pic.
Also harvested ginger and made a paste which I’ll also use tonight. The long stalks are the celtuce.
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Wow Anne, looking great! You are definitely inspiring me to try and extend my garden into the winter.
I think one of the reasons I call it quits is everything gets invaded by whiteflies. I haven’t found a good solution yet.
Are those Tokyo Market turnips? I grew a few this fall, but was saving the the bulk of my seeds for the spring.
I thought of you when I was putting up my Xmas lights, and remembered to be extra careful.
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White flies reduce with diluted Neem as do other pests and fungal diseases in the hoop houses. Since lettuce leaves are delicate use the greatest dilution. I spray after harvesting. With some pests, if the population is getting out of control, spray a little every 4 days until clear.
Yep. I multisow in modules and put them out when about 1-2" tall. Why wait? Experiment now and set out in a protected spot. They push each other out of the way as shown in the pic.
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OK so this guy is tuff. I just put a small frame with a clear leaf bag over it with holes cut in it, and it lasted through our unusually cold winter. Clearly I wasn’t optimistic and should have been harvesting it through the winter. Def gonna fire and adjust next year.
The bad news is that DH says he doesn’t like BrusselsSprouts. My translation: Hasn’t had them prepared to his liking. So that’s the challenge. Any help appreciated b/c if I don’t get it right the first go 'round, it’s doomed.
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Is taking off leaves the way to grow them because I just leave them on and have never had good success at it.
I usually cut them in half, mix with some olive oil and season to your liking and roast in oven with broccoli and slivered almonds. I like them to remain a little crunchy but also a little crispy on the edges. I love brussel sprouts no matter how they are cooked.
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My brussels produced all winter, uncovered, in central MD 7B. I was shocked. Didn’t get a lot of production, but I picked three times over the course of the winter. I’m going to plant a lot more this fall.
Even my kids like them when I make them very simply. Fry a piece of bacon or two in a pan. Cut each sprout in half and toss with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. Saute in the bacon grease until just barely done, and serve with the bacon crumbled over it. Hard to go wrong.
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I don’t think so. The lower ones kinda wilt and yellow like cabbage, and other brassicas in my area, so I take them off for tidiness sake. But I had not removed any until I removed the bag. You can see some on the ground.
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That is awesome. I wonder if fleece or poly would keep them producing better.
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Sounds like a good experiment! Last fall I split my fall eggplants and brussel sprouts between the greenhouse and my raised bed to see what worked best. My greenhouse brussels produced nothing. Probably operator error, but still. Raised bed ones were awesome. Eggplants were the opposite. Died before they produced outdoors, produced all winter in the greenhouse (and still flowering). I might be slow, but I’m learning!
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Cooking: Steam garden-fresh brussel sprouts in a colander until al-dente. Remove from heat and put in serving dish. That’s how I’ve enjoyed them from a young age.
For your stubborn DH I’ll suggest:
Pour a modest amount of melted butter on top. If he’s really stubborn include chopped bacon.
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Thanks Richard, now I’m hungry for brussel sprouts. The bacon sent me over the edge.
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Yeah, and it’s got to be cooked medium – none of those over-cooked bacon bits.
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Well you plant part of a root and it just keeps adding to according to the number of days and amount of sun. I usually start them on a heat mat next month, and set them out when you can set out tomatoes. I harvest in the fall. In another post I describe an experiment with the harvesting them.
If you scroll down you’ll get the whole story on my ginger experiment.
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Thanks for the Brussel Sprout recipies and encouragement. DH said, “I don’t know why I thought I didn’t like Brussel Sprouts. These are good.” So we are ‘go’ for Sow-Grow-Eat-Repeat, which is good 'cause I already grew some from seed and have ~ 6" plants in the ground. 
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