Hey, that is terrific - now I want one!!!

Thanks it was less than $50 and about 4hrs work, but I still need to add the plastic and plywood to the floor.

That is way cool!

Very nice.
I have a suggestion-----
You are going to want to water the plants right in the rack. If you have a solid plywood bottom all the water would pool on the bottom and you'd have to remove those plants and spend a lot of time mopping out the bottom.

I understand that you want the bottom closed in to retain heat. If you made the bottom in 2 pieces with 1 being just the size of a tray then you could remove that plywood and set the tray back on the ledge. Do the removable piece on the end with the wheels. Then you could lift the other end an inch or so so it is on a slant. All the water would run off the bottom and then you can lower it level again and replace the plywood. I would suggest that you give it all a coat of paint to protect from the moisture.

I would suggest also that there should be some kind of vent, because even on a cloudy day the heat will build up in there and the plants will need some kind of air circulation.

Perhaps overlap the sides and ends then roll them together like you were wrapping a sandwich and clothespin shut to close it up.

Congratulations, you should grow some nice plants in there

Thank You! I did make the bottom with two pieces of plywood that can be removed quickly for watering. I don't think I will paint it even though it is a good idea. The wood is all treated so I will most likely just add some sealer to it next year. I am also still thinking out the plastic covering/vent/ etc. I mostly want to cover three sides well to prevent wind damage to the small plants and make the front with easy access as you have noted. Thanks again for the suggestions.

I just had a thought--I wonder if that sticky back velcro would work on plastic to close up the front. I know it works on wood. You could get some at Dollarama and give it a try with a bit of plastic.

Thanks that was a good idea, but I decided on making two removable panels using widow screen frames for the front. I did get the sides/back and top covered, but it has been cold here this week. I am going to add some lattice strips around the edges of the plastic to help hold it down today and put a vent in the top. HD had some aluminum screen material that wasnÂt too much so instead of using screen material in them I am going to use plastic. Just make up two and pop them into the front and remove them when I want to. I will get another photo when it is all finished.
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I finished the plastic covering and the two removable doors today. I am going to cut a vent in the side near the top. I ordered a HF vent/window opener and hope to have it and installed soon. I have 12 trays ready to go in it now.
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Wow, you are handy!! What zone are you in? I'm pondering at what kind of temps I could start to use such an apparatus, although anything I would make would not be nearly so well-constructed. I am envious of your carpentry skills! Your place is really pretty, too. :)

Thanks, I am in zone 7, but I also plan to use a couple of light bulbs in the bottom for nighttime heat. I hope to start loading it up in the next few days.

WOW! That is AWESOME! I want one!

Can I ask what the dimensions are? tia

Thanks, it is 6' tall by 8' long and is 30" wide. I made it that size to be sure I could roll it inside my sunroom if the weather got really nasty and to get as many trays on it as I could (24). I hope it doesn't have to go inside.

Nice construction and I can see some real potential with the design. But I'm wondering about how efficient this would be during cold weather.

How will the single thickness plastic sheeting retain heat during the overnight hours? Double wall polycarbonate panels would be a tremendous improvement - although more costly. Can't tell from the finished photo, but the bottom appears to be open and exposed to drafts. Shouldn't there be another sheet of polyethylene - or an insulating panel? Or, are you concerned with water drainage?

You may be right about the plastic, but I wanted something cheap. It has a plywood floor now and I am going to use some lightbulbs for night heat. I have a small heated greenhouse and a larger unheated one, but built this just for my seedlings to get an early start and try to use the sun as much as possible. I have a light rack in the garage, but it only holes 6 seed trays.

Years ago my neighbour had much the same thing as yours but his was a tunnel built on his patio. His had approximately the same area to heat. He used plastic doubled though and he used 2 100 watt bulbs to heat it at night. He had the lights on a timer and they went off a few hours after the sun was up. If it got really cold he covered it with a blanket and it worked fine.

Thanks, I have a cheap inside/outside thermometer and I am going to use it this week to determine how many/watts of light bulbs I may need. Once I feel that I have the temp controlled then I will start filling it up. I think I will put the bulbs on a timer too. I also plan to move it inside or cover it if the weather gets real bad.

Nice carpentry skills, grow... takes me back to a few years ago when my dad and I made a tree stand. "It's not that hard," we deduced. Only we forgot we're both "angle challenged". We had to recut the supports so many times we had matchsticks. ;)

Kim

I finally got some plants in it this weekend. It has been cold here this week highs around 35 and lows around 20. I should have another 10 trays ready next weekend, but right now they are still on the light stand waiting on them to sprout.
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I'm still jealous of yours, but DH has promised we can build one...soon. (He does not understand the URGENCY!)

Hope you will keep giving updates on how this works...sounds like it is COLD in your part of the world! Goodlooking seedlings, btw!

OK, today I have sixteen trays loaded in the GH. I have another six trays on the light rack waiting on them to completely sprout. I have been moving them as soon as they all break the ground on the light rack. So far all the seeds have sprouted within 7 days. I have a mixture of flowering annuals and vegs for the garden. I added a small fan inside the GH just to be sure they were getting enough air movement. I have also been spraying a fungicide on them every week. I just started some diluted fertilizer too.
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Wow, everything looks great! I'm so jealous of your seedlings, all I have are little begonias and lobelia that are soooo teeny tiny and take forever to grow. But we just got another 4 inches or so of snow yesterday, so that's helping me remember that it's still too soon to start anything else up here. :)

Thanks, they are not getting much sunshine these days. We have had lots of rain and the temps are still real low. I know I started everything early, but I wanted to try and get my plants as large as I could before they get planted. Next problem will be re-potting. I do hope for some sun for a few days.