Jumpstart Your Garden w/ a Greenhouse.

Posted on by Kellie Van

For all you garden lovers and enthusiasts, this post is for you! Most yrs, in very early spring or even late winter, we start an inside greenhouse to germinate some of our seeds. This is b/c where we live, the cold lingers on and on and it’s not ideal to plant seeds when the last frost hasn’t passed. In fact, the harsh outside environment may weaken the growth or even kill it. 

Creating a greenhouse enables the seeds to quickly grow in the best environment possible. After they germinate, they may be transferred to your garden or favorite pots. 

And when I say ‘Greenhouse’, I don’t mean go buy a separate glass house for this. Just a little portable greenhouse that you can easily find at your local home and garden store. I use the Burpee 72 cell greenhouse kit. Got it from Home Depot. 

As a teaser and a motivator, here’s some daffodil eye candy. To me, they are the epitome of the start of spring. I am always grinning ear to ear at the first sight of their blooms each spring. 

Bright and happy!

Ok enough eye candy. Here goes…

Materials: seeds, plant labels, growing pellets (coconut fibers). The Burpee kit contains the pellets so you don’t have to purchase them separately. 

Label your seeds. 

We love basil, especially Italian basil for pesto in pasta for the summer time dinners. YUM!

Growing pellets (coconut fibers). These must be placed in planting trays the right way in order for correct expansion when wet. Always place pellets flat side down, refer to the right side pellet in the pic.

Have a warm cup of water handy. 

Place pellets in the tray, flat side down. 

Slowly pour warm water into each cell to soak the pellets. 

W/in a few seconds, the pellets will begin to expand. 

Place 1 or 2 seeds in each cell. Cover the seeds w/ the coconut fibers by slightly pushing the seeds down into the expanded pellets.

Once done planting all the cells, cover the tray w/ the plastic cover. This will create a moist, humid, and ideal environment for the seeds to quickly germinate into seedlings. 

The rate of growth will depend on the type of seed but most will start to grow w/in 1-2 weeks. 

Once your seedlings get too big for the tray or when the weather is warm enough, you can transfer them into pots or to the garden. Fun activity to do w/ the little ones. It’s even more fun for the little ones to watch them grow!

Enjoy your garden this spring and please share what cool things you are planting. I think for us this yr, it has to be asparagus!

Til next post, Kellie. 

55 thoughts on “Jumpstart Your Garden w/ a Greenhouse.”

  2. Makes me think sadly of my languishing backyard. The soil lost most of its nutrients I guess. The garden of vegetable and flowering plants that used to be is now history. I tried new soil and manure, but to no avail. In the tropics we have plenty of rain and sunshine, but if the soil is dead, what can one do?

    BTW, thanks for liking my post Rich Text.

    Like

    Reply
  3. Pingback: DIY Natural Garden Pesticides + 10 More Tutorials | GIF Peanut Butter

  5. Kellie, what a beautiful site! I can’t wait to get some time and stay a while! Thank you for liking my peanuts&blackberries post. All I need now is a beautiful vase of daffodils to go nearby!

    Like

    Reply

  6. Love the baby seedlings. We are trying to figure out how to grow a garden at our new house in Park City. The altitude and elk make it tricky but I think a greenhouse is next. Thanks for writing and for checking my blog out!

    Like

    Reply

  8. Any tips on green house designs/brands? Did u construct ur own or buy it? I’ve heard old windows can be effective over ur tomato patch etc..

    Like

    Reply

  9. Thanks to your post, I am truly feeling that Spring has arrived. I’m having the pleasure of experiencing it here in Paris where today is Fetes de Muguet; the Lilly of the Valley festival. A perfect day to read your post 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  14. LOVE THOSE LITTLE SEEDLINGS. I HAVE 600 PLANTS ON MY TERRACE here on the 22nd floor in NYC. Many started out as seedlings.

    Tom

    Like

    Reply

  17. very much enjoyed reading this, and looking at your fabulous photos. Our daffodils are in profusion right now, later than everyone else’s because we’re at a slightly higher altitude than the town folks.

    Like

    Reply

  22. thanks for stopping by! I’m happy to have found a fellow gardener!! I planted some phlox in my garden bed, and of course since then it’s frosted every night so I’ve had to cover them up – but, they are still blooming so I must have done something right 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  29. I love a bit of daffodil eye candy 🙂 I have a little balcony but it doesn’t stop me from gardening up a storm. So glad my blog link me to yours – I love your photography.
    Thank you for the garden inspirations 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  30. I used to have a 20’x40′ greenhouse and raised exotic plants – it was magic watching plants grow and bloom I lived on an acre and also had an organic vegetable garden It is so rewarding planting a little seed and see it grow and produce food!
    Your photos are beautiful……

    Like

    Reply

  31. lovely layout I enjoyed the photo’s and the paragraphs are most descriptive. I like to thank you for reading my blog/advertisement and hope to hear from you in the future.
    Oh you have a great photo grapher or a good eye if your doing your own shoots.

    Like

    Reply

  33. Last year spring we planted some climbing plants round the posts of our pergola. Half of them died in the hot and dry Texas summer. But the one that survived just busted out in flowers from the ground all the way up to the top this spring. It is just looks awesome. If you like I send you the photo.

    Like

    Reply

  37. What a great idea, Kellie! I’m so glad I finally made it over here to your site–amazing photos, beautiful family, inspiring blog!! I look forward to reading. Thanks for popping over to mollymadonna.com 🙂 Blessings! mm

    Like

    Reply

  38. Great post. I just bought some seed packages and I was trying to figure out how to germinate them. I also live in a cold climate and must do this indoors.
    Thanks Zoe

    Like

    Reply

  39. Great post my dear. I just bought some seeds and was trying to figure out how to germinate them. I also live in a cold climate and need to start them off indoors.
    Thanks

    Like

    Reply

  44. What a genious idea and great tutorial. Such beauitful daffodils! So sunny and happy 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  46. Kellie, I LOVE how you are gardening and still manage to look amazing (love your bracelet). Beautiful post (as always!).

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment