Okay, So I got a new greenhouse yesterday, now what?

[modern_pioneer]

I got spring gardeners greenhouse yesterday from Lowes, half price because pieces (instructions, wing nuts, and bungie cords were missing. I found a location on my property and need flooring ideas, heating ideas (can put painted pop cans in it?) water bottles? how about the floor? What temps should it be at, and what veggies could I grow in it, not just to start seeds. I live in zone 5a.

 

[lesa]

Congrats! I saw the pic on SS. What are your nighttime temps right now? It might be a little early...One thing I do with my cold frames is have heavy blankets at the ready- and just cover over the whole thing if temps are going to dip. I would recommend putting a thermometer in there and just see what kinds of temps you can achieve, with just sunshine, and adjust from there. Good luck- keep us posted!

 

[modern_pioneer]

Still pretty cold and still have snow on the ground as well, so I think I am in the pre-planing stages wondering what I need to do for the floor, I do have shelves already, I have access to all the saw dust I can use (worried about termites in it though) I have some flat pavers from my old step system that are made from concrete.

Looking different cold veggies I can get started when it warms up a little!! I am excited, I gotta go through my MEN books I think they covered some info on green houses!!!

I could use the help of you green thumbers as well!!! I have never fooled with anything bigger than my small shelf ones I use to hard off with...

 

[digitS']

Welcome to the cosmic world of solar power! (Actually, this is about the only power, other than supernatural, that any of us have ever known. "We are star-stuff." ~ Carl Sagan ) My greenhouse sits more or less directly on the good earth or, at least, it has an earthen floor.

What size is this "protected growing space" . . ?

I hope none of those big evergreens are going to cast any shadow on it .

Pioneer, start your seeds . . . vvrroooom!

Steve

 

[patandchickens]

I suppose you *might* be able to grow something like spinach in it now or soon, if you use a cold-frame or small hoop as a secondary cover for the crop to keep it from getting too cold at night. Seeds are cheap, you could try it.

What you will find, though, is that while greenhouses certainly do heat up during the day (often more than is good for plants unless you are home all day every day to open and close vents) they do not retain much heat during the night. Thus, unless you take extra measures in some way, you are still limited by pretty close to your outdoor nighttime low temps.

Mainly what that sort of greenhouse is good for is that, once temperatures have warmed to where frosts are only very mild, it gives you more area to start seedlings for a few weeks without needing to run electric lights.

(Well actually what that sort of greenhouse is *most* good for is making money for its manufacturer, but I mean, if one is going to use it for gardening, the above is what it is least ill-suited to).

If you take lots of containers of water and surround your planting beds/boxes with them, and cover the planting beds/boxes at night, that will help noticeably vs frost. How much? You will just have to experiment and see. Probably regard this spring as an experimental season, try a bunch of things and get a feel for how it behaves and what you can/can't do. It would be HIGHLY worth buying a couple of max-min thermometers that you can leave on the soil amongst your plants, with several different setups, so you can learn how different arrangements affect the temperatures that your plants experience at night.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[modern_pioneer]

I saw the cold frame that you built and of course I thought that was perfect for what I need near the house.

 

[modern_pioneer]

I'm working on my cold frame, suggestions?

so far material cost is nothing!!!

 

[lesa]

That will work perfectly! Looks a lot like mine. I use an old window to cover mine. Start almost all my seeds in them. Really helps with the hardening off process. You'll love that. Nice job with the free materials- great recycling, reusing!

 

[dickiebird]

My greenhouse is on my back deck, which is any where from a couple of feet off the ground to about 4' off the ground. I have placed a thermometer that reads remotely in the house so I can check it any time I wish. I have checked it often over the past month and the temp here has been any where from 30F to 60F in that time period. Even with the area being subject to cooling from below the temp has never been below 40F in the greenhouse.
This was very surprising to me as I figured it would not retain heat this well.
Right now I have about 300 plants developing out there. I started all of them in the house and moved them out to the g/house as soon as they are about a day out of the starting media.
The directions that came with my g/h said to dig down 4", set the base, then fill the base with crushed rock or gravel.
My plan for heat was a quartz elect space heater, which I may try next year but didn't this time around.
The only things I plan to keep out there to grow are strawberries and some flowers, everything else will be planted in the garden or flower beds.
I'll try to post a pic of my g/h.

THANX RICH

 

[lesa]

Dickiebird- that greenhouse is absolutely wonderful!!!! I saw the pics when you were building it. It came out great! I am so longing for one. Can't wait to hear how your garden grows! Enjoy!