Clutter Removal
After covering the greenhouse with the new Solexx panels, it quickly became a haven for over-wintering plants through the snow covered drifts of December. A myriad of tools, supplies, books, pots, and bird seed were clumsily stacked high and piled in corners. Tropical plants crowded and jammed the floor covered in frost cloth. Plants were moved onto the patio and the spring ritual of cleansing began.

Sweeping Out the Past
The sand and crushed gravel floor of the greenhouse is enclosed by gray cement pavers down the middle. The sides were choked with volunteer weeds. The pavers got swept. Weeds pulled. Spider egg sacs and cobwebs gathered and gently placed under rocks in the garden.  Benches and racks cleaned with Windex and old dish rags. An inventory list of what each bench houses is prepared and my chicken scratch typed into Excel. The printed list will be posted on the greenhouse wall so I can quickly find or replace commonly used items. Materials or supplies stored year-over-year collecting dust will be  donated to Goodwill or set aside for the yearly garage sale.

Cracked Pots
Inspected for cracks, broken containers are placed in a shard pile for future use in bottom of pots. Dirt encrusted pots are cleaned with a weak solution of bleach, dish soap and water.  Sparkling clean and neatly stacked containers are easier to locate by size and color.  Potting media is kept off the ground by stacking on a wooden bench. 

Handles and Tools
Linseed oil is applied to all wooden tool handles. A new bucket of builder’s sand and a quart of motor oil mixed together will keep larger tool blades clean and rust free.  Cotton rounds soaked in isopropyl alcohol rubbed on hand tools blades prevents diseases from spreading from one plant to another. I prefer cotton rounds over cotton balls as they bend around blade edges easily and protect my fingers. The cotton rounds also work better on jagged pruning saw edges.

External Inspection
Walk around the greenhouse. Check the panels and screw entry points. Tighten or loosen screws as needed. Open the base vents to let fresh air inside. Clean any mold forming on the panels – especially the roof – with weak mixture of bleach, dish soap and water.

Prepping for the New Growing Season
A sparkling clean 6×8 greenhouse can be readied for starting seeds in one day’s time. There is nothing like opening the greenhouse door and actually being able to walk inside. It smells fresh and beckons to grow. For the first time in over seven years, the seed bench is actually being used for its intended purpose.

Follow the germination ruminations as the seeds push through the handmade potting soil and chick grit in the weeks to come!

Get Started

Before starting to build the greenhouse, it’s important to plan out your budget. Make a list of needed materials and go to your local home improvement store or lumber yard to find out how much your supplies will cost. If you think you’ll go over budget, you can always consider building a smaller greenhouse.

Note: Compare your budget to the cost of a comparable greenhouse kit and weigh your options. A pre-fabricated greenhouse kit already has the design and planning stages done for you, plus they generally have a pretty lengthy warranty. You may decide purchasing a greenhouse kit if worth saving you the hassle of building a greenhouse kit from scratch.

Choosing A Location

Remember, choosing a great location for your greenhouse is important. Plants need a great deal of sunlight so you’ll need to pick a spot where sunlight is abundant. If your area is mostly shaded, at least choose a place with adequate morning sunlight. For those trying to fit a small greenhouse into a cityscape of tall buildings, try to find an area to the southwest or west of major structures. This will allow your plants to get a great deal of sunlight throughout the later part of the day.

When you’re building a garden supply greenhouse, be sure to also think about drainage. A good drainage system is important for a successful greenhouse. Building your greenhouse on higher ground is a great way to ensure the water will drain way from the greenhouse quickly. Be sure to avoid putting a greenhouse in the path of storm drains or other natural draining paths. After all, you don’t want your greenhouse to flood after heavy rains.

When choosing location, also think about accessibility. Your greenhouse will need water, electricity and possible gas. So ensure your chosen spot meets all three criteria.

Building a garden supply greenhouse is a great way to make certain you can garden all year long. It will take hard work and money to build your own greenhouse. But once your structure is done you’ll be able to enjoy it for years to come.

The Lit'l Propagator Mini Greenhouse

Any gardener serious about his or her soil has surely dreamt of walking past the windows of their own greenhouse; a cozy, protected garden where they can tend to their tiny buds and delicate blooms, regardless of the weather on the opposite side of the greenhouse.

Until they check the price tag. Ouch!

Price is no longer an issue, so long as you’re willing to consider a mini greenhouse. Mini greenhouses range from the smaller, cold-frame structures all the way up to the much larger (though still mini) walk-in, freestanding styles.

Either way, these inexpensive greenhouses are designed to be a semi permanent fixture to your outdoor space, many lasting several years.

This new variety of mini greenhouse may not have the needed space and insulation to make it a place you’d want to curl up with a book for a lazy afternoon, but they will more than facilitate the early growth of seeds and cuttings.

Benefits of Mini Greenhouses

Most mini greenhouses are portable and simple enough to store during those summer months when their services go unneeded. If you put careful consideration into your selection, you can find mini greenhouses that require less than a half hour total for both set-up and tear down.

Further, mini greenhouses afford you the flexibility to relocate them whenever necessary. Installing a larger, glass greenhouse means you must carefully consider placement, not only for the moment, but for the next several years as the patterns of the trees will change.

Drawbacks of Mini Greenhouses

Many gardeners want their greenhouses to harbor their most prized plants. Mini greenhouses, unfortunately, are not as well suited for this need. The mini greenhouses designed from flexible plastic are not especially strong. They are also harder to heat and more difficult to ventilate in extreme climates.

Still, something as simple as a few juice jugs brimmed with water can help anchor the mini greenhouses and help to keep them steady.

The bottom line is, a mini greenhouse is a fantastic solution for the regular gardener who would love some of the simple advantages of a greenhouse, but without having to commit to the grand investment (emotional or financial) of a large 4 season greenhouse.

If you find yourself in the middle of the decision, mini greenhouses are good alternative to enjoy the benefits of greenhouse gardening.

Greenhouse History

Greenhouses have a long and interesting history. Back in 1664, John Evelyn proposed a structure that would protect plants from frost, dew, birds, and animals, yet still allow the plants to get the important light that they so desperately need to grow. Since then, people have been building and enjoying greenhouses, and have used them to grow all varieties of vegetables, flowers, and other plants.

Benefits of Mini Greenhouses

One of the best things that a mini greenhouse can do for you is provide unlimited access to fresh vegetables. In a mini greenhouse, you can increase your growing season, reduce damage by animals or the weather, and have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your pantry.

Control your own growing climate

A mini greenhouse lets you regulate the amount of light, temperature and moisture your plants get. You are able to control the climate in which your plants grow. You can design the environment in your mini greenhouse in such a way to maximize positive growing conditions.

Variety

In addition, a greenhouse lets you grow what you want. You can grow alpine plants, bedding plants, or perhaps exotic flowers. With a careful amount of planning, you can grow just about anything, even some plants that aren’t usually native to your climate.

Convenience and Comfort

A mini greenhouse is also more convenient than a traditional garden. It is less demanding, physically, to grow plants in a mini greenhouse than it is in a garden. There is less bending and stooping on the ground with a mini greenhouse. Because of this, a mini greenhouse is ideal for those with physical challenges or for the elderly.

Mini greenhouses come in a variety of shapes, sizes and types. There are small freestanding greenhouses that use just a few square feet of space. These can even be used in confined places, such as on a balcony or on a rooftop. There are more traditional mini greenhouses that are the size of a small shed that fit nicely in just about any backyard.

If you want to reap the benefits of greenhouse gardening, consider a mini greenhouse for the most convenient and versatile way to get started.