Cricket's Greenhouse

probly wont get a break til winter lol. Member--I grow veggies for produce sales too --nice income for when the all the plants sale out.

I have decided to grow all my produce in barrel planters. Like these.
To build a row of these half barrels----75 feet long---I will have to buy 13 barrels at $15 each. Cut them in half long ways.. then mix and fill with dirt.
Total cost $300. I can handle that here real soon. And imagine the veggies that can be grown.
Carrots, Onions, GArlic, radishes. cabbage, lettuce, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, Squash, etc........ of course the cold crop will be grown in the fall when all the other is done for.

How bout that?

across the front yard view of greenhouse---was out playing with the camera.

barrel planters for veggies and flowers. best of both worlds.

Cricket, how do you get so much potting mix delivered ?

I was wondering the same thing...lol She always seems to have plenty to fill those bags, barrels and pots.

See Cricket, there are many of us that are reading and lurking at your wonderful projects. You are an amazing women.

Donna

I have a Pick up truck. I go and pick it up and bring it back home and unload it.
I have a riding mower with a trailer behind it. I mix my soil in it with a Mantis cultivator.
I only have about 30 bags of compost manure and 3 or 4 bags of 6.0 peat moss left . Thats enough to fill up 14 half barrels.
I can haul at least 60 bags of compost on my truck. I buy it at walmart. The guys there load it, thank goodness. I can haul 20 bales of peat moss or promix on the truck at once.

I got my new truck for my bday in Feb. Of course I got a big debt with it.

2006 Silverado 1500

I normally have to drive 2 hours to get my promix at a good price.
But this fall I am odering it by carrier/18wheeler.
You have to order at least one pallet of promix to get it delivered direct. One pallet holds 30 bales.
Meanwhile we are trying to widen the ends of the drive ways (circle drive) and make the curve in the circle drive wide enough for 18wheeler to get in and out with no problems.
(gimme 40 acres to turn this rig around)old country song.

I am goin to go buy 7 barrels today. Hubby will cut them this evening and drill my drain holes.
Til then, I will be transplanting Touch me nots, and hibiscus seedlings.

Cricket, you will love the delivery of dirt-I usually get 2 loads a year, 6 pallets worth each time-180 bales a shot. But I hate delivery day-I call it dirt day, cause there is so much dirt and its a pain dealing with it-unloading it, stacking it etc. and then the flats, pots, bags of fert . It only takes a few hours but still-alot on your back. I'm not getting any younger lol.

and how many greenhouses do you have tiger?
I dont grow that much yet . geesh thats a fortune in soil.

Cricket, I have 3 greenhouses, but I have a lot of shelving so I can really pack them in February and March when I am transplanting alot. By the 3rd wk of March I start moving out the hardier plants and then I get more room to move up the impatiens that is on the bottom shelf etc. I grow a little over 4100 flats, I average 23-24 flats per bag. I grow the 1801's-18pots/flat. I am a wholesale annual grower, I sell to landscapers and universities-like Duke University/medical. My crop is basically presold on orders from them, and I grow two crops a year and then I get 4 months off throughout the year. This crop will be totally done by the 3rd week of May and then I will start pansies July 11, and that crop will be done by the end of Oct, and I won't start again until January 15. I pay $ 15/bag.
I was going to suggest that when you got your dirt delivered that you have them take the plastic off the pallet of dirt and push the stack off the truck onto the ground. It helps a lot to break the dirt up in the bag, so its not so compressed. Every now and again, a bag splits open, but not much and I just put that bag in the greenhouse so it doesn't get wet and use it first. I know that you use a rototiller to break the dirt up, but this might make it even easier.

Yeh, I got my oldest son to slam the bales on the ground when we unloaded them off the truck. That only made the outer edges loose. Will remember to take plastic off pallet and crash the bales.

I have plans to sell to the small seed and feed stores next year. Marvins will buy the plants too. There are several that will buy the plants. I desperately need a GH#3. And a #4 wouldnt hurt either.
I was just so busy moving this year that I didnt have time to grow more. WE still have alot of stuff to move. Odd and end stuff and cleaning up old Greenhouse Lot. And transplanting my own flowers from old place to new place.

I only bought 6 barrels yesterday. Thats all that fits in my truck at once. lol
Hubby cut them in half last night. I will have to drill the drain holes today and mix and fill with dirt.


I been selling plants in the last few days. YA.

gotta go work .

Cricket

planting onions, garlic, and sowing turnips, carrots, radishes in these barrels tomorrow. Just filled them with dirt today

the long view---this is the whole row. 12 half barrels. Will do 2 more rows like this one.

wow , when do you find the time to talk to us on the thread ,?? LOL
I m learnign alot from you folks.
I to am going to do a small produce in my area and some mail order of my goods, not in the size you have , more of just a small income and what i can do myself . It looks wonderful, your tomato are making me hungry.
I loved reading all the thread
sue

I really don't have the free time. I get lazy and just sit at the computer instead of cleaning house. Can you imagine what my house looks like?
Its not filty but it aint spotless either. The laundry is a mile high though.ekkk.

Where would one start to look for barrels like that ? like whut were they originally for ?

and .............. How does your DH cut them ?

TIA, Gotta get some rest and I will send some restful thoughts to you Cricket ;-P

They had concentrated orange juice in them. I got them from salvage store and I don't know where they got them from. I got lucky.
Hubby cuts them with a Jig Saw. The plastic barrels have a mold line half way down each side. So it is easy to cut in half.
The salvage store here has about 90 more barrels. Blacks, blues, whites.
YOu will just have to call around and ask who has them or if they know who has them.
Some oil companies sell empty unused barrels.
And all barrels no mater what they were used for has a warning on them. IT says: " Do not reuse for Drink or Food. It says that cause the companies who make them do not know what they will be used for . So just make sure you buy some that are safe and use your own better judgement.

TYVM Crickett (o:

just happen to get lucky again today---one of my customers gave me the phone # to a man who sales 55 gallon drums for $5 . yes $5.

Cricket,,,,,, ggeettiinn a biitt shaakkkeeyy.... Need a fix over here...

signed your gh update junkie...

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIII,
I am trying to up load a pic of my greenhouse from Sams Club... Yep, I think I got the hang of it now :)

I have had it for about 2 yrs. now, AND JUST LOVE IT!! It has a handy inside/outside bin for loading compost, garden "dirt" and whatever and you can fill it up from the outside and then pull the drawer open from the inside :) Also holes at areas around the top of it to put your hose into barrels for the rain! Also loaded with shelves top to bottom, 2 side doors that you can open the top 1/2 or the bottom 1/2 or hook the latch and open the whole door, LOL Also two nice sinks with tops for soaking or planting plants n pots. Here is another view

Well, E-gads it's the same pic!!!! Guess I will have to try again,LOL

Wow, really nice GH tootsie !

Menards has one on that order that I have been lusting for since last year.

Theirs is a lot like yours and has a clerestory roof window giving the back half even greater height and more light.

I was surprised how large these are once you enter into one.

Good Luck with yours, it's a beaut.

Wannasee inside ;-P

Sure thing, I will have to take more pics :) Guess I don't have any of the inside, yet?

I been so busy---been too tired to chat. Early to rise and late to bed.

thats a very nice hobby house.
tootsie do you plan on turning into business?
My hobby turned to business the year after I built my hobby house. People get excited when they see any type greenhouse go up. They start asking you to start seeds for them and before you know it, you are in business.

I think i have a new pic here Swoz to ease your addiction.

April 13 picture.
Greenhouse Maters

up to date petunias, April 13

I am potting up 400 6" tomato plants this week.
Transplanting my second round of tomatoes in Flats. Putting all the new transplants outside the greenhouse.
Have almost sold all the first 6" maters that i did. The second round of 6" are about ready for sale. Folks are goin nuts over the 6" maters. One man alone bought 22 better boys in the 6".

I need to make notes of all the requests for plants that I did not have so I will have them next year.

No body is interested in the brandywine.
No body is interested in the yellow tomatoes either.
They all want Celebrity, Better Boy, Big Beef or the Better Bush.

The slow release fertilizer that I put in the 6" tomatoes is done for. Its not longer working. Will have to put a dab of 13-13-13 in them to keep them green alittle longer. I was giving them some liquid but that gets costly.

New addition to the family. This little squirrel was in a tree that fell on a house . The tree had to be cut off the house and we couldnt find his family.
So I been feeding him with a seringe for a week now.
Fiesty little sucker.
HAPPY EASTER

SO SWEET!!!
A first i though it was a lizard lol.
Hi Cricket ,can i ask a ques? are the growbags the same as smart pots? I was wondering , we might be moving aaahhhhggggg uuuummmffff, again!!
So with my seedling i was thinking of how i can transfer them to the new farm?
I don't need 100 , only 12-15 but i think the min order is 25 which is ok, save them for next yr aye? :)
The smart bags were a bit pricey as compared to what you posted on the price you get your bags., That is why i was wondering , if they are the same of different? . If they are the same then i will look into the site you gave .
thanks
sue

I don't know what a smart pot is. Maybe differant companies are calling grow bags differant names. But grow bags are deffinately not pots.

Your Seedlings. What kind of seedlings. Seedlings will not need a big pot or huge bag. Seedlings are freshly germinated seeds. If you plan on putting them in the ground on new farm, just use foam cups. But if your seedlings are now plants, you could put them in 2 liter bottles. If you are not sure at all on your future, I would deffinately grow the plants in 5 gallon grow bags. That way if you up and moved later in the spring then you could take your overgrown plants with you.
Assuming you are talking about tomato plants, By week 12 my tomato plants are normally 4 feet tall when grown to a single stem.

Speaking of tomato plants: WE had alot of wind today.
While i was planting my okra , I ignored the greenhouses cause they had plenty of water. Was taking a nice break today. Easter Sunday. I went out to check on things and the wind had blown my tomatoes over. I had the side curtains up. I spent 5 hours tieing up tomato plants. I was so tired and didn't even finish. Will finish tomorrow and take pictures.

I am selling 3 to 4 times more plants per day in our new location. Ya. And this is just the first year in new place plus the planting season is just now getting started good.
I kept records on sales by the day last year. Every detail.
It is nice to look back and see how differant things are.

Til Tomorrow---Happy Gardening.

Cricket

Thank you Cricket... I needed that fix... I spent the weekend moving supplies for my gh too. Liners and pots. I got a great deal at a box store on potting mix - the bags were broken open so they sell those at half price. I suspect they still see a profit - but it did bring it into the affordable range for me. I was looking for the promix you have mentioned - but so far only one place is carrying the peat from that line - but mentions promix on the bag.. The stuff I got cheap will have to do me for now - but a better start than what I had before. Of course I've had chance to do more learning on DG too. So my approach won't be quite so wet behind the ears...

I'm a tired puppy tonight - but a good feeling kinda tired. I keep thinking about things I've seen on your thread and others too as I go about getting set up here. I hope to post pics of seeds germinating soon...

well here are the greenhouse tomato plants---most are strung up. Didn't tie up any today. Was too busy doing other things.
They are a few inches taller since the last picture 4 days ago too.

Maxim Giant Strawberries.

View of my Seedhouse, Work Shed, Play area.

Cricket

Barrel Planters

ummmm ,
seems like the red X boxes have been showing up since yesterday on other threads too .

................ just a coincidence or trouble in DG land ?

trouble at daves I guess. Maybe my thread is too long.
hm.

Dave is getting a new server settled in place. Pictures have been having problems during this transitition. Per information in the Daves Garden forums and threads. The pictures will come back..

They all seem to be working now.


Nice shot Crickett ;-)