cold shelter

Another pic of my little greenhouse- seen through the kitchen window screen. Because I'm so happy with how it's performing. Seems to buffer the cold even better now that the front has walls of stiff plastic and acrylic panel instead of plastic sheeting.

Day before yesterday it got up to 40° outside and the greenhouse temps went over 75° so I had to open the door to vent. This morning when I got up the outdoor temp was 29°, greenhouse 38°. I put out the tatsoi seedlings, waited until the greenhouse warmed to just over 40° to put out the lettuces and collards, when it reached 45° I could put out the leeks and arugula, and when it gets to 55° in there, the alyssum can join them. Dill seedlings have come up now too!

It sounds like a lot of work to some, but really isn't for me. I walk through my kitchen constantly all day, so keep an eye on the greenhouse thermometer which I can read through the kitchen window. I have a written chart I made years ago listing all the seedlings I start, and what temps they can handle- so I just move each group of seedlings out for the day when temps are right for them. I don't really get tired of the shuttling in and out until later in spring when there's trays and trays of plants to move around. Maybe someday I'll have a larger greenhouse with proper temperature control- something to hold and radiate heat, or a fan, or window louvers. I'm thinking of putting a roof of polycarbonate on this one, maybe with a hinged flap cut in the back to work as a vent. Maybe.