Who's starting their garden early?

[Sherrynboo]

I start my plants under a small table in my kitchen that has a fluorescent bulb fixture hanging underneath it. I probably need to modify it a bit this time around but it worked very well! I planted about 70 tomato plants that I raised under there last spring and they seemed to take forever to come out of transplant shock so I bought some plants to put out in case they didn't make it. I ended up with 120 tomato plants, hahaha! I had tomatoes coming out my ears! Not going to do quite so many in 09!

Sherry in Ga

 

[TanksHill]

Does anyone have or know how to cheaply build a cold frame?
I got a book on solar greenhouses, but it's making it sound like it's a lot more expensive that it looks.
I might be answering my own question, but is it possible to just build one from pallet wood, black plastic, and plexiglass? Or would I need more?

I used to have a little greenhouse. It was built from 1/2 tubing pipe. The cover tore and I gave the frame to my neighbor. Yeah I know dumb me. Anyways he used plastic on the roll bought at a hard ware store. I imagine you could do the same and just staple it to a wood frame. That's what I think I am going to do.

Hey Bee----- that shower door idea, I have been mulling it over for a while. I thought the doors would be perfect across the top of my raised bed. Handle up to aid in moving. I have been trying to find some free. when you get yours together let me know how it works. g

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, just need to get some free time and some soil to put in them! I like the idea of recycling something that you can't really use anywhere else and would have to throw away.

 

[me&thegals]

Yep--thinking of that these days. I probably will start my stuff under grow lights in the basement by the fire in about Feb. We usually take a little vacation in late Feb, so I'll start them about a week ahead of time when the soil stays wet for a long time.

This fall, I built a hay-bale enclosure covered by old windows. It kept the lettuce going an incredibly long time. I think I will leave that up, then replant in about March and see if I can have greens by the end of April

 

[jackiedon]

You guys are giving me great ideas!! DH has several old windows.

I just finished processing a bunch of cornish x and we used a 10x10x8' chainlink dog pen and we moved it around. We had a tarp on the top and plastic wrapped around it to keep them dry. I bet if we put the plastic over the top I could use it as a greenhouse! We had heat lamps stretched out on it so I could use it if it gets too cold.

What do you think?

jackie

 

[TanksHill]

Sounds like a greenhouse to me.

 

[Dace]

Last year I started my seeds on Jan 1...and then continued planting from there. I can set out starts as early as March 17th. Last year my seedlings were getting a little leggy by the time I had the garden properly prepped, so I will wait a couple weeks more to start my seeds this year. I start mine inside. In the old house I had an upstairs window which was south facing. I set up a table under it so that my starts had full sun. I start off with my seeds in gallon sized ziplocks to keep the moisture level good, then I simply cut away the top of the bag so that they were exposed once the seeds sprouted. Then I would open the window during the day (as long as it was not too cold) so that they would get a breeze to help make them strong, I have also hear that setting a fan nearby is helpful if you can't open a window.

A couple of things on my to do list are: DH wants to build a waist high bed for salad greens, radish etc. Need to try to figure that one out. Plus I am starting with hard pan soil this year....gotta build several raised beds. Just thinking about filling them with soil stresses me out. I am not even going to attempt to work this soil, I figure over time the earthworms will work their magic

Bee.....I need advice on my maters. I know that you had an interesting trellising system. What I did last year did not work well.

I just LOVE starting seeds! My cheerleaders gave me a gift card to my favorite nursery...saving it for seeds!! I guess it is time to start planning my beds.

 

[roosmom]

I really do not think it is fair that you all get to start your gardens so early. OK..........I want a pity party, who's with me?

 

[TanksHill]

Dace ---I am not sure where you new home is but check Craig's list for free horse manure in your area. Find out if its been composted already. I filled the majority of my new beds with composted horse poop with just a bit of bagged mulch on top. It looks amazing already. You know if I remember correctly on the Path to Freedom web site, he just started dumping his compost on native soil. Piling it up where ever he intended to plant. Maybe you could do the same.

 

[lupinfarm]

On the horse manure, we always use horse manure and one year we had tulips into December! surrounded by snow! ... Unfortunately, people are catching on to the horse manure and are starting to charge per bag. We got ours free from the place we boarded at because we did all the maintenance etc.

I gotta build raised beds, lots of them... actually, TONS of them.