I got a green house for my birthday--what do I do with it?

[RedheadErin]

It is a removable one, just the size for one of my raised beds. I want to get an early start on some veggies (zone 5). What should I pit in this thing, and how soon can I do it?

 

[ducks4you]

I would start onions, lettuces, cabbages and anything you grow that is cool weather immediately. Replace them with warm weater crops in about one month and leave them growing in the greenhouse until about Mother's Day. THIS year is will be warm enough to put tomatoes in the ground then, but we've had May's when it got chilly on Memorial Day. What FUN!!

 

[catjac1975]

You may be able to do consecutive planting with it. Start with a bed of lettuce, broccoli, peas and other cold weather crops and moving it for later crops. You can experiment with the date-late march I think would be the earliest.If you don't mind risking a few plants or seed just wing it. I have a large tunnel greenhouse and I planted lettuce, spinach,radish etc. last weekend. Will they grow? Unlikely. But for $.50 worth of seed I took a chance in my zone 5/6.
What a treat if I get salad so early. I have used tunnels such as yours concentrating on squash and beans. Planting late April/early May has gotten me squash at the beginning of June. Memorial Day is the local plant out day in my area for such crops so harvesting in June is extremely early.
Your going to love you new gift. Have fun.

 

[grow_my_own]

Send it to me. That's what you do with it.

 

[RedheadErin]

Send it to me. That's what you do with it.

Fat chance! I have wanted one of these for YEARS! I tried to explain it to my husband 7 or 8 years ago, and he tried to explain it to the people at the store, and what I got was some of those little boxes with the plastic lids that you use to start seeds indoors....Nice try, honey.

I ma going to make him help me put it up this weekend. I'm so excited!

 

[catjac1975]

Send it to me. That's what you do with it.

Fat chance! I have wanted one of these for YEARS! I tried to explain it to my husband 7 or 8 years ago, and he tried to explain it to the people at the store, and what I got was some of those little boxes with the plastic lids that you use to start seeds indoors....Nice try, honey.

I ma going to make him help me put it up this weekend. I'm so excited!

Prepare the soil well, and be sure to put a drip hose inside of it. Other wise you will have to move it to water the plants.
HAVE FUN!!!!!

 

[grow_my_own]

Send it to me. That's what you do with it.

Fat chance! I have wanted one of these for YEARS! I tried to explain it to my husband 7 or 8 years ago, and he tried to explain it to the people at the store, and what I got was some of those little boxes with the plastic lids that you use to start seeds indoors....Nice try, honey.

I ma going to make him help me put it up this weekend. I'm so excited!

Hey, ya can't blame a girl for trying! Hehehe!

Seriously, though, that's an awesome birthday gift. I'm so glad for you! When you get it set up, please do post a pic & let us know what you're putting in it and how you like it.

 

[digitS']

Do we know where Erin gardens?

During this week of February in 2011 - it was 10 degrees below zero, twice!

And, we have zone 5 winters here.

With a small, unheated greenhouse, you should be able to get about a 3 week jump on the season. If your spring comes early, 2012 may give you more weeks!

If you were gardening thru those 7 or 8 years you were pining for a greenhouse -- you should have a good idea of when your growing season begins, add onto it! Or, subtract from it . . . and do some multiplying . . . or, something like that!

I hope you have lots of fun!

Steve

 

[NwMtGardener]

Haha, Steve - i was thinking the same thing...where is Erin?? Cause its certainly still winter here!! Listen to all you lucky ducks with the warm weather "go ahead and plant something"

 

[RedheadErin]

I am just north of Central Illinois, on the Kankakee River. Zone 5A, according to the Master Gardener class (Another part of my present!)

It has been amazingly mild here. I got out my gardening books on New Year's Day. There has been no snow to speak of, and very few days below freezing.

I have been attempting to garden for years, with varying success. Last year I got almost nothing.

My last- frost date is May 15, but I think it has been revised a little bit this year. I have a book that tells what to do each week, based on the last-frost date. I can get that out and back track by 3 weeks. That should work.

Oh, goody-goody-gooody-goody!