Give your seeds and bulbs a jump start during the cold winter months with an in-home, miniature greenhouse.

What you need:
Hammer & Nails
Table or Potting Table - size of your choice
Sheet of lightweight plastic or an old shower curtain liner
Scissors
4 equally cut pieces of dowel or lumber (depending on size of your table)
Heating pads
Potting Soil
Assortment of flowerpots and flats for seedlings
Assortment of herb seeds
Assortment of bulbs

To prepare:
1. Start by planning herb seeds in pots.  Make sure they are close to the top with just a light dusting of soil.  These will go into your greenhouse initially.

2. Plant bulbs in soil.  Tip & shoulders of the bulb should be showing just above the soil.  Tip should be even with the pot.  Store bulbs in a cool place for 12 weeks.  A refrigerator is fine or in a garage if it's not too cold.  Then place them in the greenhouse for about 2-3 weeks.  They will begin to sprout or flower in that time.

To build the greenhouse:
1. Nail lumber onto all 4 corners of table so that it stands upright.  For a small table, dowel rods will work just fine.  Your rods need to be strong enough to suspend the plastic sheet above the table.  Give yourself enough height for a few extra inches of breathing room above your tallest pot.

2. Place your heating pads on the top of the table, or on the surface beneath.  This will give your plants a little extra heat when the temperature dips down really low at night.  (If you're placing the pads directly on the table, make sure you're not using plastic pots or seed flats.  They will melt.)

3. Cut plastic to size.  It needs to drape down past the tabletop to form a tent above your pots.  

4. Drape plastic over top of lumber to form a tent.  If your plastic is in narrow sheets, you may need more than one, going in opposite directions.  

5. Plastic should cover all 4 sides.  During the day when your greenhouse is in full fun, the greenhouse will require ventilation.  Simply take off the top piece of plastic or fold up the edges so your seedlings don't overheat.

6. Place your greenhouse in a warm sunny area in your house, or a shed, barn or garage.  Just make sure it gets plenty of natural sunlight and monitor the temperature.  Use the heating pads on cold nights and provide ventilation during hot, sunny days.