A Backyard Homestead Project

Dear Friends,

We decided to grow some plant starts to sell later this spring, for a little extra spending cash. There was only one problem: Where to keep the seedlings? Someplace where chickens and squirrels wouldn't be able to get in and ruin everything?

Our answer came when we remembered the chicken coop stand that was started two years ago and never finished. We put a couple pieces of plywood on top for a floor, then attached pvc pipes from a failed cold frame project to the stand, et voila! a mini-hoop house!



We started our seeds by placing them in wet paper towels in zip-top bags on a plate over the crockpot, which was filled with water and left on low. Within one day the basil and zinnia seeds sprouted, so we had to rush out and get some potting soil and containers for them. Thankfully, Costco has large plastic cups that were easy to drill holes into and are the size of regular starter plant pots at the nurseries, as well as organic potting soil in large bags.

Here's where we put the sprouted seeds, while waiting for the hoop house to be built (we had to get creative and find the highest, safest place!)~

Once the hoop house had its plastic covering in place, we put the seedlings out for their first day. It's going to be cold for the next few days, so they'll have to be inside, but the weather forecast calls for temperatures in the 60s and 70s after that, so back outside they'll go!

Frankie said he wanted to sleep in it tonight, but the thunder storm we had in the evening changed his mind!

p.s. Big red plastic cups also make good towers!

 Love,

Marqueta