Unheated movable seed starting greenhouse

 by Green_Anarchist
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For people wanting to grow their own foodcrops in temperate countries, using a seed starting greenhouse allows their vegetable friends to take a headstart in the cold months and hereby thus increase their cropping season/harvest amounts.

Objectives
- to allow the seed-starting greenhouse to be used ultra-efficient. The greenhouse is planned to be used as a movable greenhouse to germinate seeds of different foodcrop-plots (one plot at a time; leaving it on just long enough untill the germs have come to somewhat to size). When the seed has germinated well enough to resist the outside environment, the greenhouse is then quickly moved to another plot. The crops and plots offcourse are best all of different species (or cultivars), so that the greenhouse does not need to germinate all the seeds/sowbeds at once. If still too many plots need to be germinated at a certain time, try using several of of these (low-cost) greenhouses, and/or apply other options (eg taking content with a light decrease in the possible harvesting gains, ...).

-to reduce hassle: the greenhouse is compact and can be taken along

-to decrease costs: given the materials used, it may not cost anything at all (if all parts may be used from the home), or atleast very less (parts may be gathered from stores, scrapyards, ... cheaply).
 
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Step 1: Materials

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Materials needed:
- 1 large, sturdy piece of glass, sized to the box (atleast more or less)
- 1 sturdy wooden box
- 2 large woodscrews
- 4 rubber O-rings (sized to the thickness of the large screws)
- 6 small woodscrews
- 1 small piece of wood; sized to the thickness of the glass. In our set-up, we used a stirring stick for paint herefore; these are usually about right in thickness

Optional:
- 8 aditional woodscrews and 4 rotatable wheels for reusing box bottoms
unclebobtech says: Mar 13, 2012. 3:22 PM
The comment that pressure treated lumber is toxic is not true.
kate39 says: Jan 17, 2012. 9:57 AM
Please be very careful about the type of wood you use! Never use pressure treated wood to construct anything that you will be growing food in- it leaches toxic chemicals into your food...
LovesTheOutdoors says: Sep 26, 2011. 2:47 PM
That's something called a cold frame. They've been around for years.
abbylee says: Oct 17, 2009. 5:23 AM
 Hopefully this isn't a stupid question, but, what type of glass is that. I would guess the darkness of it pulls in heat? Correct?
knektek in reply to abbyleeApr 27, 2010. 10:01 AM
Well if it was darker it would convert more light energy to heat energy, therefore increasing efficiency. Using the principal of hot always goes to cold, the heat from the cold glass will transfer into the air.
jothwade says: Aug 20, 2009. 5:27 PM
you could use old style storm windows or wooden window shashs for the glass. They might be a bit heavier, but safer having a covered edge.
misinformed says: Feb 4, 2009. 11:36 PM
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you very much for putting it together.
puffyfluff says: Dec 3, 2008. 4:09 PM
Hey, this ended up looking really nice.
A good name says: Aug 29, 2008. 12:24 PM
I wonder if I could extend my carrot-growing season with this.
gmjhowe says: Apr 1, 2008. 7:58 AM
Good job, to say its an old box and a sheet of glass, youve done a really good job! +1
uksam88 in reply to gmjhoweJun 21, 2008. 1:54 PM
it looks like pieces of decking
gmjhowe in reply to gmjhoweApr 1, 2008. 7:58 AM
ps, where did u get that box from?
Zlwilly says: May 26, 2008. 11:31 AM
Very nice!
lettie30 says: Apr 1, 2008. 6:51 PM
AKA Cold Frame
Brennn10 says: Apr 1, 2008. 4:37 PM
Wow, this is really awesome. I love this. Very nice work.
GorillazMiko says: Apr 1, 2008. 3:19 PM
That's insanely cool, great job! +1 rating.
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