Things are looking good, and It has been some time since last I give a update of what the plants are doing in the green house.

A few things are taking longer than I suspected to start growing,  ” HOT peppers is the main one ”

The squash and tomato plants are doing Very well!

My water Mellon and Giant pumpkin are starting to get bigger, But small compared to the tomato, It is almost like I should of planted them a week before anything else along with the HOT peppers.

These are mostly Tomato , Roma, steak sandwich, red lightning.

The Big boys on this side are the types of squash, along with many peppers.

I started off with things more in groups from First planting and second planting, but I have been moving things around for more light or more shade.  I find the squash really like there shade.

I would post more Picks but the I was not the Early bird today, and much to do.

These Pictures are from Mar 25 2010

Pictures of the plants from our First Planting This year.

They are doing good!

And here is a few Pictures Of things Starting to grow from the 2nd planting

Onion

We had so many Onion seeds we only used a flat, no tray’s, and filled it with dirt, and Planted like we would Grass seed.

We did get a call back about the local Midland, MI  Farm Market, and found we do not need a licence as long as we do not Serve the produce right there on a plate ready to eat right there.   But there are a few other things we need to get in line.

A booth will be $25 a day,  We are thinking going on Monday Nights.

And last but not least, here Is a Picture of a little Tractor I build as a Decor for our Flower bed this week.

It is made all of metal and painted flat black from junk stuff setting around the gradge.

If anyone wants a PDF E-book or more Pictures of How to Build one, Email me.

Not much going on yet, but here is a quick update Mar 16 2010

Nothing yet from our 2nd planting

The Tiller I found at the home depo looks like it might do a good job.

The same day shopping, ” not garden related” but The Wife come home with this.

I like the TV and all, but I think I got the better Deal with the tiller

And as I went out the the Green House to water today I find I soon will be installing This Blower for cooling very soon.

Temp was over 90f and had to leave the door open to cool the Green house down.

I added Price’s up today to see how much we have into things this year.

Green house Basic build $150 every thing from home depo

25 flats w/trays for $10
20 pound for $2.25 each ” 14 total bags for all 26 flats” $31.50
Potting Mix Miracle-Gro $5 each ” 7 total bags for all 26 flats” $35
gurneys $37.75
burpee $85.00

—————————-
Grand Total $349.26
not including a heater or cooling blower

My heaters was givin to me
and the cooling blower fan, was givin to me.
It’s amazing what you can find if you just ask around to people you know.

But this is our first year going this big, so in my opinion $349 bucks is not to bad at all. next year the only things we will need is seeds and dirt.

*** My wife made a good point.
At our local green house farm, they sell flats @ $16 each 36 plants or $14 each for 26 plant flats. Well at that price of $16 for 36 plant flat x 26 flats would be around $416 Even building and buying everything we still saved cash…

set #2 Finished

Grand total 26 flats
936 Total Plants

Each Flat is 36 plants

Out side temp 43f   2:30pm  It has been cloudy and soft rain all day so far,

Inside Green House  70F

This is what we did  to hold so many flats, Next year I’m thinking on making it out of 1″ pvc pipe and running water threw the PVC Rack system to water the plants when needed.

Side 1

Side 2

It has been about 5 gallons water used for each time I water, I also add a little Miracle gro to the water, I’m not sure if i really need it but i had it, so i figured i would use it.

These little tray  tags I did not wast my money on buying, we bake things that need frosting every so often, so I use the cake frosting cans and cut them up.

Here is a Picture of the Flats used

I think they are a little over kill, but we got them on the best deal we could find.  25 flats w/trays for $10

They hold 36 plants, here is a few Pictures of how big they are.

about 3 1/2 inch deep

and 2 inch by 2 inch

The soil blend we used was about the best price we could find at the time and has been working very well so far.

It was a 2 bag to 1 bag, and just filled 5-6 flats perfect, If you pack the soil 2 tight you would only have about 5 flats .

We used 2 of these bags,  20 pound for $2.25 each   ” 14 total bags for all 26 flats”

It is a all purpose potting soil from the “dollar general” store

and 1 bag  8 quarts of Potting Mix Miracle-Gro  $5 each from the “dollar general” store

” 7 total bags for all 26 flats”

We Mixed 2 to 1 on the floor and come up with a Nice mix.

I will keep Updating on how every thing is coming along, This is Just the Start to a Long Year of learning new things as we go, and ALOT of shooting from the hip!    But all our Flats are planted, the only other seed we have left to plant it the stuff that gets planted directly in the garden, but we have a while before that.

Mar 11 2010   in Green house 80F

Yesterday was Rain, so I never even went out to the green house,  But 2 days ago Nothing was up yet, So In the last few days This is what happened. 

Even a little water Mellon starting

one to two Roma tomato

The stuff that come Up that I could see.

Cabbage , kohlrabi, cantaloupe, both kinds summer & winter squash,  1 water Mellon, a few roma tomato’s, red lightning tomato, cauliflower, broccoli.

Tomorrow  We are going to Start the 2nd planting for the other seeds

Here is a List of Seeds I have for this year.

CUCUMBER STREAMLINER
TOMATO STEAK SANDWICH HYB
CORN SILVER QUEEN HYB
TOMATO RED LIGHTNING HYB
HERB DILL
BEAN BUSH TENDERPOD
BROCCOLI GREEN GOLIATH
CELERY TALL UTAH 52-70R IMPRVD
ONION RED DELICIOUS HYB
PEPPER SWT CARNIVAL MIX
PEPPER HABANERO
LETTUCE ICEBERG A
PUMPKIN PRIZEWINNER HYBRID ( I wanted to Try The 300lb Things )
TOMATO SUGAR SNACK HYB
CANTALOUPE SWEET N EARLY
WATERMELON GURNEY’S DELIGHT HY
CABBAGE GOLDEN ACRE PKT
LETTUCE LEAF GREEN ICE PKT/G
CAULIFLOWER SNOW CROWN HYB. PK
KOHLRABI EARLY WHITE VIENNA PK
CARROT SUGARSNAX PKT.
CHARD SWISS LUCULLUS PKT.
SQUASH SUMMER BLACK MAGIC ZUCC
SQUASH WINTER BUTTERCUP PKT.

And a few others seeds.

I think i’m on the right track for heating at night, nothing has froze yet.

but so far everything is trial and error.

Items Tried  in my 10×12 D.I.Y Green House:

2 Heat light’s – They do not heat a very large area, They might work for my 10×12 green house if I had 1 for Every Flat of 36 plants.

2 Electric heaters – They are 200-400 watt each, They Help and have keep everything inside from freezing, but outside gets too cold yet for them to keep the temp anything above 40 F
They Might keep the temp around 55-60 at night if I had 6 of them.

1 Propane 75,000 btu – Way 2 much, at any time and at any temp, set on Low it will bring the green house up to 90+ f within minutes.

So far I have not found a Nice way to heat, out side still gets way too cold for any kind of small heater, 1 month from now when nights are not as cold small heaters would do Fine.

I have a Few Idea’s I will try today, I think I will have A-lot better results.

UPDATE:  Here is a Idea decided to try.  2 Home-made  saw horses w/ 2 boards across them and one on top.

I will set the heaters in Under, and let down the plastic at Night.

And here is a Update I did to the green house, The wind was hard and I seen it was flexing my PVC pipe, So I added Side runner’s of PVC running from front to back on both sides.

UPDATED POST:

Update Mar 8th 2010 9:30 PM
Things Look GOOD.
As pictured above.

Temps

Outside: 26
Inside green house: 48
Under Plastic in green house: 55 !

I can Deal with 55, Tomorrow I will add plastic to the Ends to help hold more heat, I would believe if I did that it would be 60 F degrees.

And the Nice thing is no major Big Heater’s needed, just my 2 little 200w heaters under the flats and one heat light above. I’m starting to get happy to see things working out.

I took My Lazer heat Temp gun out to check the cement blocks, and Yes they are putting off a little heat, for how long, I’m not sure yet.

Here is a Update Picture:

A shot from my lazer temp gun to the flat soil, on the Far end next to the door away from the heat.

Update #3

ok, I was a little late but, 6:45 am Mar 9th 2010

Outside 17
inside 27
Under the plastic inside, 45

Nights should keep getting warmer, so I’m thinking I will let the 45f ride. 17 to 45 is a big difference, and after I cap off the ends with plastic, it should be better yet.

Here is a Update of our First year starting from seed, and The Green House condition status,, Temp,,,etc.

First set of 2 Planted seeds Green house
Around 15 flats  36 plants each, 540 plants

Here is a Time and Temp record for today Mar, 4th 2010

12pm  Full Sun
Outside Temp : 40
Inside Temp : 70

6:45pm Part Sun
Outside Temp : F 30
Inside Temp : F 60

8 pm   Added small heater for nigth.
Dark
Outside Temp : F 20
Inside Temp : F 40

This is the Mix we used 3 to 1

Some of the tray’s planted

Planting

Here is a Picture of the 10×12 green house, with 6 mill plastic from home depo.

It has held up all winter, But I have a few things I want to do to it Before I create a DIY of it.

So look forward to a E-Book Diy “Build your own/How to ” of this Low Cost Green House within the next few months.

Total Build $250  ” After the E-book is created I will have a TRUE Build cost, I think the total build was well Under $250″