How To Build A Small DIY Tree And Plant Nursery On Your Residential Property
A small DIY tree and plant nursery can be a great asset to have on your residential property. It can be used during all four seasons of the year to germinate and grow seedlings to plant in your garden. A residential nursery can be constructed in many ways. Here are some ideas on how you can build a small tree and plant nursery on your property that is economical and efficient:
Nursery Tent: You can build a small nursery out of a camping tent. Instead of using canvas cloth to cover the tent poles, cover them with clear plastic sheeting that is available at any home and garden center. Secure this sheeting around each tent pole and then lash the tent poles together to construct a strong structure. Next, build planter boxes inside of the tent. Stagger the planter boxes so that the boxes closest to the sides of the tent are taller than the interior planter boxes. These staggered planter boxes will allow you to cultivate many plants and trees.
Nursery Dome: You can purchase a small geodesic dome at a home and garden center or hardware store. You can also find geodesic dome structures for sale online. Construct your geodesic dome in place and cover the outside of the dome with clear plastic sheeting. Seal the base of the geodesic dome with plastic sheeting to contain the warmth generated by the sun. You can place planter boxes and growing tables inside of the dome in any configuration that gives you easy access your trees and plants.
Nursery Shed: You can build a small nursery shed on your property with a door to the outside, windows on all four sides, and a glass covered roof. The glass windows and roof will allow the maximum amount of heat and light to enter your nursery. Inside of this nursery shed, you can place growing tables at a comfortable standing and working height. It is a good idea to install a functioning window across from the shed door to encourage cross drafts to circulate air.
Nursery Irrigation and Drainage: Whatever nursery structure you build must have a thorough irrigation and drainage system. Locate your nursery near a water spigot to easily keep your seedlings watered. You must also have an adequate drainage system to avoid standing water that could encourage insects and mold in the nursery. To construct a working drainage system, place your nursery on top of an array of buried PVC pipes that are perforated with holes to allow water to enter the pipes. As you bury the PVC pipes, wrap them in a covering of light cotton cloth to prevent dirt and roots from entering the pipes and clogging them. Cover the PVC pipes with gravel and sand so that any water that falls in that area can drain into the pipes and be carried away to another part of the garden.
Once you have a workable nursery structure built, you can customize it to accommodate the trees and plants that you wish to propagate and grow. Trees in your nursery will need a bit more headroom to grow than other plants and vegetables. You can also install a wooden lattice on the ceiling of your nursery to hold hanging pots of plants. You can change your interior growing planters boxes as your seedlings grow and are transplanted outdoors. You can also build a couple of simple shelves inside of your nursery to hold waterproof plastic containers to store your tools and keep them dry. A small DIY tree and plant nursery is a great resource to have for any homeowner that loves their garden. For more information, contact companies like Penngrove Nursery.