The completed frame of the greenhouse. 2x4x10', cut at the top to form a peak, with a small triangle of plywood at the top, and a bracer about 1.5 feet down. The entire frame is attached with rope at the top. I wouldn't recommend this, if you can put wood straight across the very top to protect the plastic.
Inside the mostly completed plastic cover.
The most up-to-date picture. The plastic is tight, and the door is framed and cut. The other end is capped with plywood. Inside there is no wind, and I will be placing my soil blocks in here, as well as making more blocks.
Close up of the door. That little flap of plastic will be cut away once I've built a door.
All in all, I wish I had built this greenhouse from PVC conduit pipe, which would have been much, much faster. The plastic would last longer too. I also would buy a product called "wiggle wire" which attaches to the bottom frame of the greenhouse, and holds the plastic without puncturing it. It isn't expensive, and allows you to tighten the plastic from time to time.
When the plastic on this this finally gives out, I will cover the north end with plywood, and paint it white. Then, I will put polycarbonate panels on the south side, which will make it much stronger, and it will last many years.
A few days ago I had a few good friends here, and we got a lot done. The plastic, of course, but we also planted about 160 bareroot strawberries, and collected a bunch of llama manure from my neighbor. I planted a couple more packages of sunflowers, a bag of potatoes, and found that my neighbor has my favorite chicken, the Buff Orpington! She also has a turkey, guinea fowl, and a bunch of sheep.
I should mention that the wind has been blowing about 27 kph, but from the east...normally it's north or west. I have no fencing to the east, so it's really irritating! I have quite a bit more work to get done, but that greenhouse was the major project I wanted, and it's finished! Sort of! Needs a door!
Next project, get a brooder heater, and buy 400 chicks from a local nursery. That's next wednesday. Then, purchase electronet fencing, and some chick feeders and waterers. And, a pump action 20 gauge shotgun. Hey, a man's gotta have a shotgun!
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3 comments:
Very interesting Blog, I have got to see this place sometime. It sounds like you have built quite the set-up. I would like to know who your accountant is as i went on the website for the solar panels and if you purchased that many with your tax return i have got to get in touch with him or her...Lol. I am also curious how your planters work out with the newspaper and in the no till rows, sounds like an interesting way of doing things, if succesful it seems to me it would me a fairly maintenance free system. What will you be doing with the chickens? 400 seems to be a lot for one famlies consumption, I am assuming you are selling them? Have you also set-up a butchering facility? Or is that what the shotgun is for...hahaha Looking forward to your next blog!
Was just wondering are you growing your strawberries in the greenhouse or outside? If outside what method do you use to keep the birds and other critters out of them? We have always had a terrible time with the birds and our strawberries and I am curious to find other ways of protection from fellow growers.
I haven't made any protections for the strawberries, we dot have a huge bird population on the prairies. If they start eating too many, I have wire mesh that I can cover them.
The 400 chickens are for selling, mostly. I am going to butcher a few for our family, and the rest have to be taken to a slaughter facility to be inspected. Can't sell uninspected meat in Canada.
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