Homemade Table Top Greenhouses

Greenhouses provide a moist, warm environment for germinating seeds and starting young plants. Unfortunately, most homeowners and apartment dwellers don't have the luxury of an outdoor greenhouse. Garden stores sell indoor greenhouses, but you can save considerable money transforming an aquarium, plastic clamshell container or 2-liter soda bottle into a mini-greenhouse.

Clear glass or plastic container with lid
Potting soil
Funnel
Wooden dowel
Hydrogen peroxide
Spray bottle
Hand-held fan

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the container thoroughly and fill it with the potting soil recommended for your particular seeds. A well-drained commercial potting mix will work for most plants. Use a funnel to fill a container with a narrow mouth, such as a soda bottle.
- 2
  Add just enough water to moisten the soil without making it damp.
- 3
  Place the seeds in the container at the recommended depth and distance from each other and cover them with soil. The seed packet will usually indicate this information. If using a narrow-mouthed container, use a wooden dowel to manipulate the seeds and soil.
- 4
  Cover the plants with a lid and place them on a flat surface out of direct sunlight.
- 5
  Mist the inside of the container weekly with a 50 percent hydrogen peroxide solution to ward off mold.
- 6
  Moisten the soil when it seems dry. Greenhouse plants trap moisture and do not require frequent watering.
- 7
  Remove the lids on the greenhouses once a day and run a fan inside for air circulation.
- 8
  Rotate the greenhouse daily as the seedlings emerge to promote even growth. After the seedling emerges, remove the lid for an hour a day at first, then gradually increase the time until the plant is established and no longer needs the lid.

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