The solar heated greenhouse is up and running. It’s not totally solar heated but I get enough heat with my creative heating techniques to get my vegetables and perennials going and with a few more tricks I heat the greenhouse in mini climate area areas until the temperatures become more consistent in NW PA. With the price of heating it pays to experiment.
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.

Technorati Tags: greenhouses, milk jugs, solar heated greenhouse, starting seeds, transplanting plants

Auctions are fun. You meet great people and find great deals. And one of the most unique auctions I went to was a local greenhouse auction. Due to illness the greenhouse had a huge auction and deleted their inventory.

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.

I always start certain seeds early. It helps me to produce more plants and crops in my cooler zone 5 climate.
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.