Crickets Greenhouses 2008

Hi Cricket,

I've taken the big leap. The hoops are up for the hoop house ( just waiting for the wind to die down to put up plastic). I have built a light rack with fluorescents on a timer. My 1200 starts are just getting their second set of leaves. Not leggy at all but the roots are already growing through the bottoms of the jiffy peat pellets I am using. I won't be using any of these pellets anymore, it was just something quick and easy to get me started.

Plant list:

Coleus - boy these things start slow.
Impatiens
pansy
Phlox
Petunia
Morning Glory - mostly for my front yard

Veggies:

Tomato - 4 types
Peppers - 5 types
Crooked neck - love these
Broccoli

Most of the veggies will go to freinds and my garden but the flowers I intend to sell.

My question is how to sell these. When I go to lowes I see plants selling at prices too low for me to compete with. I think I would have to try something they are not doing. I was thinking on the lines of 10" pots with a variety of 3 different plants.

Where do I go to get the pots? And what type of growing medium should I use? Do you think people would spend $10 on a 10" pot?

I have a rotary drive and live on a busy road so getting the people would be easy.

Thanks,

JB

lol tama,--------i saw that movie----kevin costner-=baseball field

JB
i dont know what sells best in your neighborhood, but my best sellers are petunias and tomato plants.
YOu need to find a local supplier of Pro=Mix Bx in your area and see if you can get a discount if you buy in bulk.
I personally buy containers from a local Commerical Nursery but they do not ship containers. They only ship the plug plants and etc........ not the empty containers.
When folks set their flowers out, they normally set them far apart cause they will bush out as the season grows on. Some folks do like Container Gardens. Most container Gardens are in 15 " bowls or pots.
I dont like hanging baskets for my own personal use cause they become root bound very quickly but is great for the folks who have no garden areas.

Thanks so much for sharing Cricket. Pro-Mix seems to be everyone's favorite so I will look for that. As far as what will do best in the area really remains to be seen. And that is something that only I can see. So I will start with the learning process. I have ample time and low expectations so the process should be fun, I mean really, if you're not having fun you shouldn't be doing it in the first place!

Again,

Thanks for sharing,

JB

Hi Cricket,

What size grow bags will I need to grow tomatoes? Will 5 gallon bags be enough or should I go with 10-12 gals?

Thanks,

JB

depends on how many vines per plant you grow.
2 plants , one single main vine each= can grow in 5 gallons. I have grown those two plants with two vines each.
I am experimenting on how many vines I can grow on a plant in a 5 gallon pot before it gets root bound.
With two plants with single vines per 5 gallon grow bags, the bag is only half full of roots within 6 months from sow date.
The more vines that grow on the plant, the more roots you will have.

I havent posted any pictures in a while.
so here goes.

This is an update on my tomato plants that I am growing in a greenhouse in the ground for early protection.
They are 3 feet tall, the cages are 3 ft wide and 5 feet tall. I will have to add another cage on top of the first later so they will have a 10 ft high cage and then let them drape over the top sides of the cages. So far they have been growing in the ground since Mar 13.

GH 1
Wave Baskets
Double Petunia pots

GH1
Begonias in flats, Impatients

more begonias

snapdragons and marigolds

GH 2
young hanging basket and ready hanging baskets

tomatoes growing in 5 gallon pots

tomatoes in 6 inch pots

garden bowl planters

more 6" double petunia pots

there is alot more===just no up to date pictures yet.

Older picture of the over all view of GH 1

Truly amazing,

Thanks,

JB

CricketsGarden amazing setup! Thank you for all the pictures!!

:) Donna

I am hoping the 2009 tomato greenhouse does better this year.
Growing more veggie plants this year. Less bedding.
600 to 700 flats of tomatoes.
I did not finish posting here last year cause I really did not think anyone was interested.
Will start a 2009 thread.

Thank you everyone ---its great to chat with others and receive their thoughts.


Happy Gardening
Cricket

im always interested!!!
watching the new sunroom too!!!

I'm a lurker, but I'm always interested in your progress. You have a fantastic operation. Thanks for sharing.

You got over a thousands wiews! I think that shows interest! Keep up with the great posts. I appreciate you taking the time to do it. Thank you.

yeah looking forward to an 09 thread
i learn so much from them

I always look forward to these threads, by the way. I've learned a lot just by following your explanations and experiences.

i m so glad your doing a 09 thread
yeah

They moved my 09 thread to the Market Growers community.

I guess I need to find out how everyone else knows where it went to.

I cant tell you how much I have enjoyed your posts, full of great information...DH and I have a small nursery ,and you have been a blessing to these old folks,this year coming I will start my own hanging baskets..thanks for all your time and the great photos

I agree Gingerose. Cricket has been a wonderful teacher and truly an inspiration for me too. I truly appreciate all the wonderful info she has shared with us.

Howdy do?
Thanks to everyone for viewing. I really enjoy what I do.

It was a great 2009 other than the fact that Im highly allergic to tomato sap.
I went through a depressed stage trying to figure out what in the heck I was goin to do since tomatoes were my life (family first).

I can grow tomato plants for the public using surgical gloves during transplanting. But it seems I am more allergic after the plants have grown to a certain stage. The young seedlings don't bother me that much. There will be a 2010 growing year here for all my bedding plants and hanging baskets.

I cannot tell you how much I will miss growing commercial tomato produce.

I will only grow my own production plants. They will be grown in a Hobby Greenhouse.

Happy Gardening
Cricket

-My 16X84 collapsed due to the rain that puddled on top of the house and I did not notice it. I have not been out to the big houses in a few months. It was like a giant swimming pool. And the most surprising thing was the poly never ruptured. The hoops caved in and the pool sat on the ground. Its not that big of a disappointment. I was planning on taking down the 16 X 84 anyway and building a new greenhouse. But changed the plans a little and took down the 16X96 and using it to repair the 16 X84 and building the new one in the place of the 16X96. The new greenhouse will be made of wood. Painting the wood with Lastameric (spelling). The new house will be 23 X 70 using wood trusses. And still have the other big house that is 20x96. plus the other small ones.
the 23x70 will have straight sides and will be easy to remove the poly side curtains during summer heat. The hoop houses are more difficult to cool off,,, MORe difficult to make and operate side curtains cause when you remove the side curtains for the summer, water falls off the poly roof into the greenhouse landing into the potted plants next to the wall and up rooting the plants......... One of these years , I hope to replace all the hoop houses with straight wall houses.

Something for yall to think about when you build a greenhouse.
(repeated in the market forum)
I