Window Greenhouses are becoming very popular and I must admit I have several. A window greenhouse will extend your growing season and makes it possible to have fresh greens, herbs and a few vegetables within walking distance. I also like a window greenhouse for starting certain seeds. 
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 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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