we are still hovering at like 45 to 50 not raining but cloudy
What did you do in the garden today?
- Thread starter Dara77
- Start date
we are still hovering at like 45 to 50 not raining but cloudy
@CapricornFarm, I have an amalgamation of random equipment, some good, some bad, from all over. I do what I can with what I've got on hand or whatever I can borrow or is free. I'm NO expert on equipment. I just don't have the experience with a wide enough variety of things. (Except for seed cups! Lots of thoughts/experience on what's best there if you wanna hear! I have tried a LOT of gimmicks over the years. 
Some good, some not.)Bbut I can give you SOME info....
Shelves;
I have a shelving unit I got from Costco. I have no idea what brand it is any more, it's whatever they stock. They have them off and on. Costco often carries shelving units perfect for seeds and hanging lights for anywhere from $35 to $100, depending on size and quality. Mine is a thick plastic $35 5-shelf one and I think it's... OK. I wish I had paid more and gotten one with thinner actual shelves and fewer shelves but wider. The shelves are a few inches thick with criss-crossing hollows I tie my lights to, but space is at a premium everywhere for me (small house, 1/4 acre lot) so every inch counts around here. It's bad for tall plants that have to have a very early start, they get too tall, but it is otherwise a VERY good shelving unit for the price! (Costco is a great resource for me, always impressed with their house brand products and everything they stock.) I'd say get a shelving unit that gives your plants enough space to grow. Go for a wide 3 shelf or something if you can spare the square footage. I will be making my own this year for the extra needed space. Just PVC, some plywood and a saw.
Lights;
My lights are a mish-mash of heat lamps, lamp lamps, aquarium lamps, plant lamps, reptile lamps, all with whatever bulbs I have that suit my needs mushed into them. I will say this, dome lamps are great for small concentrated spots, but otherwise don't use animal equipment if you can avoid it. Just go for fluorescent shop lights or plant lights. LED bulbs are also your friend, especially if you BS your lamp set-up like I do. You can easily put a "150 watt equivalent" LED bulb in a 75 watt lamp socket because the actual power drawn is more like 20 watts. Insanely bright, insanely safe, lets you produce more light without upgrading your lamp. Look for the actual power draw on LED bulbs, and you will see they are amazing. They provide INTENSE light, pretty good for plants, at a tiny price.
Heat
I have a Viagrow brand seedling heat mat and I *LOVE* this heat mat more than any other gardening equipment I have EVER gotten. It's my favorite item in my whole setup. It was bought for me as a present from Amazon and I wish I had a bunch of these things. They are SO wonderful, especially if your house is cold like mine. They are fairly inexpensive for the tiny ones, the big ones are more, and they are worth every penny. Reptile heat mats suck, btw. Don't use them. They break very easily. Otherwise, I use dome heat lamps for my heat-loving plants and I dislike them. The plants grow into them and get burnt. (As a bonus, you can very safely and easily brood chicks under the Vigrow heat mat during your off season! Much better than a heat lamp!)
Lastly, make 100% sure everything you have (especially heating devices) are plugged into surge protector power strips or something good like that. Starting plants is often a big power draw. If something goes wrong you don't want your pots melting or your heat lamp burning down your house. It's like $15-$25 and it could save your everything.
Some good, some not.)Bbut I can give you SOME info....Shelves;
I have a shelving unit I got from Costco. I have no idea what brand it is any more, it's whatever they stock. They have them off and on. Costco often carries shelving units perfect for seeds and hanging lights for anywhere from $35 to $100, depending on size and quality. Mine is a thick plastic $35 5-shelf one and I think it's... OK. I wish I had paid more and gotten one with thinner actual shelves and fewer shelves but wider. The shelves are a few inches thick with criss-crossing hollows I tie my lights to, but space is at a premium everywhere for me (small house, 1/4 acre lot) so every inch counts around here. It's bad for tall plants that have to have a very early start, they get too tall, but it is otherwise a VERY good shelving unit for the price! (Costco is a great resource for me, always impressed with their house brand products and everything they stock.) I'd say get a shelving unit that gives your plants enough space to grow. Go for a wide 3 shelf or something if you can spare the square footage. I will be making my own this year for the extra needed space. Just PVC, some plywood and a saw.
Lights;
My lights are a mish-mash of heat lamps, lamp lamps, aquarium lamps, plant lamps, reptile lamps, all with whatever bulbs I have that suit my needs mushed into them. I will say this, dome lamps are great for small concentrated spots, but otherwise don't use animal equipment if you can avoid it. Just go for fluorescent shop lights or plant lights. LED bulbs are also your friend, especially if you BS your lamp set-up like I do. You can easily put a "150 watt equivalent" LED bulb in a 75 watt lamp socket because the actual power drawn is more like 20 watts. Insanely bright, insanely safe, lets you produce more light without upgrading your lamp. Look for the actual power draw on LED bulbs, and you will see they are amazing. They provide INTENSE light, pretty good for plants, at a tiny price.
Heat
I have a Viagrow brand seedling heat mat and I *LOVE* this heat mat more than any other gardening equipment I have EVER gotten. It's my favorite item in my whole setup. It was bought for me as a present from Amazon and I wish I had a bunch of these things. They are SO wonderful, especially if your house is cold like mine. They are fairly inexpensive for the tiny ones, the big ones are more, and they are worth every penny. Reptile heat mats suck, btw. Don't use them. They break very easily. Otherwise, I use dome heat lamps for my heat-loving plants and I dislike them. The plants grow into them and get burnt. (As a bonus, you can very safely and easily brood chicks under the Vigrow heat mat during your off season! Much better than a heat lamp!)
Lastly, make 100% sure everything you have (especially heating devices) are plugged into surge protector power strips or something good like that. Starting plants is often a big power draw. If something goes wrong you don't want your pots melting or your heat lamp burning down your house. It's like $15-$25 and it could save your everything.
This sad set of random mess was my setup last year. I am determined to have something cleaner/better this year.
I have metal shelving units that i am storing fabric on i might swipe or i can steal a couple from my garden shed.
Just bought 4 shop lights from Lowes to get started, did not want to freak hubby out with the charge card bill. I also bought 3 rolls of insulation for my workshop(20% off right now) . And soil to start plants in, and a 40 pound bag of BOSS for $20. So there goes $160! Oh and light bulbs for the house.
Just bought 4 shop lights from Lowes to get started, did not want to freak hubby out with the charge card bill. I also bought 3 rolls of insulation for my workshop(20% off right now) . And soil to start plants in, and a 40 pound bag of BOSS for $20. So there goes $160! Oh and light bulbs for the house.
still have a bag of black dirt no chemical grow in it that enough to get me going
So sorry for what you're going through, but glad to hear that the surgery went well. Hopes and prayers for your complete recovery.
Mama Runner
Songster
I need some help from my gardening/herb people. We have been snowed/iced in and no change of getting out till maybe Tuesday. I hardly ever take any kind of pills, even fever reducers are hand made teas around here. So I m really really having a hard time with the chemo pills and chemo in general.
I had made some candied ginger and home made peppermint tea and hard candy. I also made homemade bone broth yesterday. Since running out of all my nausea goodies. I really have taken a turn for the worst. Any ideas I've got all I need to bake and cook. Just out of my bag of normal tricks.i did make bone broth yesterday and I am able to sip that and keep that down but not much else.
I had made some candied ginger and home made peppermint tea and hard candy. I also made homemade bone broth yesterday. Since running out of all my nausea goodies. I really have taken a turn for the worst. Any ideas I've got all I need to bake and cook. Just out of my bag of normal tricks.i did make bone broth yesterday and I am able to sip that and keep that down but not much else.
Can't you get a refill on your medication? Maybe tums would help?
Mama Runner
Songster
I would but we are snowed and iced in. Our Churches are even close because most of us can't get out of our own driveways and more snow is heading our way. I thought I bought enough ginger to make ginger ale and candy. I didn't realize how nauseous I would be.
Mama Runner
Songster
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