Low tech solar collector

During the winter I have been working on a cold frame type structure that I could use to hold plants through the winter and harden off seedlings. I also want to use it to hurry up growth of my entrance planters at my gardening job. So after searching the Internet for a while I found a passive solar unit that uses recycled two liter bottles. I have a stack of shower doors that I was able to bring home from a remodel. I have also gotten two hot water heaters that were being replaced. A plan began to take shape.

Currently I am working on building the solar collector tray. Essentially it is a shallow wooden box. I have ½ inch black tubing threaded through a long sleeve of plastic two liter bottles that have the bottoms cut out. The neck of a bottle slips into the cut out base of the next bottle to form a chambered sleeve . That long row of bottles and tubing is laid into the tray. Then the shower doors are laid on top and attached and the whole box is tilted toward the sun at the correct angle (more or less) for our latitude. Here's what it looks like-

The first thermometer shows the temperature on a piece of black plastic outside the box and the center picture is inside the box.  There is a difference of about thirty degrees F after just about five minutes.

 

The last picture shows the poor thermometer after I closed the box up and took a thirty minute lunch break! The thing blew up! I guess the solar collection part works anyway.

Big thanks to Barbara, Terry, Shannon, and everyone else who provided two liter bottles!

Edible Seed Packaging

I am enjoying my pumpkins and winter squash. I like decorating with them and they boost my gardening morale when I glance over at their earthy colors. I really love cooking with them. I am sending these two to the neighbor. He wants some winter squash seed and I will have extra. He is a truck driver who developed a first-time lovely organic garden in his front yard. He is fortunate to have the weekends to work on it.

My other trucker friend is only home a few days a month and it must be very frustrating. It makes it hard to have much of a garden. This spring we are working together. I will be trying to help care for his gardening interests and he is helping out in a lot of ways- hauling compost, chicken litter, and mulch on a borrowed trailer. It should be a great garden with pictures following as soon as the temps warm up a little more. He has also generously ordered lots of seeds that he wants to try out and I will be starting them in the greenhouse as soon as they arrive. Can't wait!

For cheap thrills there is nothing like peering at a seed tray or peat cups to see if the seeds are up yet. Makes late winter bearable for me