Starting My Winter Greenhouse Adventure
If you’ve been following my blogging journey for the past few years, you may remember that I’ve used a plastic greenhouse in past winters to grow pansies and lettuce all winter long. Last winter was focused on getting unpacked and moved in, but now that we’re settled in our farmhouse on the hill, it’s time to start a new winter greenhouse adventure.
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Starting My Winter Greenhouse Adventure
Someday maybe we’ll build a full greenhouse with wood frames and a real door, but for this year, we’re taking a few shortcuts still. We ordered a kit from Wayfair and spent a full day putting this thing together. I will be the first to admit that it was a bit of a challenge to assemble, but 8 hours after we started, we were all set.
I wasn’t sure it would last through our first storm with all the wind we have on our hill, but we’ve had it up for almost two months, and it’s still standing! I’ll take that as a win!
Things to make the greenhouse cozy
Shelves: I have a shelf that my son and I built many years ago, so I knew it would definitely take up one of the walls. That gives me a perfect place to set up some little planters and keep my seed packets off the ground.
I found a rusty red wagon at an estate sale this summer and decided it would be perfect to hold my pansies that my daughter gave me for my birthday!
My aunt gave me a little plant stand where I’m planting lettuce seeds.
Probably in the spring, I’ll get my husband to build me more shelves for my seed starting trays but for the winter, this is a perfect place to start.
With the time change and the short daylight hours, I knew I wanted light in the greenhouse, but we don’t have electricity wired. So we just ordered an inexpensive little solar light that works perfectly for this small space.
Installation is super easy. Just attach the solar panel to a post outside the greenhouse and then slide the wire through a hole in the plexiglass. The light itself hangs from the metal ceiling and is turned on by a drawstring.
Tell me this isn’t the coziest little place to pop in even after dark!
Growing flowers and vegetables in an unheated greenhouse in Kentucky is definitely an adventure, not a guarantee. Each year, I try something different and experiment with new seed packs and flowers. Typically, the pansies and lettuce do pretty well. I’m hoping to branch out a bit this winter and see if there are other things I can grow. Stay tuned for more progress updates.
One new thing I’m trying out this year is copper plant stakes. I have no idea if they will help the flowers and lettuce grow faster and stronger, but I’m definitely on board to test them!
ELECTRO-CULTURE – 99.9% Pure Copper Antenna
A 1920s gardening tool that reportedly doubled crop yields. Press it into your soil. Watch your garden change all season.
I don’t maintain an unheated greenhouse through winter because I think it will actually grow a bountiful harvest in December and January. Instead, we built this little plexiglass greenhouse to give me access to gardening, dirt, and the smell of flowers when it is cold and dreary outside.
I’ll definitely update you as we go through the winter months and let you know what is growing in the greenhouse!
Are you trying an unheated greenhouse experiment this year? I’d love to hear what is working for you!
