With a greenhouse structurally finished with a new greenhouse table along with some cool hardy snapdragons, it was time for potting up snapdragons and taking them to the greenhouse. This started with testing to see if the snapdragons and other cool hardy plants would survive in the low tunnel in the greenhouse. Another trial was set to test the plants in the unheated greenhouse on some cooler spring nights.
Moving along, some snapdragons filled out their cells with their roots, so it was time to pop them up into larger cells. They would be living in the unheated greenhouse for the next three weeks. Eight weeks before my last frost, which is the first week of April, will be the time to plant them.
Trial Greenhouse Plants
With being new to using an unheated greenhouse, I wanted to double check that cooler temperatures in early spring would not affect my snapdragons. For the first night, the small snapdragon plants and yarrow, were placed inside a low tunnel, an addition on the greenhouse table we built. This way, the young plants would have the protection of the unheated greenhouse as well as the layer of plastic.
After the first night, the plants did awesome. No problems what so ever. And let me just add that those plants add their own layer of humidity in the low tunnel that was able to keep them warm.
For the second night, I moved the six plants of yarrow and six plants of snapdragons outside of the low tunnel. We still had cooler night temperatures. It was another opportunity to see how the plants like the environment of the unheated greenhouse, but this time, these twelve plants were placed only in the greenhouse, not under the low tunnel.
I also brought out the other cells of yarrow and snapdragons to place under the low tunnel, since I felt confident that the plants would do well.
Both the plants under the low tunnel and the plants only in the greenhouse performed wonderfully that night. Both were a success!
Potting Up Snapdragons
Some of the snapdragons indoors were at the right stage for potting up. They probably could have lasted longer in their current cells, but I like potting up to provide more room for the roots to grow.
One Potting Up Method
To start potting up the snapdragons, first, remove the snapdragon from its current cell. Sometimes the whole cell of soil would easily come out. Other times, the snapdragon with most of its root system comes out. As long as it has a good amount of roots coming out, it is still healthy and good to pot up. However, it is best to pot up whenever the whole cell of soil is removed with the roots holding it together.
Add larger sized trays with a pre-moistened potting medium. Next, I use a small trowel from Gardener’s Supply to create a hole into the new cell. Add the snapdragon roots to the hole, make sure the plant is standing straight, and then press the soil towards the bottom of the plant. If some of the stem is in the hole, that’s fine. In a lot of plants, it will develop new roots from the stem.
Second Potting Up Method
For other snapdragon plants that have a very established roots system where the whole cell of soil is removed, I find it best to start with a new empty cell, versus one pre-filled with moist potting soil. Add the snapdragon before adding pre-moistened potting soil around the sides and some on top to give support to the snapdragon stem.
Repeat either potting up practice until all cells are filled with snapdragons. These are relatively tall snapdragon seedlings, so they did end up bending over. This only lasts for a short time. They will perk back up within a day. I kept mine under grow lights for another day until I saw that majority did perk up.
Moving Snapdragons
In our mule, I loaded up five standard trays, including the snapdragons I potted up, as well as smaller snapdragons and other cool hardy cut flower varieties. With having the plants started in a basement, it was easiest to use the mule to transport them, versus taking multiple trips on foot.
Some of the smaller snapdragons, I placed underneath the low tunnel. Other larger ones, I placed just on the greenhouse table.
After a few days with relatively warmer spring temperatures, I took off the plastic to the low tunnel. All the cool hardy plants are doing well without the low tunnel.
Greenhouse Environment for the Snapdragons
My greenhouse is not finished at this stage. Structurally sound and enough closed off, it is able to keep the frost and chill of the plants. It still needs some aesthetic work done with it, such as painting the siding, adding trim, a good cleaning of the windows, painting of the greenhouse table, painting of the boards inside, and some other small details.
It currently does not have all its tables. They’re not hard to build, but it is a work in progress. I can currently fit sixteen and a half standard flats on my current greenhouse tables. Along with twenty-four standard flats indoors under grow lights. Building the other table will be done when it becomes an absolute priority, or when we have more time in the summer months.
I’m still indecisive about what I want to do with heating the greenhouse. I always thought from the beginning that I’d want to add a small propane heater with a small propane tank outside. But as time goes on, I’ve been open to all options. I really don’t know what I want yet, or what I find would be the best option here.
One of the options for now is to keep it unheated. Nevertheless, I would add small items to keep it warmer, such as the low tunnel or jugs of water. Maybe even add the heating mat to keep soil warm on those cool nights. For any plant that needs a warmer environment, with having grow lights, I would just start them indoors there.
Greenhouse Environment for the Gardener
Although the greenhouse isn’t finished yet. Adding a table and plants make it a greenhouse. Gardening is something that can center my mind. My brain can be running in circles. But as soon as I start gardening, God takes control of it and eases it into a calm sea. Having snapdragons to trial, pot up, and move outdoors into the greenhouse gave me some early spring gardening to enjoy.
It felt good to just stand in the greenhouse. Let my thoughts flow. Observe the sunshine along with my plants. It helped provide the right environment to my snapdragons. And working with the snapdragons put me in the right environment.
Other gardeners say to make a garden space not only filled up with plants, but to create a space in the garden for the gardener to enjoy what they have sown. Oh I never wanted to believe they were right, but they so are.
I usually end up laying down in the garden between my rows of plants, or in the center walkway with my dog between my legs checking out the neighborhood. In the greenhouse, for as much as I stand by the west windows just being my plants, I figured I’ll be building a bench to take a seat.
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