What are you growing that needs 60 degree minimum temps? I erect a simple pvc pipe hoophouse in my zone 7 yard and heat it with a small electric space heater with the thermostat set to come on at 32 degrees. For nights that get really cold (maybe 12 nights throughout the winter where the low is in the teens) I drag in a regular kerosene heater and let it run all night. If we're going to have multiple cold nights or high winds I will cover the whole hoop house with a plastic tarp. Tricks I do to help keep it warm inside: I soak the soil floor with water on sunny days; I pack the hoophouse with as many potted plants as possible, even large empty pots of soil or bags of soil mix; I store water in buckets inside the hoophouse; I run a large box fan all the time with it pointed up towards the ceiling at an angle to circulate air. Even with all that work it will still freeze one night per winter in there but I rarely lose anything because the coldest of the cold temps is only for an hour or so rather being all night long. I mostly grow plants that can handle cool but not frozen temps. Things like citrus, brugmansias, begonias and tree ferns do better if they get a cool winter instead of a warm one.

If the soil pH is really low and there is not enough organic matter in the soil and there is not enough sunlight grass will find it difficult to grow there and any that does will not be sturdy enough to withstand much traffic. Start this whole project by contacting your counties University of Massachusetts USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done so you know what the pH of that soil is and what to do to correct it to give any plant a better chance of survival there. They can also guide you in selecting something that may grow quite well there. You can also dig in with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to see what more could be done to make that soil into a good, healthy soil that will grow strong and healthy plants.

Tree_Oracle If your ever in Maine during a cold snap. Your invited to come on out on the lobster boat with my hubby. I do believe this is the hardy New Englander your looking for. Please dress warmly.As there is NO HEAT on a lobster boat. You may have to wait a half hour before he takes off from the dock as the bait is usally frozen into solid blocks of ice and he has to soak it over board for abit so he can chop it apart. While the baits over board thawing he will be trying to untie the frozen icy ropes from the dock. If you pick a really cold day.You will be rewarded by getting to see all the sea smoke rolling over and around you. Also wear proper foot gear. If its a rough day the waves coming over the bow usually end up freezing on the floor of the boat making it really hard to walk. Don't plan on hanging onto the railings either as they also are very icy. Also if you have a beard or mustache make sure none of the sea spray get on them as they also will get that icy look! When you think you can't bare the cold any more you can stick your hands or feet in his hot tank that usually has fairly warm water in it good for a quick thaw out. Don't bother bringing any food as it will be froze solid by lunch time. Hot thermos of coffee might still be unthawed by then. Set your alarm early as the boat leaves the dock at sunrise. And he ties back up as the sun sets. And if its snowed the night before ( bring a shovel)he sure could use some help shoveling the dock off before he goes out his does this before day break. Non native New Englanders a dime a dozen.. Hardy native 3rd generation Maine lobstermen. PRICELESS He loves his job.

I think you've pretty much covered the "organic" options to controlling fungal diseases on tomatoes. Maybe we can review and expand a bit ... Fungal spores arrive on the wind or are already present in the soil and accumulated debris or mulch. If they arrive on the wind or in the rainfall, they land on the surface of the leaves and when sufficient moisture is present for a sufficient length of time, the spores are activated, migrate to the pores in the leaf surface, and enter into the interior cells of the leaf ... then wreak havoc inside the structure of the plant. Same happens when the fungal spores are splashed onto the leaves from below by rainfall or irrigation splashing soil up onto the leaves. Yes mulch helps minimize soil splash-back, but you can't do much about windborne spores except remove any host plants from nearby the garden ... that means any nightshade (Solanaceae) family members wild or domestic not being cultivated as your food crops. But the key here is reducing the extent of time the foliage remains wet. If rain and humid weather persists, there is little you can do. But there are advantages you can give your plants that will decrease the extent of exposure. Okay ... since we're talking about cultural controls instead of chemical controls, let's review some more options like general garden hygiene: Don't walk among your plants when they are covered with dew, after rainfall and before they are dry again, etc. Only work among your tomatoes when they are nice and dry. Never water from over top the plants. Use soaker hoses or drip tape. Plant your tomatoes in a place in the garden where the sun will dry off any dew or raindrops early in the day so moisture remains on the plants for as little time as possible. When pruning, use your fingers to pinch the parts off rather than scissors, knives and pruners when possible. Wipe your hands with a sanitizing wet wipe between plants or use a rag soaked in a mild bleach solution to wipe any spores off your hands between plants. If you use pruning tools, do the same between plants. If you don't prune, no problem here. But if you don't prune, you end up with dense foliage that hold moisture and prevents air circulation more rapidly drying off dew and raindrops. So, consider pruning not only to remove diseased foliage, but to increase air circulation. You've already covered garden clean-up and disposal of diseased foliage ... burn, bury or bag and dispose of it ... never compost it. Never compost garden, household or kitchen waste that contains tobacco, potatoes, potato peels, pepper waste, eggplant waste, or any other Solanaceae family stuff. Observe your plants. Some indeed are more tolerant of diseases than others. Select the more tolerant varieties over time. Ask questions of longtime tomato growers in your area. Listen to their advice regarding varieties and cultural practices. Ask your local county agent or extension horticulturalist regarding tolerant varieties, local conditions, local problems, and cultural practices to increase your chances. Tell her or him up front you prefer the organic end of integrated pest management, but listen to the offered advice ... you may be pleasantly surprised. And get your disease identified. That's really important. You need to know what you're dealing with so you can either employ something that increases your chances of protecting your tomatoes. Your extension horticulturalist should be able to hook you up with a lab test.