Greenhouse questions

[tam91]

Excitement! I put up my greenhouse today, set up most of the shelves, and set up the heater - I'll check tomorrow morning to make sure everything worked ok and held the temperature before I put any plants in it. I have this one:

http://www.farmandfleet.com/products...reenhouse.html

I would highly recommend it - really sturdy, and I can put it together myself in not very much time at all. I used it last year in the spring, and it's good as new this year.

Question - I can't remember - what is a good minimum temperature? I think I may have had it at 50 degrees, or was that 45.....? I plan to put some tomatoes and broccoli out there. Also perhaps the Swiss Chard. Peppers and basil and most floweers will wait until it's reliably a bit warmer.

So - what would you suggest as a minimum overnight temperature for tomatoes, and also for peppers etc?

The other question - I need an idea. Last year, when I put the Swiss Chard out there, some chipmunk or something kept getting in there and eating it. Oddly, nothing eats it in the garden, but I just could not keep it in the greenhouse. There is no way to really keep a little critter out. Anything anyone can think of I could put around a flat or two to keep it safe from critters?

Edited to add: I should have been clear - I'm not trying to grow these to fruit in the greenhouse, they're the tiny seedlings I'm trying to raise until I plant them out.

[janezee]

very nice, tam. I'm just a wee bit jealous.....

My favorite cure for varmints is my home made spray. I spray it on the wood of my raised beds, and I don't have any problems with little furries, only slugs. 8-(

Take a very hot pepper, fresh, some cloves of garlic, the strongest you have, and a large knob of fresh ginger. Process them well in a food processor or blender, with some water to facilitate movement. Allow to sit overnight. Strain with coffee filters, and dilute with water to use in a sprayer. I actually like the smell, but the critters don't. You can spray this and not worry about it getting on your veggies.

If you want to kill grass at the same time, use vinegar instead of water, but make sure you don't spray this on your plants!

I think the vinegar makes it last longer, in addition to smelling better to me, when I spray it on the wood. YMMV.

[tam91]

Thanks. I hadn't thought of a spray, was trying to think of something I could enclose them in.

I just love that greenhouse. Made shelving out of plastic milk crates, and plastic coated wire shelving meant for closets. Little heater, and I am all set.

Except for the fact I can't remember the right temperature haha. Guess I'd better include that in my gardening notes this year, once it's figured out.

[willyb]

I think tomatoes do best in a GH at a range of 85 day 65 night for max production. I don't think we need the best to grow good tomatoes. A Hardy tomato plant will survive to -1 or 2 or so. My GH runs at tops 100 day min 40 night. Plants look great. If the night temps are low the plant will be impeded some in it's growth. Is that a problem? Not in a race. Plant an extra one. You will still have a fine crop at lower night temps.

[tam91]

I'm sorry, I really should have clarified. These are the tiny seedlings, I'll plant them out later. I'm just trying to raise them up until then. Maybe I should have posted in the growing from seed forum instead.

[bobberman]

I think screens are the best protection from varmits. I put screens to keep the cats from sleeping on my flats! I would suggest a 50 gallon dru of water in the green house to help with the heat at night to smooth out the temp. The water in the drum will settle around 50 degrees this time of the year and help alot.
+++
Even two 50 gallon drums below a shelf. I turn a fan on when the temp gets above 70 to blow against the drums and they absorb heat faster and cool the greenhouse at the same time!

[tam91]

Thanks. I don't have a problem maintaining the temperature, I have an electric heater. I just can't remember what temperature to set it to. So far, I have put it somewhere in the 50s.

How do you get the screen to cover a flat? Build a box or something?

[bobberman]

Make a box with 2 by 4's or even brick that you can set as many as you want inside and cover it with a big window or door screen! The screen lets the light in and also allows you to water thrugh it. The screen also disperces the water so it does not disturb the soi as much! I have a half dozen 3 by 6 aluminum screens I got from a hauling job several years ago and they are like new!

[tam91]

Ah, I see. Thanks.

[Heritage]

tam91,

Nice greenhouse!

For tomato temps I would follow the 'cold treatment' method/temps in this thread:
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=13171

I like bobberman's idea for critter control - I use similar with 1/4" hardware cloth attached to a frame.

Steve

[tam91]

Thanks for the ideas.

I love that little greenhouse, and it was not expensive at all. I can put it up myself in about an hour or less also (I leave the roof trusses assembled when I take it down each year).

[bobberman]

The screen is also good for a cold frame to protect the plants from hell and heavy rains! I even like to put them over a lettuce bed in the summer to act like a shade house and keep the letuce from going to seeds for a few weeks longer!