Milwaukee Greenhouse Options (apartments, rent, houses)

[Babydoll9983]

Does anyone know of a greenhouse that rents extra space to community gardeners or for random people to start growing seedlings? The winters here are pretty long and the springs are too cool for starting some seeds outside. These are not too good of conditions for starting seedlings indoors without the proper equipment. We are working on building some ways to cover our raised beds with materials to create a greenhouse outside. In the meantime, just wondering if anyone knows a little spot I could use to start my seedlings for the summer.

Thanks.

[brrabbit]

You can do it indoors and I don't think you need too much of equipment to do it, just make boxes out of wood, fill it with soil and place those boxes near windows. People in Russia do it all the time and they generally have much smaller apartments than Americans.

[Babydoll9983]

Thanks for your suggestion @brrabbit.

Unfortunately, this does not quite work as easily as you may think. The seedlings will grow, however they stretch to reach the sunlight and end up having very weak and thin bodies that cannot support maturity. The only case in which it truly works well is if you have a very well exposed south or west facing room that warms up (almost like a 3 seasons) from the sunlight.

Also, the only south facing windows I have are in the kitchen and in a bathroom with relatively high window sills from the ground. I could put the seedlings on a table instead of the floor which would get better exposure to the light. I have more than just a few seedlings that I would like to plant. Eventually, I will buy growing lights and install them in my basement with soil and all that stuff you mentioned. This just isn't an option now with fast approaching spring.

[arctic_gardener]

You need to get some shop lights (T8s). The bluish-white spectrum they emit is excellent for raising stocky, healthy seedlings, and they are very inexpensive.
You may also want to enquire with the local university (U of W?) to see if they rent out greenhouse space. Mine does but the rates are very expensive.

[chewbacca777]

Use a fan to simulate air movement and blow the seedlings as they grow. That may help with the weak thin bodies of the plant as it will force the seedlings to grow a little thicker

[thefragile]

Moderator cut: off topic
OP, I don't know of any community greenhouses that you can use however, you might try contacting Kellner Greenhouse or Growing Power, they may have some suggestions for you.

[brrabbit]

Hi BabyDoll, I think the game plan is not to grow your seedlings indoors until maturity, but to start them up indoors and then replant them outdoors somewhere in May, where weather is reasonably good and warm. My parents did it in much colder climate in 1br apartment and they did it for food (we always had our own vegetables, including cucumbers and tomatoes, never bought them). Many of our neighbours did it too. So, I know it works. But I don't truly know your needs, so I just throw ideas how it night be done on a cheap side.