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randy_ritchie

nowhere to start seeds

Randy Ritchie
20 years ago

I have a question please.

Barely enough light in this house to keep stuff alive through the short winter here. I have some seeds I'd like to start here, but no talent for setting up a light set-up. Are the little mini-greenhouses, the ones with 3-4 shelves and a plastic cover, useful for this in the South? Just trying to figure out how to do this, with little or no investment and space requirements.

girlsaylor

Comments (5)

  • Micimacko
    20 years ago

    Yes, those little greenhouses are very helpful. I could find the 2 selves variety at Odd lots last year, so I got two. They are in my porch and I have seed trays, plugs and seedlings and rooted cuttings there.
    However, do not forget to uzip & lift the plastic cover if you place them where the sun can burn the seedlings during a sudden warm-up (It happened to me last year when I placed one small greenhouse on the south side of the house and forgot to open the cover on a sunny and warm winter day - by noon all the seedlings were fried!)

  • Randy Ritchie
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Thanks for your response, Micimacko. I hated to lay out for something that doesn't work. I'll check Big Lots here periodically over the next month and see if they get anything in, rather than order. I have a little covered porch that it could sit in, which would eliminate the direct sun problem, if that gives enough light for seedlings. Is that what worked for you then?

    girlsaylor

  • beetlebob
    20 years ago

    I made my own litle greenhouse. Go to your local large hardware store and buy the plastic shelving units that they sell,than buy some clear plastic and some clothes pins. Put your stuff on the shelf and cover it with plastic. I left the lower 3 in. open to allow air to escape if to hot and am having great sucess with it.Just remember that seeds will not start untill the soil temp. is correct so you might need a heating pad to warm soil to proper temp. or just wait for the soil to do it on itself. If you have room I just bought a GH from Harbor Freight and am in the process of putting it up now. It is low cost,good size to start and winter over plants and looks good.Good Luck!!:)

  • flowerchildky
    20 years ago

    Hello there! I have not visited this site before- I mostly hang out at the seed exchanges and winter sowing...I would love to recommend the winter sowing forum to you!

    The general idea is to create "mini greenhouses" out of recycled bottles/jugs/plastics etc. and put them outside to let Mother Nature 'start them' when the time is right...there are tons of nice folks there and a wonderful FAQ if you would like to read more about it! We have lots of fun and learn so much...I have plants in my zone 6 garden that I had never even heard of!! Thanks to the generous folks at the exchanges and to the method of winter sowing...

    Best wishes,
    Linda in Louisville

    PS: visited your beautiful city once upon a time...just lovely!! :))

  • Randy Ritchie
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Great ideas, folks. Thanks so much! I got the gardening bug bad, and so many seeds I want to start.

    And, it's been in the 70s for a week here now, so I've been outside cleaning up leaves and putting them around as mulch. Pulled down the purple hyacinth bean vines, which were a crispy mess framing the overhead garage door.

    Hopefully I'll have things cleaned up to the point I can do the stuff that's more fun soon.

    girlsaylor

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