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.

As spring approaches I know it’s time to sort my seeds from last year, order any new seeds and get the greenhouse open and ready to use.
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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Greenhouses are an excellent way to prolong your growing season if you live in a cooler area like I do, or to control your climate for your plants in warmer climates. It also gives you the option to grow more exotic plants or plants that require attention.

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.