Greenhouse Repair and a Side of Buckshot

Last year we built a very ramshackle greenhouse using mostly materials from around the property we live on. Through a couple of really spectacular storms and then the snow breaking the PVC pipe we used for the roof, it was pretty much decimated. Last Sunday we went out and tackled the main greenhouse repair: the roof project.

For us (with pretty much zero actual construction experience) the idea of putting up a sturdier roof that would last more than one season was daunting. We talked about just getting PVC again since we do not own the property we live on. We do not want to put a bunch of money into a greenhouse only to move a year or two later. We discussed using electrical conduit as it is stronger. We even went to the hardware store only to find they didn’t have enough and wouldn’t for a few days until the next barge came in. Turns out that it didn’t matter because we learned that conduit cannot really be bent and we couldn’t find the kind of clamps we wanted to use. Ahh, the joys of living on an island. Back to the drawing board.

When we got home, the Mister turned to me and asked, “Why don’t we just do the same thing we did when we built the frame, using poles from around here?” Ever have a “face-palm” moment? Think V-8 commercials. So there I am, face palming myself and replied that not only was it a great idea, it was also considerably cheaper than buying all the stuff that may or may not work anyway. We do not need a pretty greenhouse, we need a functional one. All the prettiness will come when you open the door and see a huge bounty of green growing things you can eat! We gathered our supplies and tools and headed outside to tackle the project.

First, we had to clean up the old plastic and get the old nails and whatnot out. When we first built it, we had the top plastic piece separate from the plastic around the walls which proved to be a good idea. This way, we can replace the top piece of plastic while still offering a bit of protection from the walls being up (and mostly intact). We decided to add another log over the door frame to give more height and then put another pole at the other end. We learned A LOT last year about measuring things out and making sure they are level. We managed to get it level and straight so installing the rafter poles was a breeze. We used outer door frame screws to secure it all down and when it was completed, the entire structure was considerably stronger. Places that we could shake the frame with our hands now no longer shake. The door no longer sticks when you try to open it; the installation of the roof peak and rafters seems to have cinched everything up! A nice bonus we weren’t expecting.

The replacing of the plastic will be another half day project. We will need to cover the rafters where they connect to the peak so the plastic will not shred on the points in a storm. I thought about using old T Shirts but those will eventually mold and mildew and that is very bad for the plants. Likely we will just use scrap plastic and duck tape to cover and smooth out the rough edges. The roof peak is about a foot or so lower than it was last year which may make it interesting for growing certain things like peas. We will be installing better ventilation this year as well due to the fungus issue we had last year. The greenhouse just got too hot and humid which caused a fungus to grow and wiped out our tomatoes. The slugs had their part in the death of the tomato plants but this year, I have a battle plan which you can read about in a previous article: Slug Battle 2014.

Other projects we need to get done before the growing season is truly upon us is to build another 2 ft by 8 ft cold frame, redo all cold frame lids with the clear reinforced plastic and get good ventilation in the greenhouse. I also want to get a sign made that lets people know the garden is private and not to pick our veggies. Yes, that happened last year. Some people would go peeking into the greenhouse or lifting the lids on the cold frames to see what we were growing. I caught one guy INSIDE my greenhouse, eating a carrot. First I told him I would happily take payment for the carrot he helped himself to. When he got nasty with me I informed him that I was going inside and should he still be on the property when I came back out, he was going to get really intimate with my shotgun.

Maybe I should put something on my sign that reads, “All salads come with a free side of buck shot.”

UPDATE: I really did put that saying on the sign!