Seed Starting Using Mini-Greenhouses
Don’t you hate it when a certain rodent whose name begins with “P” is right? Parts of South Carolina are preparing for winter to arrive tomorrow afternoon in the form of snow, freezing rain and cold, cold temps. Score one for the groundhog! But according to my planting guide, it’s time to start some seeds indoors, and I did just that! (Need a good planting calendar according to your zip code? Click here.)
I am trying something new this time around. I don’t have the space indoors near a window for seed starting, nor do I have a greenhouse because a certain fat, jolly elf failed to leave one this December. I saw this idea a while back and decided to give it a try. I am using clear, plastic boxes to use as mini-greenhouses.
Here’s the setup.
I found the clear plastic boxes at Big Lots! for $4 less than at Home Depot, Lowes, or Target. While I was perusing the aisles at Big Lots! I found the Seed Starter Pots. These pots cost $2.50 for a package of 32 organic, natural fiber pots. You can start your seeds in them and then just plant the whole thing instead of trying to remove your seedlings from the pot.
I started with filling each pot with some organic potting soil mix for veggies.
I placed 4-5 seeds in each pot and carefully covered each seed with the smallest amount of soil. I used a wooden skewer as a dibble.
I marked each tray according to what was planted in each.
It is important to keep the soil moist when starting seeds. The tricky part is to water each pot without drowning it and washing the soil (and seeds) right over the edge. So I poked some holes in the lid of a water bottle and used it for watering. By shaking the water bottle, it more or less “rains” just the right amount of water.
Finally I placed the trays in the boxes and set them out in the sun.
Even on a day when the temps were in the 30’s, the box collected the heat and created moisture much like a greenhouse. I will move the boxes in at night if it gets too cold, but as it starts warming up, I will leave them outside.
I’m not sure at this point how well this will work, but with space too tight I thought it was worth a try. I’ll keep you posted on the results!
Stay warm…blasted groundhog!