starting seeds in a greenhouse

Chaesman · Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:15 pm

Like I mentioned the greenhouse is going to be a whole new experiance for me. When I set it up ititially should I just leave the ground bare? should I cover it with a tarp or something? Eventually when my son pours concrete for his shop he plans on ordering a little extra to pour a slap for our greenhouse but what should I do in the mean time?

Boy am I getting excited

soil · Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:01 pm

we got 200 free bricks from a building that was being torn down near us, we used that for the floor. I know people who just have gravel, chipped wood and those who use the ground to grow things in. the thing about the floor is you want it to have as much thermal mass as possible. this means in the winter it holds onto heat and in the summer it holds cool. this way the temps in the GH wont skyrocket in the day and drop dead at night( like most greenhouses people build)

Chaesman · Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:26 pm

Thanks for the info soil.. so a concrete slap that is in the works should be ample?? I'll just have to figure out something in the mean time.. Although wood mulch is only like 25 a truck load would that work for now or would the pests that come with it pose to much of a problem?

soil · Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:48 pm

you could always just leave it as the native dirt. nothing wrong with that.

the concrete should be fine.

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:08 pm

The only thing I will add is crushed rock makes a good base for a concrete floor.

Eric

lily51 · Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:48 pm

My greenhouse has a concrete path down the center from N-S, then the rest is limestone gravel about 10" thick where the benches are. Works great.

wordwiz · Sat Feb 05, 2011 6:27 pm

Mine is dirt and I like it. Found that if I am growing plants in containers or in hydro, I can bury them in the soil and help maintain a constant temp. I want to grow some peas, chard and broccoli in it starting this month, and I won't have to use containers. If I spill water, I don't have to worry about it - it soaks into the dirt and dries! I will never consider paving it with anything!

Mike

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:48 pm

My beds run east west. Not much of a floor more of an aisle. About 3" of crushed 7/8 drain rock.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Greenhouse%20Photos/DSC01954.jpg[/img]

Eric

vermontkingdom · Sat Feb 05, 2011 9:16 pm

I put pieces of cardboard on the dirt floor of my unheated greenhouse. Periodically, after they become soggy, soiled and mangled, they go into the compost bin.

Last fall I tried a compost pile in the greenhouse and the results were disappointing. I created an enormous mess in there along with lots of flies. I'm tempted to try it again this spring but hopefully the snow will continue to fall here until that temptation passes.

For gardeners, this has been one of the most discouraging winters we've had in a very long time. We had two large snowstorms earlier this week and today's coastal storm was supposed to stay south and just clip us with a dusting. I just came in from shoveling 6 inches of very heavy dusting with no end in sight. Gosh, we need a break.

GardenRN · Sat Feb 05, 2011 9:25 pm

DDF- so jealous of the setups in your pics. Still working on my greenhouse made of recycled windows. The frame is up and some windows are on! Just have to find time to finish more work. That and I think to make it fit right I'll have to take some panes out and make some of my own windows to go on the sides of the greenhouse.

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Feb 05, 2011 9:58 pm

GardenRN,

First, call me Eric.

Have you posted pictures of your greenhouse project? I'd like to see it.

I purchased 11 storm windows from a consignment shop for $35.00. The front of the greenhouse ( south) has 6 windows and the east / west 2 each. All parts of the walls without glass are insulated. Ridged insulation. What's nice about storm windows is 2 screws and the window comes out of the frame. Its a frame within a frame. Ease of ventilation. Roof is made from sliding glass doors. This is tempered glass. Much safer overhead.

[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Greenhouse%20May%2026%202010/DSC02216.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Greenhouse%20Photos/DSC01957.jpg[/img]

Eric

GardenRN · Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:09 pm

will post some pics this week Eric

I got all of mine for free. They were getting thrown away at a window replacement shop. These were the ones they tore out. But of course, they are all different sizes so it's a little....no, it's a lot of guess and check on my part as to making each wall come together.

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:21 pm

will post some pics this week Eric

Great! looking forward. Now if I could only get lakngulf to post some pics.

Eric

Chaesman · Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:31 pm

Love the pics and heaing you can get the glass for free or cheap is nice to know... I do so want a permant structure with in the next 2 years so I guess it is time to start doing some window shopping literally.
Any how The portable that is suppose to arrive next week will have to suffice for the time being while we test the waters and formulate a plan for a permanant structure...

Boy that seems like a lot of glass to keep kleen lol

tinlizzy · Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:25 pm

I was wondering about the raised beds you have your seed beds sitting on. Are these filled with top soil or just any type of fill you have around. What type of lumber are you using for the bed frames? We have had a green house for my wife's plants for years. I would like to try and use the floor space to raise winter veggies.
Thanks

wordwiz · Tue Feb 08, 2011 5:08 pm

Keep it up guys and gals and maybe soon we will have an "under cover" gardening section. GHs, Hoop houses, Cold Frames, Row covers.

Even though I've only harvested maybe a dozen toms and a head of lettuce from my ghetto GH, I'm glad I built it. No way could I be thinking of starting 4,000 plants inside my house this winter/spring!

Mike

DoubleDogFarm · Tue Feb 08, 2011 5:23 pm

I was wondering about the raised beds you have your seed beds sitting on. Are these filled with top soil or just any type of fill you have around. What type of lumber are you using for the bed frames? We have had a green house for my wife's plants for years. I would like to try and use the floor space to raise winter veggies.
Thanks

Tin,

The beds initially filled with 50/50 sand and compost. Now they have a little potting mix and peat and...

I'm using Douglas fir, most common found in our lumber yards.

I tried different types of water heat storage and found it not to be much help. So I removed it all and install raised beds.

Eric