Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi

I have a greenhouse (of sorts) as part of my recently acquired plot.
I would like have a go at raising some plants that I intend planting out in the plot. The "greenhouse" is south facing (Dundee), but a wee bit airy and has no heating or electricity. No real space at home for heated propagator.
What can I get started in this "greenhouse" and when?
For Christmas I was given a little wooden devise for making pots from newspaper (amazing the gifts you get when you tell people you have a new interest ). Are these worthwhile as pots for seedlings?
Any and all advice most welcome

Pete

Hi Pete,

Do you get chance to visit your lotty daily or can you only get up there at weekends?

If you can get there daily, you could buld a little propagator using a sheet of steel ( or a corrugated steel sheet) with a wooden edge around it. Cover with a couple of inches of sand and get a parafin cold frame heater (one of the 4 pint sized jobs), put the heater under the steel sheet and hey presto heated bench.

To regulate the temperature, just move the heater near the steel sheet or further away, just remember to keep the sand damp as this is what transfers the heat.

The edges will be slightly cooler than directly above the heater, but this can be used for stuff that doesn't require so much heat to germinate (lettuces for instance) and to wean stuff away from the heat.

If you can I would insulate the greenhouse with some bubble plastic as this will help.

Then you can sow what you like and use the rest of the greenhouse to harden stuff off. the heater should run for about two weeks on 1 fill up so isn't wildly expensive.

ntg

Hi Pete. Welcome the vine.
The pot maker you were given will make very good pots for seedlings. I use paper pots all the time. I have sweet peas growing in paper pots as we speak.
February is a good month for starting off a few seeds in your little green house even if it has no heating.
You could sow peas, onions, lettuce, cut and come again leaves, radishes beetroot in pots, early cabbage and carrots in pots.
Then you could also sow flowers for companion planting such as marigolds or lavender,
You could sow herbs, parsley, chives, basil, and coriander.
Hope you enjoy your new plot.
Jax

Hi Pete
I too have an unheated greenhouse but it's still a bit too cold up here to think about using it right now.
Not sure just how airy you mean by a "wee bit" - so I would definitely try and get some bubble wrap as Ntg suggests to add some insulation and cut down on the through draughts.
If you can't heat it as he also suggests, then try and sow some early cabbage, cauliflower and beetroot in cells or small pots and onion setts, shallots and garlic cloves in larger pots to let them develop a good root system before planting out later in the spring.
If you have just recently accquired your allotment, take the time to speak to the other plot holders as they will have a working knowledge of the area and should be able to advise you on what to sow/plant and when.
Cheers and Happy Sowing
Rat

If you do as Rat says you may find some kind soul will have a few spares that they will give you as most people sow more than they need and the majority of lottie folks are generous

ntg

Fleece works wonders in doors and outdoors, you can start quite a few things off now under fleece, especially salad. I did this in my unheated greenhouse but bubble wrap can work wonders.

Andrewo