Mini Green House - Vegetable Garden

[swanz199]

I thought Louisiana was almost tropical? LOL!

[webcajun]

@swanz199 ...Not quite.....Donald

[satellitetune]

Great vidio

[TheWholefoodfarmacy]

Great vidio

[dkulikowski]

I have this same shelf. This year I used a king clear plastic mattress bag, furniture store charged me $5.. Yes it gets hot, even in Wisconsin. I make a slit in the plastic, about 3/4 of the way up, so I can access the plants easily. The king size plastic gives me plenty of width so I can fold the slit shut & use clamps to keep it closed up tight. Last year the wind got hold of it and over it went plants and all. This year I bungeed it to the basketball backboard. Check out my ROLLING SHELF GH

[webcajun]

@dkulikowski ...Just watched your video and commented. Thanks....Donald

[GreenSolarGarden]

Nice idea to use the shelving. I have a little greenhouse and I leave it open six inches at the top to let the excessively hot air out. Given the fact that yours is twice the size, perhaps two six inch openings would do. It will still maintain a nice level of heat to allow germination. I had difficulties this year with my peppers and melons. I had to let them dry out a little and put them in the direct sunlight. Too much love (or water in this case) was the culpret. Some like it & some do not.

[webcajun]

@GreenSolarGarden ...I find peppers take awhile to come up unless started on a heat mat inside the house. They like it nice and warm......Donald

[niffer58]

My thought would be maybe you can use some cloth on the backside. that may help with circulation of air and then the plastic on the sides and front for the lighting..Just a idea... maybe. place a small fan inside?

[niffer58]

fan may help the circulation to go all the way thru the planting area. keep it more of one tempature as you go down fromr lvl to lvl.. maybe put the fan on the bottom...?

[niffer58]

Please do a video on what you done for the comming up year. i would really like to see it. been talking with someone that uses the pads and said every seed will germinate better at different tempatures. anyhow. let me know it would be great to see. i want to try somthing like that eventually.

[webcajun]

Hadn't figured out just exactually what I'm going to do with it this winter. May just use the plastic again. Would love to use plexi glass but that's kind of expensive........ Donald

[lcky9]

Where I live 90 IS summer.. and this year we didn't get much of it.. I started my plants in March this year and moved them to my enclosed porch which gets a lot of sun but nights were cooler so I used heavy plastic bags around the bottom of them and it worked wonders.. have to start some things earlier this year though so they are bigger when I put them in the garden.

[webcajun]

Glad things worked out for you. I normally start my seedlings 6-8 weeks ahead of planting time........ Donald

[FunnyHotdogs]

at 1:06 is tht a horse?

[webcajun]

I had to listen real well before I picked it up. The neighbor has several horses which are fenced about 50 ft. from my shop. That crunching sound towards the end is my dog eating pecans...... Donald

[webcajun]

For a spring / summer garden you can start your seedlings 6-8 weeks before the last frost date in your area.  Cool weather crops like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage that can be planted earlier need to be started earlier...... Donald

[yomolove]

I had a thought.... maybe holes in the top would work... a couple maybe 4, what do you think... I have 3 stands I could use to start my seedlings... any suggestions on when to start my seedlings... I am ready now

[GardenGirltv]

Great video, thank you for shareing it.

[webcajun]

That solved one problem I was having, now birds are eating the seedlings I have on an open rack next to this one. You can hear them in the video. Ordered some netting and will install that next.

Just watched your video on raising worms, which happens to be on my "to do" list for 2009. Thanks ...... Donald

[webcajun]

TnWormsCastings commented in the channel comments about cutting slits in the plastic for ventilation. I think it is a good idea that would certainly help. Thanks.

[theproducegarden]

nice one!

[webcajun]

Thanks.

[Gen1Rev22]

Great idea!!! Loved the video. My husband and I just started gardening a few years ago with last spring being our biggest so far. This year, we plan on going even bigger. One question I have, which may seem stupid,....will a heating pad serve the same purpose as the mats you see in the catalogs and on the websites? Thanks so much for your videos. I've learned quite a lot from you that is helping me in my new found love.

[webcajun]

I don't see why a heating pad wouldn't work. May have to monitor the temp to make sure it doesn't heat the soil up too much. Installing an inexpensive timer would probably help control the temp. Thanks for the kind words...... Donald

[Gen1Rev22]

Thank you so much! The timer is a great idea!!!

[ArboriusOwns]

If you have a green house set up like the one in the video try putting a bucket of compost on the floor under the plastic. Compost gives off some heat as it decomposes.

[Gen1Rev22]

Thank you!!! I need all the advice I can get :)!!

[MTEXX2]

GenRev-

Gardening supply places sell heating mats, and respectively thermostats as well as timers. The mats are waterproof, and designed for seed flats. Make sure you're NOT using an "electric blanket" or anything that's bedding or therapeutic related as they are not designed with wet environments in mind. Cheers! In the end, the greenhouse is a lot better bang for the buck. A single mat+thermostat will run about 50$.

[Praxxus55712]

I really like the metal wire shelves. I've seen those before, and they're durable and functional. No water sets on them and they won't rot like wood. 90 degrees??? Heck, it doesn't even get that hot up here in the middle of summer! HAHAHAHA.

Thanks for the video Donald! :)

[webcajun]

I have quit a few of those shelving units around my shop and I just can't say enough good things about em. Putting wheels on them opens up all kinds of possibilities. If someone is going to use them for seed flats they'll need to find the units that are 24 inches deep. Most of the ones you find at the "big box" stores are 18 inches. Those hold only half the flats in the same amount of space. There are ways around this though...... Donald

[1DRock37167]

Thats a great idea, thanks for the info.

[webcajun]

Your welcome.

[scarcherpilot]

Looks great. What is special about "south facing windows"? Keep in mind I am a newbie gardener and just not sure what south has to do with it.

Thanks

[webcajun]

From early fall to late spring the sun rides lower in the southern sky which allows sunlight to shine directly through the window or in my case open shop door. During the summer it is pretty much straight overhead and the same area is shaded...... Donald

[dobe762]

Good idea there Donald, you could also germinate at the top of your greenhouse warmer and grad move the seedlings lower / cooler until they are ready for less protection and hardening off.

Cheers

;-)

[webcajun]

That is correct because the lower levels should be a little cooler. An inexpensive setup like this can open new doors for the gardener who has been contemplating cutting cost by starting their own seedlings. Probably the biggest issue is finding a spot that gets direct sunlight most of the day yet is still protected from the harsh elements. Very good observation...... Donald

[crewlla]

I have the same system as you but, I have to use florecent lights and a heater to make my seedlings grow. This year I went crazy and started my seedling way to early....thought I could get ahead and see if any of my seedlings would die. none of them did now, I dont know what I am going to do with the seedlings I have untill may when I can put them in. LOL I have 100 tomatoe plants....heheheheheheheh P.S I think its cute that your dog is chewing his bone in the back ground. :)

[webcajun]

Wow they'll have big tomatoes on them by May. You'll probably need to start some more about 6-8 weeks before planting time. If you have a window that faces the south you may want to plant a couple in containers. Just a thought.

I have a bucket of pecans in my shop and Lucy the Lab goes and gets one out the bucket, cracks it and then eats. I tell you she is part thief. She will do that the whole time I am in my shop. Rufus the cat will come behind her and eat the crumbs...... Donald

[niffer58]

Funny animals arnt they.. how cool is that.

[jstrunck]

W.C.,

Ahhh! looks like your  to a super season!

Let's Hope,

John

[webcajun]

I hope we all do well this season and... hope we miss the hurricanes...... Donald

[evcrawfish]

awesome brother donald...

one idea, i have been sprouting my seeds... if you know how great, if not let me know, i'll make another video...lol

[webcajun]

Make the video I would really like to see how you do it, I'm always open to new ideas. I must warn you, I like to keep things simple. LOL ...... Donald

[evcrawfish]

ok i'll do er and let you know when i get it done. it will take a couple of days for the seeeds to do their thing. but that is how i started my seed last summer. this way i know where i'm putting the plants.

[500passwords]

nice video , i wish it was warm enough up here in indiana to have a garden right now , i used to grow sweet corn,

i like the little white kernel sweet corn.

whats the best sweet corn seed in your book

[webcajun]

In the past I've planted Funks G-90 which is a favorite in my area. This year I'm going to an open pollinated variety so I can save my seeds from one year to the next. "Truckers Delight" I think, first time trying it so I really can't say one way or the other if it's any good...... Donald

[aztec11]

That's pretty neat! I think it would help to get my bellpepper seeds up and going!

[webcajun]

It's still a little early to start your bell peppers. They'd be half grown before you could plant them in the garden. But yes it would help warm up the soil...... Donald

[MyQuest4Health]

Great video. What kind of soil do you use to start your seeds?

[webcajun]

It's a mixture of compost and Miracle Grow potting soil...... Donald