The Garden Shedde

When I first got started in greenhouse gardening, I wasn’t sure I wanted to jump in with both feet.  It took me a while to decide if I really wanted to go down this road.  I had always had a spring and summer garden and just never really tried to garden the rest of the year.  However, the idea of have fresh produce pretty much year-round sure sounded good so I bought a small greenhouse and got started.

It was much easier to put up than I had thought it would be and I have moved it several times so it’s definitely portable.  That first year I had to learn a few things about greenhouses such as the proper temperature in both summer and winter.  You can’t let it gat to hot in the summer or to cold in the winter.  You have to learn how to properly vent greenhouses to get your plants the fresh air they need so you need to plan on taking some time to learn about this type of gardening.

I now have a larger greenhouse and continue to use the little one as well throughout the year and having both is working out really well.  I highly recommend you taking the time to learn how to use a home garden greenhouse and you will quickly see that you have an advantage over those who rely only on the grocery store.

In my backyard, among my hydrangeas and sunflowers sits my greenhouse. I do not know what I would do without it. It has truly been a lifesaver throughout many years; not only for my plants, but for me as well. It is a small greenhouse, no bigger than your typical gardening shed, but the work it does is huge.

In the winter, I put my plants in there to keep them from the certain death they would incur when the frost hits. It is so handy to have a place specifically for my plants to go that is the perfect environment for them to continue to grow and flourish. Not only is it useful in the winter but also is a great necessity year round.

I use my greenhouse year round, including the summer. My fruits and vegetables thrive in the moist humidity it provides. Can you imagine walking out your back door and picking fresh tomatoes and strawberries? It is really quite a luxury that I enjoy. A greenhouse is a must for a garden enthusiast; I know my life would be quite different if I did not have mine.

Will it really be the tomatoes next time, the spinach, the peppers?  What will be the next salmonella outbreak and why some people will never be affected?

The answer to the first question is an easy one.  No one knows what food source will be infected with salmonella and potentially transferred to the tables of America.  No one knows because the powers that be from the FDA (Food & Drug Administration), congress and down, we no longer have the protections on our food source that we once had.

At least that’s what you’ve been told.  However, since the fifties more and more families have been giving up their gardens and buying everything from the local grocery store.  It is easy and mindless and is proving to be dangerous, which brings me to the people who will never be affected.

These are the gardeners in your neighborhood, your local farmers and those who purchase from the local farmers.  These people know where their food comes from, when it was picked and what chemicals, if any; have been used on their foods and they’re taking it to the next level.

For the first time you will see greenhouses going up like never before.  The modern greenhouse allows you to grow year-round and with the easy greenhouse kits, anyone can put one up in their backyard.  When you are growing your own, you won’t worry about the next outbreak because you won’t have too.

Most everyone knows the benefits of using newspapers to cover where you would like to place a garden to rid yourself of weeds, etc.  However, it’s also a great way to establish a floor for the spot you would like to place a greenhouse.

The first thing to do is determine where in your yard you have space that is also level.  Most greenhouse kits will need to be built on level ground.  Then determine how big your green house will be; do you prefer an 8 x 8 or maybe a 12 x 16?  You will need to know that in order to measure out the foundation for your home greenhouse.

Drive a stake in the ground at one corner and measure out your foundation from corner to corner (remember the size greenhouse you are getting) and stake the other three corners and pull the string tight revealing the exact size you will need for your foundation.  Always take a tape measure out and double check the measurements.

Lay out the newspaper (about 6 to 7 layers) to cover the entire area.  You can wet it in a bucket or have a water source handy to spray the paper to stay down as you lay it out.  Once you have it laid out it’s up to you what material you would like to have for a quick foundation.  You can choose an organic material such as mulch or a rock or gravel material.

The main things you will need to watch is to make sure the newspaper is totally smothered and can still get moisture.  You can also use newspapers underneath several kinds of flooring to keep your greenhouse floor nice and clear of weeds and unwanted grasses.

Looking out the back door; what do you see?  Are you one of those people who rewrap your old greenhouse frames with plastic every year?  You keep thinking; next year you’ll look into a more durable, sustainable, efficient covering for that frame that may last more than one season at a time.  If so, this is the time to start thinking about what’s going to happen to that old greenhouse once it has a new skin.

There are a lot of different coverings you can use to replace the old skin, from different plastics to glass.  They come in all shapes and sizes and are shipped from UPS to freight.  You can get one layer or double walled, custom to one size fits all and all you have to do is find the one that fit’s your frame and your budget.

If that sounds too hard, you can cover it again with cheap plastic and replaced it again next year.  It will tear, sweat, leak and mildew just like it always does.  You most likely pay more to cover that frame every year than it would be for a long term solution.  Some guaranteed up to 8 years.  Of course, you may like covering that thing every year.

Over the last few days since the information on tomatoes came out in the news, almost everyone I have talked too has said that they are contemplating a garden to grow their own food.  What struck me funny is, last year my oldest son was visiting right when my garden was starting to produce and he asked me, “Why have vegetable gardens when you can get everything you need from the grocery store?”

I went on to explain to him that I enjoyed it.  There is something very therapeutic when you get your hands in dirt.  Now I’m seeing it may be the way we feed ourselves in the future; backyard gardens and greenhouses.  In fact, there might be a time that the guy or gal that knows how to “grow things” is a very sought after commodity.

With that said, this may be a great time to start a small container gardens for those eatables that will be ready for a late summer or an early fall harvest.  At some point, you may want to invest in a hobby greenhouse so you can have your own garden almost year round.  Of course it will depend on where you live as well as your climate, etc., and there are a lot to choose from so you will need to do your research.

Everybody knows the internet is a great place to investigate your choices as to what and when to grow and how to grow it.  Another great resource for help is your state’s agriculture department.  They should be able to help you with all types of information tailored to your state’s particular region.  Some state agriculture departments will also run detailed soil analysis on the dirt you are using.  Check first to make sure you live in a state where this is available.  Once you have this information, you can take the necessary steps to improve your soil for optimum growing.

A greenhouse is a structure that normally has a glass or plastic roof and sometimes glass or plastic walls that cause the air to it heat up due to incoming solar radiation from the sun. This keeps the plants warm as well as other things inside the building.

Backyard greenhouses are a great deal of fun and a great value for your money. Most backyard greenhouse kits require no permanent foundation and can be set up quickly in your yard. Make sure you get a greenhouses kit that can be put together without the need to hire a contractor as this will both save you money and give your entire family a fun DYI project!

Greenhouses have vents to move fresh air in and around the inside of the greenhouse to facilitate healthy plants. Make sure you have the needed supplies and accessories to make your greenhouse experience a pleasant one.