Greenhouse Modifications

Darin made a few modifications to the greenhouse over the last few weeks so we thought it was time for an update.

The pepper seedlings are really taking off so we decided that we should transplant them from the trays to individual pots. Thanks to Darin’s big fat head (his words, not mine), we had to hold an emergency repotting session right before the Superbowl started. He was adjusting the power bar at the bottom of the greenhouse and hit his head on a tray, which fell to the floor. We now have many “mystery” pepper plants since they were planted in tidy, labelled rows but got all mixed up when they fell. It will be exciting, I suppose.

After he recovered from the Superbowl, Darin transplanted the rest of the peppers (with labels). He decided to lower the grow lights to 2-3” above the tops of the plants. We found that our plants got pretty leggy last year with the lights being up higher, so hopefully this will remedy that for this year’s crop. He also added a few more grow lights and, while he was at it, added some small fans. This was something we had read about last year when we learned about hardening off plants (not that outdoor gardening season is starting anytime soon!). Exposing the plants to a gentle breeze helps them develop strong stems and, as an added bonus, reduces the chance of mold/mildew. It sure dries the soil out quickly, though, so we are rotating the plants frequently so they get a break from the breeze.

Would you be surprised if I told you that Darin is planting one more tray of peppers? This time he chose two types of bell peppers: Red Mercury and Delirio Hybrid. He’s also planting jalapenos (regular this time, not mild like the ones we’ve already started. All of the seeds are from Early’s.

On a non-greenhouse note, the U of S spring gardening classes have been posted! Check out the courses here.