photo credit: di_the_huntress

I have used the indoor greenhouse for all of the reason listed above and over the years it has become a staple for raising healthy plants and nurturing sick plants. Indoor gardening takes the gloom out of my long winter months and is where I experiment with different plants and seeds. I have also started cutting in the indoor greenhouse.

The indoor greenhouse is perfect for growing flowers in the winter and keeping a fresh supply of herbs. I have forced tulips and daffodils for Easter and I even grow cucumbers and tomatoes all year long. You may even decide to grow plants or flowers as gifts.

How do you set up an indoor greenhouse?

There are several ways and this one is an easier versions. You can but a temporary moveable mini greenhouse. They are six to eight long by three to four foot wide at most gardening centers or Wal-Mart. They cost 20 to 60 dollars depending on size and when you buy them. I picked up two at an auction for a dollar apiece. These greenhouses come with shelves a frame and the plastic cover and can be used indoors or out.

For a greenhouse set up like this chose a room that is not being used. I have one in a basement room that gets plenty of outdoor light and another in an unused upstairs bedroom. This room also gets plenty of light so that I don’t need additional added lighting for my plants.

If you do need extra lighting, I would suggest using the fluorescent bar lights that are 4 foot long will work well. These are often used in office buildings. The bar lights can be attached over the top of the shelves for additional lighting. Your plants will need four to eight hours or light depending on what you are growing and how light is available in your room. I have also used mini spotlights if I need extra lighting, but I try to find a place in the house that has enough light to conserve on electricity. Note: if you plants are thin and leggy they need more light.

Another indoor greenhouse can be professional greenhouse plant starting stand, which costs more but is complete and ready to use. Or you can create a greenhouse as simple as setting up an unused metal shelf and covering it with clear plastic. What you are trying to do is create a warmer environment and more control over the humidity.

What ever indoor greenhouse you use you need to remember that lighting, proper watering and the best soil mix you can obtain will lead to healthy plants, seedlings and transplants. An indoor greenhouse will extend you growing season and create a more tropical feel to your home.

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photo credit: -Merce-

You can decide to buy a window green house that sits indoors or is attached to the outside of the window and you access it from the inside. The greenhouse attached to the outside of the window usually receives more light but takes more time to build. You can make your own mini greenhouse with a few supplies. Below are hints for creating your own Window Greenhouse.

Window Greenhouse

• Measure the height, width, and depth of inside window casing. Decide on number of shelves based on height of plants plus 1-3 inches. Use a 1″ x 6″ (or narrower) piece of wood and cut three shelves 3/4″ shorter than window’s width. You will want to sand the pieces and remove the dust.
• Next cut four pieces of 3/8″ sisal rope the height of window opening plus 25 inches. Cut eight 30″ pieces of matching twine. Note: Ropes should be no more than 30″ apart. You may need to add more rope if you feel you need more support. It’s best to have more support than needed and not enough.
• Use a 1/2″ bit to drill four holes in each shelf. Drill the holes 1inch from edges and 3 inches from ends. Sand holes to remove any wood splinters. Paint or stain the boards and coat with polyurethane to help prevent water stains and damage.
• To hang your shelves, drill holes in top and bottom window casings 3 3/8″ from sides and 1″ in from front and back. Next install screw eyes large enough for the rope. Start at the bottom of the window and measure from the sill to the first shelf. Add 5inches and put a knot in the rope. Insert the ropes through the holes in the board. Repeat this process for each shelf, leaving 5″ at top. Level the board and the shelving unit you have created.
• Finally, loop the rope ends through the top screw eyes and turn ends down 5″. Knot the twine around the sisal. Wrap tightly 10 times. Tuck the ends in and hot glue in place to secure. You will want to secure bottom of ropes in same way.

Your window greenhouse is ready to add plants to. If you select colorful pots and a few clear color glass pots for any cutting you are starting, you can create a very artistic planting area and raise plants for everyday use.

As mentioned above,  the window greenhouse that is built outside takes more time to build and costs more for materials but will give you more of a greenhouse effect. So if you need more light for your plants or more control over the climate and humidity the outside greenhouse is the best choice.

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As I was gathering up my materials for a Straw Bale Cold Frame I was also thinking of additional garden spaces for this summer. So I decided to try a method of using the Straw Bale Cold Frame to start my plants and then arrange it so that the cold frame would become a square Straw Bale Garden later in the season. I made sure my location for the cold frame was one where I would want a mini small space garden all season and began laying it out.

I placed four large straw bales in a square shape and put the bales in an area with a bit of a slant. This will catch the sun at a southwestern angle. I then placed cardboard inside on the ground to kill the grass. Next I put a large amount of rotted manure in the square and topped with more straw. Once again I put a smaller layer of manure and a layer of straw, Finally I topped with compost. My Straw Bale Cold Frame has a 2-foot filling and has space for the seedling to grow.

I watered the Straw Bale Cold Frame and put a 3-½ foot by 3-½ foot window on top of the bales. These windows were from an old trailer that was being torn down so I hauled them away for free. What I like about them is that they have a lever to open the windows. This will give me a way to supply fresh air to the cold frame and cool the air on a warmer day.

I will let this sit a few days them plant it with spring crops such as lettuce, cabbage, spinach and onions. Normally I would use black plastic and clear milk jugs in this cold frame to help heat the frame naturally, but the manure should supply the heat I need. This is almost a hot house set up. 
photo credit: faeryboots

My plan is to use the Straw Bale Cold Frame for the early spring season then when the regular planting season arrives  fill the straw bale square with more manure. I think this will make a perfect garden for melons or for gourds, both of which need plenty of fertilizer. I plant to add poles inside the straw bales for the plants to grow vertically on.

I also will  add flowers or vegetables to the straw bales by planting them directly into the bales. This will add more decoration to the yard and make more use of the space. Time will tell if I decide to plant flower or vegetables, but I think this will make a fun mini small space garden for my backyard.

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photo credit: quinn.anya

Today I started my tomato and pepper plants. Normally you start both of these plants six to eight weeks before your last frost but I like large plants to set out and I trade my plants for perennials so I start my plants now and use the tomato and pepper re-potting method. In my growing zone you normally plant your tomatoes and pepper plants from May 15 to 31. Even in May its wise to be prepared for a late frost and cover you more tender plants at night.
photo credit: rudy.kleysteuber

I also collected more milk jugs from friends and family to fill with water and lined another wall of my greenhouse and one side of the mini greenhouse I setup inside the larger greenhouse. The smaller greenhouse is for my perennials that are requiring a little more heat to grow and this should supply the extra heat needed.

Milk jug solar heating has been my primary heating source in the greenhouse for four or five years but I have to admit this winter has challenged the heating. I may have to break down and add a small electrical heater if this cold doesn’t break soon.

My first batch of perennial plants that I am raising from seed are now 3 inches tall. I will move them into the smaller portable plastic greenhouse I put up inside the larger greenhouse and start a new crop of perennial seeds. I have been giving my perennial seeds a cold treatment in the refrigerator as shock treatment to force them to germinate and wake up earlier than they normally would. My first group of herbs are also doing well.

I also have three batches of compost brewing in the back of the greenhouse. They should be ready in a week, just in time for another round of seed planting.

As spring nears I am slowly starting my plants, perennials and herbs first. Next will be flower that require a longer seed starting period, then on to the regular seeds that take six to eight weeks to be ready to set out in the gardens. It feels great to be back out in the greenhouse playing in soil and making plans for the new gardening season.

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As I would like to start a gardening business I headed up to look for bargains. And what bargains I found. I came home with a car so packed I hardly had room to steer the vehicle.

My purchases included 12 bushes, more than 88 perennial plants, strawberry plants, seven flats of annuals, vines, vegetables plants, and 4 hanging planters. And I purchased all of this for 84 dollars.

There was a festive air at the auction with plant and nature lovers selecting plants, shrubs and trees for their yards and gardens. The crowd numbered more than 300 people at first and getting to some of the areas for bidding could be challenging. The perennials seemed to draw the largest crowds.

Bringing home this many plants at one time created quite a rush at my house. I used a trench method for a few of the plants to at least give them a temporary home and rototilled up a new area for the perennials until the fall when I will give then a permanent home.

The strawberry garden goes in tomorrow. I had to make sure the ground was properly prepared for strawberries so that they will grow well and stay healthy. I also built a raised circular bed out of foraged bricks for the strawberries. The vegetables have been planted and the annuals have been potted up for a garden sale.

At this time of year you will find garden centers and greenhouses having end of season sales. It’s a great time to pick up perennials and extra pots for next year.

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photo credit: ricoeurian

If you don’t have room for a greenhouse or just want to start a few plants you can make a mini-hothouse by using a plastic tub. It’s reasonably priced and easy to move around.

I would use a plastic tub about two-foot by three foot. Clean the tub thoroughly with soap and water. You want to make sure the tub is totally disinfected so rinse it with a bleach solution of one-tablespoon bleach to one-cup water. Allow the tub to dry completely.

Prepare your pots.

Regular clay or plastic pots.
Make sure the pots are disinfected and completely dry. Place pebbles on the entire bottom of the plastic tub. You will want two to three inches or pebbles. These will keep any extra water away from the pots and help with humidity in the tub. Fill the pots with potting soil and let the extra water drip out. Place on top of the pebbles and make sure they are nestled into the pebbles so that they will not tip over. Place two seeds in each pot and top with a thin layer of soil.

Peat pots
Fill the peat pots three-fourths full with potting soil. Place the pots in the tub in a single layer. Place one or two seeds in each peat pot and cover with a thin layer of potting soil. Water each pot until the pots are damp to the touch.

Jiffy pots
Place the Jiffy pots on the bottom of the tub in a single layer and add boiling water until the pots expand. Place one seed in the center hole of each pot. Top with a sprinkling of potting soil. With Jiffy pots I often use Chamomile tea to water with. It’s a natural disinfectant and will prevent mold from forming.

Next cover the top of the tub with plastic wrap. Make sure there are no open spaces. Using the plastic you are creating a mini hothouse that will keep moisture in and supply a humid climate that will speed up your seed germination.

Place the tub in a warm, sunny location that is close but out of the way so you are not moving it all the time. Wait for the seedlings to sprout. I find it usually takes five to seven days before I start to see the seedlings popping out of the soil. Water as necessary to keep the soil damp but make sure you do not over water. Soggy soil means the soil is too wet and that leads to moldy soil and damp-off problems.

It’s time to remove the plastic wrap when the seedlings have reached two inches in height and have formed their secondary leaves.

This tub mini-hothouse will produce quite a few plants for your garden and house. It will save you money and time and can be used for several years.

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photo credit: wikked one

Once the greenhouse ready for use I let it set for a week to warm up. I use solar heating so the water needs to warm and that takes about a week to take the chill out of any corners.

It takes about two days to clean and organize the greenhouse.

I use the following checklist

• Wipe down any tables and surfaces with a disinfectant.
• Check all corners, doors and windows for air leaks.
• Check tables and indoor cold frames for stability and any needed repairs.
• Clean and fill clear plastic containers for solar heating
• Sort and clean any left over pots and planters
• Check any leftover soil to see if its useable
• Collect my compost and start more
• Check plastic used for mini greenhouse climate control
• Check additional lighting needed for seedlings

Solar heating

I started using solar heating about three years ago. My spring climate is so unpredictable and a cold snap would have expensive gas bills or have to rely on wood heat and go out every three hours to check the fire and temperature. I don’t know about you but the alarm going off at 3 am to head out into sub degree temperatures tends to make me grouchy.

What I did was set up my greenhouse two foot wider on all sides than I wanted. I had my brother dig a trench three foot deep with his backhoe and placed black metal 35 gallon barrels in the ground filled with water. The greenhouse frame and ground heat will keep the water in the barrels from freezing. I cover the barrels with clear plastic after the end of the greenhouse season. This set up keeps the greenhouse at about 40 degrees all winter.

After the greenhouse is cleaned I fill clear plastic jugs with warm water and place on top of the 35 gallon barrels. The sun will keep the plastic jugs at a temperature that is warm enough to heat the greenhouse to a 55-degree temperature. If I need additional heat the use of a small heater or even light will warm the greenhouse another five to 10 degrees.

To insure the jugs get enough sunlight I set the tables I use beside the water containers not on top of them. Later in the spring and summer the tables are placed over the barrels so they do not heat up by the sun.

I will also set up mini greenhouses within the greenhouse for starting seeds that require more heat. I have even used hot beds in the greenhouse for my finicky heat loving seeds and transplants.

One other way I have to heat an area is with a waterbed heating pad. I usually use this only for tomato and pepper plants that germinate better with heat from the soil, but if desperate I will use the heater in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse gardening can be a lot of fun. It gives you a larger selection of seeds and plants that you can grow and extends your growing season.

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When making plans for your greenhouse you need to decide what the main goal for you plants are. Are you starting plants or growing tropical plants? Are there certain climate controls you will need or an additional area that is cooler and darker for plants. These decisions will determine your climate you will set up and the plants you grow.

Over all its best to choose plants with the same climate control needs. It’s less work and your plants will thrive. If I do chose a plant that requires additional heat I will set up an additional mini greenhouse within the greenhouse by using clear plastic and a frame.

Most greenhouses are used for three projects, starting seeds, growing houseplants or growing perennials.

In general perennials require cooler winter conditions. They need a dormant period to rest before the next growing spurt. I have a section in the back on the greenhouse for perennials that is sheltered with less light and not heated like the other area.

Annuals are fun to grow in the winter. The color they add to your greenhouse and house just make the winter months go faster. I mix annuals in with extra houseplants and plants from the porches.

One point to consider when choosing plants is plants that like high humidity. Greenhouses trap in moisture and make the atmosphere humid. This makes the perfect climate for most tropical houseplants but cacti and succulents suffer in this climate.

It’s also wise to select plants, which require high amounts of light. Greenhouses allow filtered light in and plants that love light thrive.  Only choose low light plants if you can create a shady corner in the greenhouse.

Research the temperature needs of plants before you choose them and pick plants, which have similar needs. If you choose plants with different requirements you will either have to make mini greenhouse areas or spend more on heating and cooling systems.

This site has a few suggestions for plants for greenhouses: http://www.gardening-howto.com/greenhouse/suitable-plants.htm

I close my greenhouses from Dec to January for heating reasons. Its cold in Pennsylvania and I don’t want the high heating costs. I will grow cool weather crops and plants but any plants with more heat requirements wait until February or March, depending on how severe the winter is.

This year it’s been relatively mild so my greenhouses are being cleaned and should be able to be heated with solar power alone. My first greenhouse project will be to move my tomato and pepper plants outdoors to the greenhouse and to start more greens and some of my seeds.

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Most of the items you will need can be picked up cheaply or can be foraged for.

You will need: plastic or metal utility shelves, shop lights, fluorescent light tubes, light timer, power strip, plastic, small chains and trays.

These items can be found at a hardware store or home improvement center. I would take a look in your garage, at sales and at an auction for the shelves and lights. I managed to get all my items at the local auction for two dollars.

You’ll want to set up the shelves near an electrical outlet. You may need an extension cord if a power supply isn’t close enough. I also try and put the shelving in a place that is close but not in the way. Right now my setup is in a spare bedroom.

Attach the power strip to the middle shelf near the back. You can use screws or bread bag ties to hold it in place. By placing it on the back of the shelf it is in a place that is close enough to access easily bit not in the way. It is also centered so that each power cord can reach the power strip easily.

Next plug the light timer into the electrical outlet. Figure out the setting you want for the amount of time the lights will be on each day.

Place fluorescent bulbs in the shop lights and attach hanging chains and hooks to the tops of the shop lights.

I use old dog leash chains for the lights. Its sturdy and cheap and an always seem to have an old broken dog chain lying around.

Depending on the shelf width, suspend one or two shop lights from the bottom of each shelf so that the lights are set to shine directly on the shelf below. By using chains on the lights you can easily move the lights up and down on the seedlings. The closeness of lights will help small plants to grow sturdy and strong not straggly and leaning towards a light source. As the plants grow you raise the lights up.

For the top shelf you will want to suspend the light from the ceiling.

Your setup is almost done. Now its time to connect all the shop light cords to the power strip on the back of the shelf. I tie or tape the cords to the shelves to keep them in place.
For safety reasons make sure the power strip is turned to “off.” while plugging in the lights. Turn the power strip back on after connecting the strip to the light timer.

You will want to hang clear plastic sheeting on the outside of each shelf to keep in moisture and warmth if your indoor greenhouse is set up in a cold or drafty basement or garage during winter months. When I start tomato or pepper plants I use clear plastic to give them more heat and humidity.

Tips:

I use trays under my plants to catch any water that spills.

Check carefully for over watering. You can tell if you over water because the soil is too moist and mildew can form on top of the soil which will cause damping off and kill your plants quickly. (Damping off is when the plant gets too much water and the stem gets weak right where the soil is. The plant will actually fall over if the problem is severe enough.)

I usually water my seedling from below to prevent damping off and will occasionally mist the plant leaves and try to avoid the soil. Water is quickly absorbed into the leaves and plants like that.

When plants are a little bigger I turn a fan on them for small amounts of time. It strengthens the plant and plants need the feel of wind. It will also help prevent damping off.

Seedlings need 10 to 16 hours of light each day. Larger plants need as much or more than 16 hours, especially if they are flowering types. Gardenia, Jasmine and Roses are perfect examples.

I start my heirloom tomato plants, heirloom pepper plants and my rare and exotic flower seeds in a shelving set up like this. In another month I will open a greenhouse and start a few more varieties and pick up the seedling I get from the Amish.

By time spring arrives I have one entire greenhouse full and several cold frames and hot beds.

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I use mine to start seedlings and cuttings. Yes, they can be started in your house but you spend more time setting up the right lighting. With a greenhouse you use Mother Natures lighting and may want to add additional lighting one in a while.

Another great use for the greenhouse is just to rest, have fun and experiment!

Greenhouses do not have to be expensive or even big. They can be temporary and just used in the spring or bad weather.

My first greenhouse was a combination of old windows I hinged together in the spring to set my transplants out in during the day. I covered the top with plastic. It was very primative, but it worked.

Later that fall I made a cold frame out of old windows and grew greens until Christmas. I live in a cool zone 5 climate so this definately extended my season. The next spring I put together a small hotbed frame by adding rabbit fertilizer under the soil to make heat and lining the frame with milk jugs filled with water. I use clear milk jugs because the sun will warm the water up during the day and give off the heat during the night. It’s enough to add more warmth to the hotbed. I also covered the hotbed with a blanket at night.

I was able to start most of my seedling using this hotbed.

My cheapest and easiest to make greenhouse was created out of an old swingset. I covered the set with heavy plastic and secured it at the bottom. The one end I made a wood cover for. (this was a good place for seedlings and cuttings that needed less light.) The other end I removed the center support  bar that made it secure and placed another support bar along the bottom on the ground. This end had two pieces of plastic that overlapped. The inner layer had a board stapled onto the bottom to hold it in place. The outer plastic I used clothes pin to hold it shut.

During the day when temperatures would go up I would take the back flap of plastic and move it back to tie it up. The outer flap I set out about a foot so that the structure could cool down but not get too much wind that would damage small plants.

I used this very cheap temporary greenhouse all season. The cost was about $15 for the plastic cover.

My second bigger greenhouse was made out of PVC pipe. I put metal stakes into the ground and bent PVC pipe from one row of stakes to the other to make a semi circular shape. To make it secure I put wood boards on the bottom and bolted thin metal half way up the side. On the top of the structure I had a thin metal pipe that ran the length of the top. This was wired into place. When It was up and secure I covered it with heavy plastic. This worked very well and I used it for a few years, but it was more work to put up! I probably had $75 in this temporary greenhouse.

I now have a nicer greenhouse, two actually. Using temporary greenhouses gave me a taste of what having a greehouse would be like and saved me money when I really didn’t have the money to spend.

I still throw together plastic temporary greenhouses if I have too many plants, I am digging up and moving plants or we have a cold summer.

Greenhouse can be small or large. They can stand by theirselves or be a lean to style attached to a house or other building. But my all time favorite is a pit greenhouse. I love the look and its versitility.

In the next several days I will post several different greenhouse styles.

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