DIY Network

Greenhouse Gardening: Potting Box How to make a potting box, or soil box, the heart of a greenhouse From "Weekend Gardening" episode WKG-413

Greenhouses are a wonderful way to maximize growing space. They can be found in all parts of the country but are especially handy to extend the challenging growing conditions of the Midwest, where winters are long and cold.

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Maureen Gilmer is preparing this greenhouse for us: she'll spend 11 hours on this level-1 do-it yourself project.

Tools:

standard gardening tools (hand trowel or small shovel)
3'x3' wood or composite wood to build soil box
electric heater
250-watt HPS lamp
12" exhaust fan
thermostat
garden house cooling mist and timer package
time clock
pots and saucers
soil amendments (Perlite, chicken manure, potting soil, sphagnum and peat moss)

1. A greenhouse is simply a shell and can't control the climate unless equipment is added to help regulate the environment; this will make the greenhouse suitable for plants year round (figure A) (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

2. One of the most important components of a greenhouse is a louvered fan. When the fan is on and circulating air, the louvers open; when the fan is off, the louvers remain tightly closed, keeping warm air inside the greenhouse (figure C).

3. On the other end of the spectrum, greenhouse heaters--designed to function safely in a moist environment--are needed for plant protection during winter months.

4. Misting systems are also available to mist seedbeds on a timer schedule, creating an ideal environment for seed germination (figure D).

5. Lighting fixtures can be put on timer systems to increase the number of hours of daylight to the plants over winter months: fooling plants into thinking it's much later in the year stops them from going dormant from lack of light.

6. The heart of the greenhouse is the soil box where the potting and repotting is done. To make a potting box, start with the base of the box, which is made from a 3/4" piece of plywood, 2' square. It's a good idea to paint this piece of plywood--top, bottom the edges--to keep it from rotting (figure E).

7. For the sides of the potting box, Maureen uses 1/4"x4" composite wood material; composite material it is very durable against rot and won't split when screws are used to connect the boards.

8. To make the back panel, she lays out three pieces of the composite material, each 2' long. She places two short pieces of board across these three pieces at each end and screws them into the two foot pieces.

9. Making the side panels for the box is similar to making the back panel. Lay out three more pieces of the composite material, 2' long. Attach one short piece to one end of the longer pieces. Next, three pieces of composite material, each about 30" long, are laid diagonally across the three composite pieces. Draw marks to cut this diagonal piece to fit on the side panel. Cut the angles and screw the diagonal board into place. Next, using the diagonal piece as a guide, cut the excess off of the three composite pieces. You should now have a triangular side piece.

10. To make the other side piece, follow the same steps. Next, attach the diagonal piece in the other direction. Cut off any excess and you should end up with two side pieces, each the mirror image of the other.

11. Next, take the back and two sides and screw them to each other around the plywood base, then screw them to the plywood.

12. The only thing left to do is to add a front piece to the box. Measure the distance between the two sides at the front of the box. It should be slightly less than 2'. Cut a piece of composite material to that length and screw it into place.

Time spent: 2 hours.

RESOURCES :

Ace Hardware Supplies
To locate the nearest Ace Hardware to your home, click here.
Ace Hardware
2200 Kensington Ct.
Oak Brook, IL 60523-2100
Toll-free: 866-290-5334
Website: www.acehardware.com

Plants from Ball Horticultural Company
Various plant material
Ball Horticulture Company
Website: www.simplybeautifulgardens.com

Soil Amendments
Soil amendments
Whitney Farms
Website: www.whitneyfarms.com

Plants from Monrovia Horticultural Craftsmen
Monrovia Horticultural Craftsmen
Website: www.monrovia.com

DeWalt power tools
DeWalt
Website: www.dewalt.com/us/core/

Landscaping Services by D&J Landscaping
D & J Landscaping
E-mail: DJLandscaping@sbcglobal.net

Plants from Hines Horticulture
Website: www.hineshort.com

Greenhouse equipment
EnviroCept Greenhouses, Etc.
Website: www.greenhouses-etc.net

Planting box composite wood
The Trex Company
Website: www.trex.com