I am thinking of purchaseing a portable greenhouse. Here is the one I want and thanks to Wheezie for the link to find it. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=4325

I have been searching and this seems to be the best deal around.......it has the shelves which most do not.

Do you think I will need additional heating element for this type? I was considering putting it next to my dryer and venting it in to the area and then it will also be near the back yard hose.

I have no experience in any seed starting at all. But this year I plan on starting all mine from seed as far as annuals go. Wish me Luck I am gonna need it. I would appreciate any direction you all can offer for this new task I am going to take on. I need to know when is best to start my seeds in the greenhouse so that I will have plants ready for yard in time. I have many containers to fill and I think this will be the best way to do it.

Another question do I need to harden them off if i start them in a greenhouse. I must sound like the beginner I am but that is ok! If I dont try and ask I wont learn.

Great questions Karrie - glad you're asking, because I have the same questions!

Check it out Karrie - I think I'm gonna try it this way. I'm such a DIY kinda gal

Free PVC greenhouse plans

Karrie and everyone else looking for some info..

*Boy, you guys don't know how badly I wish this
was a winter question..*summer is so bad for my with long winded posts...*I'm cryin' here..
So, keep this in mind, my answer maybe short
but we'll keep it going thru the winter time
when we alllllll have more time to yak..*

Here's some places I've gathered for more ideas.
Easy-to-Build Greenhouse
Mini Green Houses 2, 3, and 4 Tiered Units

Portable Greenhouse - 9\' 4" x 10\' 3" Easy-To-Build Greenhouse - 6\' x 6\'

Northern Industrial Tools 6ft. x 4ft. Mini Greenhouse

Weatherguard Early-Start Greenhouse — 4-Shelf Wall Unit

That'll get you started...

I would also like to say, my girlfriend ordered
the one Karrie liked, it was on back order,
and I keep forgetting to ask her if she got it in yet..*I see her Saturday, so if I remember, I'll ask*

Mary,
I've eyeballed that site too....
I love the row frame thing..
Tryin' to figure out how I could do that too
with my raised beds..

This is a great thread.

I was wondering, Do you all think a greenhouse would work from those metal and pressed wood shelves made for garages?

I have several of those that we are not using and I was thinking of getting Plexiglas for the shelves and heavy duty plastic for the sides and making my own seed starting greenhouse.

Triss,
I have dozens' of plans for all sorts of
greenhouse's..hoop house's, etc..

Your ideas sounds great though,
made from the shelves to be the frames...

I "see" it in my head, just doing it is another thing.

I need to do some major research on warmth, humidity, etc that are best for seed starting cuz that is really what I want to do in there.

Would love to have some kind of watering system that would allow me to plant and then not think about them for a while cuz I always seem to forget or get too busy to take proper care of seed trays, so I need to address that issue bigtime.

I'm looking into the heating part of it right now
for me and my growing zone...
By the time it warms up enough to use it over
night without killing the seedlings...

I do have 5 mini~zippered greenhouse's inside
my big greenhouse, which helps a little...
But I am still new to starting seeds my self,
this was the second spring for me...

Here's the 3 on the one side, with out the zippered tops on them...

That is a great idea for shelving and double protection for seedlings. Mostly I want to start my peppers and tomatoes early, but I guess if that goes well, then anything is possible.

I have three thermometer's in there too..
One in the front of the greenhouse, one
in the back and one inside one of the little greenhouse's....
That way, I can watch for hot spots..

They are aloooooooooot of work when you are just starting out with them, you must watch the weather and sun and project and aweful lot...

Example..
in the spring, you need all the hot warm air you can get, so you don't open the door alot....
you want to keep it in...
but come the days when they start warming up a bit during the day, you then have to vent a wee~bit so it doesn't get so hot, but you then have to watch the clouds, and if it starts to get cloudy, you have to start closing it up early
to keep the heat in for over night..

It becomes a science, and once you get the ball park idea, it's not too bad, it's just the first time learning....

If you get heaters, fans, etc.. then it's altogether a different formula..

I have to watch my zippered ones, during the day,
and zip them up when the sun goes down to keep the heat in..

I am looking to be able to start my annuals first, earlier than I do.. cause it's always perfect timing when I start my veggies, they sprout, harden them off, and it's just about transplanting time.. but then I have the time
for the annuals, but by the time they flower and
half the summer is over, I have to switch and start the annuals first and then do the veggies,
but weather doesn't permit it up here..
Hence that's why I"m looking into a small cheap heater for over nights..

I do plan on a heater in mine. I was hopeing to be able to use a space heater though. Also concerned about ventalation. I think we are eithor going to make a gravel floor for it or use pavers. (If we can come up with the money to do it) In our area it will have to be permited and all that crap. We live in a POA here on the lake the are real picky about out buildings. So it will have to be on a foundation. I want to put it near the house my husband came up with a great idea on how to add a sink in it very cheaply. I had planned on getting one of those garden sinks from wal mart. His idea I believe will provide a better deal for me though. I had a question about this one here........Is this like hard plastic sheets or is it that paper type plastic...(man I hope you all know what I am talking about on this one. We dont and wont be allowed one with like that roll of plastic on the walls. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47712

I want that one it has the vented roof I think that will come in handy.

I also like this one but the vent is additional cost http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_...0%3a-23542%3a-43702% 3a-43796%3a915681
Do you think a shade cloth will be necessary in our are Indiana? This is something I am trying to consider. Because if so I am gonna try to talk the hubby in to this pretty little number, it make me wanna pee my pants when I look at it.... http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_shopping.jsp?coe=0&oidPath=0%3a-23542%3a-43702%3a-43796%3a835179&mt=a&n=0&BV_SessionID=_SC_1689459476.1124118545_CS_&BV_EngineID=ccdeaddfgj ikjihcfkfcfkjdgoodfkf.0

I dont realy want to spend that much on it though. And once I purchase shelves for it we will be busted as far as extra cash for the year!

Wheezie can you fix that last link for me? I do believe I forgot my space again!

Never mind Wheezie I figured out how to fix it myself! Whooohooooo

Hey Karrie,
I'm going to edit your second link and third link,
as these are the messages I got..
2nd 3rd

That is what I got on your sams club link too. I think its a sams club safety thing incase you had logged in with your account.

All sounds like a lot of work. At least I have a bunch of time to do some reading on it. It is top on my list of things to research once the kids are in school.

It's not hard, once you get the hang of
keeping your eye right on the weather and sun..
and cold..
You have to get a feel for it on how to
close it up when the sun goes down, if it's windy, etc.. to keep the heat in..

But I'm a pretty good guesser at it now,
and watch the weather reports alot to...

One thing is, when the sun comes up early in the spring time and it's warmer during the days,
there's no sleeping in, cause it can be 100*'s
by 10:ooam...

It does sound like a lot of work. I just keep daay dreaming about it though, and trying to justify the cost it will be for us. But then I see myself in it in the evening this winter playing in the dirt while the kids are in bed. WOW what a vision a small lil lit up bit of night time heaven all my own! I might just lock myself in there and refuse to come out!

It's alot of work,
but alot of fun when you see all of those
lil'babies sprouting up and poking thier heads
out of the soil, love it when like the squash
one's are first immerging, they really displace the soil as they are lifting up thru it..
so much fun to show the kids the babies are babies are being born...

and I like cause I can go to Wally~World and get a bunch of the 10 and 25 cent packages, they only have a handful of seeds, but who really has alot
of room for the amount of flowers I started,
I went over board..

The only thing is you've got to find some source of 4 and 6 pack containers to start them.
I raid the cemetary bins alot, people come up
to do their family plots and plant right there
and throw the 6 packs right there.

Wheezie Ebay for those starter packs! I have already been looking for em there. I have saved all my pots this year and asked the neighbors to do the same for me so I have a decent stock of them to get started with but I know I will need more. If I make this dream a reality!

Been saving mine too. Will get more from somewhere or another or make my own. Just have to get the place to put them!