A hot house is a great tool that any gardener can benefit from but not everyone has the money or the land required to build one.
A simple hot house can be designed to fit on a windowsill or shelf with no problem.
The concept of a hot house is that it is heated “building” that utilizes solar radiation.
Reflective materials compound this radiation through the use of stone, barrels painted black and filled with water or a combination of many different technologies. Below is a list of supplies that are needed for one hot house but I promise once you make one you will want to make more.
Supplies
- Knife
- 1 12-inch by 12-inch by 16-inch cardboard box
- Ruler
- Marker
- Scissors
- 1 roll of aluminum foil
- 1 11-gallon clear plastic garbage bag
- Super glue
- Thumbtacks
- Bag of potting soil
- Seeds such as cold season crops such as Bibb lettuce or radish
- Package of clothespins
Directions
- Measure 4-inches from the bottom of the front of the box. Draw a straight line following this measurement all the way to the sides.
- Continue the line on each side up to the opposite upper corner.
- Cut along the line. The front of the box should have a 4-inch lip with it tapering up the sides.
- Cut aluminum foil to fit the sides and back of the box. Secure the foil onto the box with super glue.
- Using scissors cut plastic bag in half along the side and bottom.
- Place one half of the cut plastic bag on top of the foil.
- Place 3-inches of soil in the box and smooth the surface over with hand or hand rake.
- Plant chosen seeds and gently water in.
- Taking the other half of the plastic bag, place it on top of the cut box. Pull tight and secure with clothespins.
- Place hot house on windowsill or shelf.
- Check soil often to prevent the soil from drying out.
This hot house helps any gardener overcome the gardening withdraws and helps extend the season by providing a winter supply of cole crops. Also it is great for those who live in apartments and cannot have a true hot house. So until we blog again, as I age the growing seasons seems to become shorter without any means.
Hot houses cold frames, and hot beds all extend the time until the tilling of the soil can began again without loss of time. So this year pledge to stretch the gardening clock with a hot house that no one can knock.
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