Help with greenhouse

[missourigirl11]

First of all, hello everyone, I am new here My name is Mandi.

This is my first greenhouse and my first year of planting early. I am so new at this and totally at loss! My mom said that it is way to early to start some things in there. It is usually around 20-40 degree here during the day, but usually pretty cold at night. So far I have planted tomatos, peppers, broccoli, & cauliflower. We have a heat lamp in there to keep them warmer but I am not sure they will make it?? Any advise on planting would be so much appreciated!

 

[canesisters]

I'm pretty new too so can't help.
But WELCOME to TEG!!!

Someone will be along soon to answer your questions.

 

[897tgigvib]

Howdy Mandi and welcome!

You should have at least one thermometer in your greenhouse, and actually 3 is the number of thermometers a greenhouse should have. A Hi-Lo thermometer is best. They make 30 dollar ones nowadays, but make sure you save the manual! Complicated little things to set!

Be making sure your plants and seeds do not freeze. That's the main thing.

But things like Tomato seeds need to be at least 70 degrees to sprout. Well, cooler some will work, but they sprout slower and weaker.

Make sure you don't forget your login stuff. You'll like it here!

 

[missourigirl11]

Thanks for the welcome! I have been searching everywhere for info and other people to talk to and found this!

I think I have a extra thermometer around here somewhere. I can't remember what size my greenhouse is. It is a fairly decent size. I really hope that the heat lamps will keep it warm enough in there. So what is the suggested temp? About 70 you think?

 

[897tgigvib]

70 is minimum for most seeds.

Get that thermometer in there, and try to make sure no drafts from outside get in for winter greenhouse, especially at night.

browse around in the "recent topics" to see what's going on now. then browse in the topic about greenhouses for older topics about greenhouse using. I used to work in a greenhouse.

Careful with watering in a cool greenhouse. It's easy to turn it into a rainhouse with all the condensation.

 

[digitS']

Mandi and Welcome!

I keep my greenhouse thermostat at about 64F during the daytime and about 60 at night. Of course, it may be quite a bit warmer if there is any sunshine. I think of 85 as an absolute max.

Sunshine is an important consideration for greenhouse temperature. If you have dark days and warm temperatures, plant growth can be quite weak and spindly. (Do we still use the word "spindly?") Anyway, the plant will grow easily but s t r e t c h as it searches for light - weak.

Can you germinate the seeds indoors and move the plants into the greenhouse? You will have to be careful not to get that stretching leaving them too long in a dark interior of a house but most seeds need temperatures quite warm to get started.

Steve
who doesn't know about heat lamps for greenhouses . . . any problem with light as heat, Marshall?

 

[ducks4you]

 

[seedcrazy]

I have a little 8 x 8 homemade (plastic covered) greenhouse, I usually start all my seeds on an electric mattress pad on a table in the house with a florescent light over it (once you get them to germinate then you could transfer your tray out to the greenhouse) but you need to makes sure at night those temps don't get below freezing. I use one of those electric oil filled radiator looking heaters at night to keep them warm once I move them outside (which will be here soon in Kentucky) Just remember on a sunny day the temps can SKYROCKET up, mine was close to 100 degrees last weekend when it was sunny! SO you will have to constantly monitor your temps and it doesn't hurt to have a fan set up to rotate back and forth and give the seedlings a "wind" effect, makes stronger stems. I'm no professional but I sure have saved myself lots of money each year raising my flowers and vegetables/herbs.

 

[897tgigvib]

70 degrees, as a small germinating spot. for the whole greenhouse, yes, 64 degrees is great. it gets expensive heating a whole greenhouse depending on size and how its made of course, and some of the heat sink and advanced things.

I'm trying to keep it simple. Lamp is for spot heat.

 

[missourigirl11]

Thanks for all the replies! I honestly have no room in the house to start them indoors. Even if I did, they wouldn't make it. I have a 2 year old who like to ahem, "help" lol. I just came back in from out there and had to unplug the heat lamp. I am not quite sure what the temp was but it was warm! haha. I will be going to town to get me a thermometer as I can't find my old one.