New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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I am going to move this to seed starters. I don't like starting seeds indoors, it takes up to much space, all the lighting etc., problems with damping off, and memory's of children filling cribs with plants and dirt during nap time. So I am working on this years hotbed, in a different location and dimensions that last. I made mine 4 feet deep last year which is too deep to reach in safely. So this year it will be 36 inches deep. Also I bought some old screens for $15 that I will cover with two layers of plastic. Last year I used glass windows. Some broke, and I thought they were dangerous. I only dug 2 feet deep last year, and I have gone 30 inches this year. The length is 12 feet. I plan on using a squirrel cage fan for ventilation, and perhaps a small auxiliary heater connected to a thermostat. I found on the "net" a rather simple design for the frame.
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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This is what I ended up with last spring.
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#3 |
Riding The Crazy Train Again
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: San Marcos, California
Posts: 2,562
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What's a squirrel cage fan?
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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Deborah I want to use a fan like this for the exhaust.
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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I just found these inline fans. They seem a better way to go. $25 on Ebay.
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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So far with lumber and doors I have $80.00 in the project
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Durhamville,NY
Posts: 2,706
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Lowes have 4" inline duct fans for $24.97
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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Thanks Doug I'll definitely check them out at Lowes. If I have roughly 40 square foot of space does anyone know if the four inch will vent enough air to keep the hotbed from overheating?
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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We have an ice storm and cold weather coming so I thought I should get the super structure done. I put the plastic on both sides of the windows in order to have some insulation to have less heat loss. The plastic cost $17. So I have about one hundred dollars in the project so far.
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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I rounded up my first load of manure yesterday. I will have to get one more. On February 26th I plan on putting it into action. I am just stockpiling things now.
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NJ, zone 7
Posts: 3,162
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M, sounds as an interesting project.
I have few window frames with plastic glass, I am thinking of making miniature temporary green house (2 to 3 feet tall) that I can open up once the temperature is wormer and/or to close it when it gets colder in fall. I was thinking of growing dill, parsley and scallions that way as long as possible. Did not get around yet. Thank you for your posts. It is an inspiration for me.
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Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!” ![]() |
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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I got a second load of manure today. So it is all covered up and ready to go in about ten days when I need it.
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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I am making a similar thing. Filled in my compost and manure today too!
I have got to get back to working on it soon. But here is a brief description. Instead of a wooden frame like you made, I took the flexible rods from an old broken tent and bent them under tension to make a low tunnel. this will go over the fermenting manure and compost, which is capped with 3 or 4 inches of soil then cardboard and leaf mulch. Once I am finished with seedlings I will store the low tunnel and plant right into the soil.
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 97
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Scott Would it be possible for you to post some photos?
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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I just took a couple pictures with a phone and emailed them to myself. As soon as they come through I will post what I have here. It's not finished yet, but I can update from there in the next couple days.
so far my budget is: compost and coffee grounds----free Horse manure----free old broken tent----free old left over scrap of viz queen----free Cardboard----free braided nylon twine----$1.00 8 brass nails----??? Not sure, bought them long ago, but must be pennies Duct tape----$5.00
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture Last edited by Redbaron; February 16, 2013 at 06:17 PM. |
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