Learning with a Greenhouse

Yes, I know there is a place for winter crops and I planted 15 turnips that never showed and 2/3 of my Kale plants were stolen by a vermint (I even enclosed the little plants). Winter crops will have to wait. I DID grow 5 pumpkins though. 2 are orange and "Halloween" like, 2 are peach colored and 'long in the face', the last one was a white/blue pumpkin and it didn't last very long. Questions I have for the universe: Was it good garden soil? My daughter bought me a soil testing kit from amazon for me to try. Was there enough soil? Are the raised beds as full as they need to be? How do I really use fertilizer in the garden? What fertilizer do I use? Were my plants too crowded? Yes; how do I stop my compulsion to plant everything in sight? Road to Redemption: READING: I bought a book by Mike McGrath, Growing Great Tomatoes , and I have read half. So far, I did almost everything wrong from he start (but I had fun - so there's that). I also found a book in my lib...

It's mid July here in Virginia and the garden is in full swing. I have learned a lot along the way. I have added a diagram of the plot and a video below. SOIL I just used the soil we had, added more topsoil from the stone store and some compost. Not very scientific - or - the best idea. I think there is something wrong with the soil. I bought a kit to test it, when the results come back, I'll have a better understanding of what to do to correct it all. STARTING FROM SEED This was a great idea and saved me a ton of money (except that I buy every seed packet in sight). When I buy seed packets, I do a lot of research, then throw all that knowledge out the window and just buy seeds. I did buy some from an online company and they just aren't great - the taste is bland and not such a great bounty. March/April: Starting seeds in cups: I had some left over styrofoam cups and plastic cocktail cups - so I used them. I poked holes in the bottom of the styrofoam cups, added moist se...

It has taken a while to get this post out but not because the greenhouse took so long. It's taken a while because as soon as it was finished - everything went into warp speed! I absolutely LOVE this greenhouse. Hands down, the best present Jim has ever given to me.  We built the house in the garage and, because it was also light weight, walked it over to the site Jim had prepared. The site was anchored because of windy days off the river and we screwed the greenhouse to the base. Then we laid and stapled the hard-cloth and added pebbles for flooring. The doors remain quirky and don't close 100% at the top. I thought that would prove problematic but not so (though the engineer gives it side-eye every time he passes it). To finish it up, Jim built some work tables with hardware cloth. I added two chairs and a table for a reflection area, and the bed of pebbles was a perfect flooring. Jim insisted that we add stepping stones (good call).  T...

  4 Hours Read a lot, thought a lot, then did what I thought best knowing how the river works. You are supposed to position your greenhouse so that a wall side is facing South East. That's all well and good; and if I did that, I would lose the house to gusts o wind coming from the river. Instead, I positioned the doors of the greenhouse South East knowing that in the spring, summer and fall this spot receives at least 6-8 hours of sun-rise to early afternoon sun before the cedars begin to cast shade over the site. The sun will make my plants grow without blistering the leaves and the shade will protect them from heavy afternoon sun. The picture below shows January sun at 3:00-3:30pm. Today we selected, and constructed the frame of the greenhouse. Jim bought 6 foundation blocks, readjusted them to fit 4x4 beams and put it all together.  Next weekend, we will anchor the structure, add the weed cloth and about 2-3 inches of pea gravel. SO CLOSE!...

  3 Hours The toughest part of today's construction - reading the plans and figuring out what it wanted us to do. This was an easier task for the engineer (I had to walk away once or twice). The panels for the top went in really easy. Just don't over think it - follow the plan and it will all work out. The doors were a nightmare and will need to be adjusted once it is on location.

  5 HOURS Today we added the sides and set up for the roof. The hardest part today was adding the triangle section at the back of the greenhouse. The directions are sketch and we practiced a lot of patience. We also looked up the measurements of the greenhouse online (they aren't in the directions). It showed that it should be 90.2" tall and the measurement of the garage door is 96" - so building in the garage should work! We'll just need a lot of friends to move it when the time comes. My legs are beat though! I have on a boot from surgery over the holidays and really had to watch what I did - geez! Jim just kept on going though - my energizer bunny. What was hard : The directions are wonky and you have to figure out some of the pictures.  What we learned : Power of the 'tap' - when in doubt, tap the structure until it all falls into place.

4 HOURS The Greenhouse was delivered in two long skinny boxes. One box held the pieces for the structure and the other box (that snapped open sometime during delivery) held the window slats. Jim's first statement: "Good thing I'm still in the Christmas Spirit." Well, Shut the Back Door! Good thing we watched videos on the "assembly" because people were NOT kidding about all the parts! Oh! And y ou will not be disappointed - the instructions are just as bad as everyone says; if you use the "parts page" to help you identify the pieces you need - it's not so bad (for now). Just go in with a positive attitude, don't tighten down anything and never force the aluminum - you'll be fine. We had to laugh, the first instruction said to unpack everything and count all the pieces ... you have to be kidding. Tonight we built the bottom, supports, 'front door' and back wall of the frame. It took a couple of hours. We are building most of it ...