Backyard Hot House

Shelter your seedlings in your backyard hot house. Made with 6mil greenhouse film and dowel rod supports, it's equipped with misters.

Backyard Hot House

Though the words "Sunny" and "California" are often used together, we do get wet and cloudy weather. Currently we are lapping at the shore of an atmospheric river fed by a pineapple express created by a bomb cyclone. At least according to the news. We have experienced colder weather on a summer day in England, but for California it is chilly, not our usual "Chilled." 

I created a backyard hot house for my seedlings to get a jump start on spring, which in California will arrive by February 25th.

I ordered 6mil greenhouse film from Amazon. I added dowel rod supports for the internal structure of one of my "Gro-Carts".

 

I choose to add the film to the inside of the backyard hot house, rather than the outside, due to the high winds we often get in the winter. I might change that up in the next one I make. Three misters were added for the watering system. 

I used "Amoolo Hook and Loop Tape", a generic Velco from Amazon to fasten the greenhouse film to the structure. The tape forms a very secure grip with both the film and the wood. 

Do not worry about making the Backyard Hot House airtight. It could get very hot if no air flowed through it. 

For the base I used a sheet of heavy duty weed barrier. This is makes an effective water permeable base for the plants.

Inside the Backyard Hot House

I installed two salad beds and many pots to start my peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, kale, and Brussel sprouts. Many vegetable seeds require warm soil to germinate.

The film allow light in. As the objects inside the Backyard Hot House heat up, they release heat energy. Heat energy is a lower wavelength, infra-red. The lower wavelength is trapped by the film, much like carbon dioxide traps heat energy on Venus and Earth. 

Spring time in the salad bag

So far the film has not blown away and the seeds are germinating!

Success!

Any suggestions or ideas?