A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Non Greenhouse winter protection

For those in mild climates who don't necessarily need a full greenhouse, lets share some ideas for winter protection that doesn't require a building permit.

Last spring I was forced to remove the "structure" from around my aquaponics system since I didn't have a permit for it (anything overhead other than a clothes line here requires a building permit.) So this winter I'm going greenhouseless for the first time. (Even under the greenhouse the water got too cold for tilapia and I know the catfish can survive without.)

Anyway, I'll have to take pictures tomorrow but I pulled some frost blanket over one section of my big system to protect the papaya and tomatoes that are currently heavy with fruit. I probably won't keep this up all winter but for this first really cold snap I hope to keep the plants happy for just a little while longer.

What are some other methods people are trying to keep plants happy through the winter?

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Permalink Reply by Conrad Chin-Yee on October 23, 2011 at 11:02am

I am located in Central Florida near to the coast so my vegetables won't be bothered by the coolness. We don't get snow but occasionally freezes. I plan to winter my 6 or so breeders and the three batches of babies and fingerlings indoors in an aquarium that I am hoping to get this PM from Craig's List. The 70 Tilapia and 30 bluegill in my grow-out tank will have to take their chances with the cold with minimum winterizing like painting IBC Black, putting cut-off lid back on, covering with some polycarbonate plastic. The larger fish I will eat next month. They may be a little on the smallish side as I didn't start up until well into the summer. I want to protect my tank-bred fingerlings and babies to restock my grow-out tank in the Spring. I am trying to avoid eating the wild caught tilapia as I am not sure of the pollution issues. The fish in my grow-out tank are probably OK to eat as I caught them as fingerlings.

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Permalink Reply by TCLynx on October 23, 2011 at 11:38am

Any fish that survive in your outdoor system if it gets cold, they might be good ones to breed for cold hardiness.