Makeshift Greenhouse and Hot peppers

11 years ago

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum, sorry if I am posting in the wrong thread and if my question has already been asked, if it was i couldn't find it.

I live in SOuthern California and am growing some Caribbean peppers, ( Basically it is a Habanero pepper)I sprouted them in doors using a jiffy starter kit and a heat mat, the all sprouted and have been inside for two weeks now on the mat with some 100wat bulbs overhead. I want to move them outside and start some more seeds.

I made a shelf out of 2by4's and some ply wood, then encased the hole thing in polyethylene plastic and there is a flap to put the plants in and take them out, there is a grow light hanging overhead, to make a makeshift greenhouse. It is located outside on my porch with temps of highs in the 60's and lows in the 40's, will my seedlings be okay in the greenhouse I made with the lights on them? or should I keep them inside?

Another thing I want to add is that I want to put them outside with the heat mat, because i only have one and want to use it to start new seeds.

Thanks In advance for any help you can give me.

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Comments (3)

cole_robbie
11 years ago
Heat mats are for sprouting seeds. Peppers do like it warm, but it's best to not apply the heat to roots. It's always cool underground, even when the weather is hot, which is why roots like to be cool.

Does the porch get direct sunlight? If so, you would want to be careful it didn't get too hot.

Plants that are raised entirely inside under artificial light need to be gradually adjusted to the sun as part of the hardening off process. It's more about UV radiation that it is temperature.
shadowsp7
Original Author
11 years ago
@ Cole Robbie,

Thanks for the response, I just unplugged the heat mat and only have it under the light now.

The but the porch does not get direct sunlight, it is under canopy type structure, it only gets light that bounces of the house.

So do you think the peppers will do okay out there in the mini green house with the growing light on it from 12 to 16 hours a day.

Right now days are in the 60's and nights are in the 40's temp wise.

This post was edited by shadowsp7 on Wed, Feb 6, 13 at 21:21
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cole_robbie
11 years ago
The benefit of the plastic is that you raise the temperature around the plants a little bit. The detriment is that you lose fresh air circulation. I would leave some gaps for the breeze to exchange your air inside the plastic. You might also want a very gentle fan circulating air inside the plastic around the plants. Without air movement, your plants will have weak stems. Air movement also prevents fungal disease and mildew.

Good luck with everything. Keep a close eye on the plants, and they will be fine.