greenhouse Poor man's greenhouse

         Here's a funny thing that happened to me recently. My buddy at work is a farmer and usually grows 300 to 400 varieties of veggies. He told me how he will be shutting the grow lights off two weeks before Easter every year. The weather here is low 25 at night to high 50 during the day. I asked him how and he told me portable green houses? He buys the biggest clear totes from Wally World and they have to have clear tops and sides also. He said he puts them outside when it is 40 degrees and brings them in at night. He leaves the lids snapped tight and doesn't take off till they are back in the house. He leaves them all in the totes till the next morning.
          I figured why not give it a try. I took 10 plants that I had extras and willing to take a chance with. I was pretty shocked that this worked really well. My plants seemed to grow better in the box than under the lights it kept all the moisture in also. We are still 5 weeks away from planting outside. So I will continue with the 10 plants and see how it goes.
 
Jackson13 said:
         Here's a funny thing that happened to me recently. My buddy at work is a farmer and usually grows 300 to 400 varieties of veggies. He told me how he will be shutting the grow lights off two weeks before Easter every year. The weather here is low 25 at night to high 50 during the day. I asked him how and he told me portable green houses? He buys the biggest clear totes from Wally World and they have to have clear tops and sides also. He said he puts them outside when it is 40 degrees and brings them in at night. He leaves the lids snapped tight and doesn't take off till they are back in the house. He leaves them all in the totes till the next morning.
          I figured why not give it a try. I took 10 plants that I had extras and willing to take a chance with. I was pretty shocked that this worked really well. My plants seemed to grow better in the box than under the lights it kept all the moisture in also. We are still 5 weeks away from planting outside. So I will continue with the 10 plants and see how it goes.
That would work. I think you would have to harden them off a little at a time though and get them ready for the sun. I wonder though, if they are getting enough oxygen?
 
Smokin James.... I didn't harden them off, I just tossed them in the tote before work and brought them in when I came home. As far as oxygen they looked fine 10 hrs later, It may be a problem if they left longer but i am not sure
Comptine.... I will take a photo of mine. I bought the smaller tote to try first before I buy the largest one next week.
 
santis00 said:
Interesting. I wonder at what degree heat that would be ok for. Its 70-80 here so don't think it would be to good of an idea.
yes that is a good question. I'm guessing below 70* might work or maybe below 60*
 
moruga welder said:
sure would be a lot of totes for anyone with 100 or more plants . you can get a 6' x 8' x 6' t greenhouse at farm -n- fleet for 160 bucks 4 windows door on each end . heavy duty .     :onfire:
 
Do you have a link for that by chance?  There's a FnF not far from me. :)
 
SmokenFire said:
 
Do you have a link for that by chance?  There's a FnF not far from me. :)
no i don't my friend , sure wish i did i'd be more than happy to share it . but thats where i got it its pretty sweet .   i get my monies worth !       :onfire:
 
I think the time to start looking for deals is around Jan. That's when I got this one. My propane heater is keeping things nice and warm at night. It didn't take long for the plants to get over the transition from the grow tent to the greenhouse.
 
Here is a link to a green house that I have seen at Farm n Fleet.  At $140 and 5x6 it's definitely not bad or out of line with the 5x8 for $166 that MW spoke of earlier.  
 
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