(cozy!)---
I've had these big honking storage bins for years. Yes, they are plastic. No, I don't buy plastic storage bins anymore. But year after year, I keep finding uses for them. And this year, I've turned them into winter sowing greenhouses. In this little greenhouse are most of my cold crops, and as an experiment, a few herb hot crops. I was inspired by my e-friend Kateri over at Dandelion Haven. She had a great post about winter sowing and I really wanted to try it. It took me a while to figure it out since I don't have any actual terra firma of my own to work with. So this upside-down bin, with the lid as the tray, was my hybrid solution. (Because the bins are not greenhouse-size they don't get super warm, but they have certainly kept the soil from freezing.)
So far, only the Lacinato kale has come up- it looks very hardy and perfectly happy. The real trial will be the sweet basil and the tulsi, but I'm also starting these two dears indoors on an electric seedling mat with my other hot crops, just in case. I expect that my curcubits and melons and beans will do just fine. And I must say, this winter sowing stuff certainly appeals to my secret, latent lazy streak. These winter-sown puppies will not need hardening off- and hardening off is always a pain in the butt, what with all that carting indoors and outdoors; an hour one day, two hours the next, three hours the following. Winter sowing might be a neat new trick.
So far, only the Lacinato kale has come up- it looks very hardy and perfectly happy. The real trial will be the sweet basil and the tulsi, but I'm also starting these two dears indoors on an electric seedling mat with my other hot crops, just in case. I expect that my curcubits and melons and beans will do just fine. And I must say, this winter sowing stuff certainly appeals to my secret, latent lazy streak. These winter-sown puppies will not need hardening off- and hardening off is always a pain in the butt, what with all that carting indoors and outdoors; an hour one day, two hours the next, three hours the following. Winter sowing might be a neat new trick.
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10 comments:
Sweet idea! I keep looking at those greenhouse kits they sell and thinking I've got to be able to reuse something to do the same thing.
For me, it's also a matter of keeping the moisture from evaporating into the dry air.
I'll go look at that site because it is disgustingly cold here.
Wonderful re-use. Yeah, it's OK to use plastic, just not buy it.....
Doh! What an obvious use for those plastic containers so many of us have. I may just try this myself...thanks for the tip!
It looks great! If you've got plastic already, it's better to use it than to throw it out and buy something else. Good recycling!
Sweet to see! What with my one rehabbing arm of little use for now, my seed starting this year has been zilch.
Hopefully we'll get some rows of bunny greens sown outside this weekend!
That bin looks so perfect for winter sowing. It was the ease of it all that sold me on winter sowing the first year I tried it--you end up with sturdy beautiful seedlings with out the fuss and mess of trying to grow them indoors.
Very clever! I wouldn't have thought of doing that but it's a very nice way to put the bin to good use. We're well into spring here so you're still on the chilly side but the bin is like a little hot house. Cool!
I recognise those plastic containers! Afraid I cannot use them as a greenhouse, mine are all full with fibre or yarn - but I have a 2-car garage where I can start my seeds. Well, I just need to get started, maybe this weekend?
We did it .. got several rows of bunny veggies seeded outside! Life is good.
clever old you
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