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| New greenhouse |
Why Use a Backyard Greenhouse?
Even a small greenhouse offers several advantages for home gardeners:
- Start vegetables earlier in the season.
- Protect seedlings from wind and heavy rain.
- Extend the growing season.
- Grow herbs close to the kitchen.
- Create a warm place for tender plants during cooler weather.
- Experiment with heirloom varieties that need extra care when they're young.
What I Planned to Grow
My greenhouse eventually became home to seedlings like:
- Tomatoes
- Bell peppers
- Beans
- Zucchini
- Herbs
- Lettuce
- New Zealand spinach
- Heirloom vegetables
Having a protected place to start seeds gave them a much better chance before transplanting them into the garden.
Why I Became Interested in Seed Saving
Around this time I also began learning more about heirloom vegetables and saving seeds from year to year. Growing open-pollinated varieties meant I could preserve many of my favorite plants while becoming a little more self-reliant each gardening season.
Why Honey Bees Matter
Honey bees are among the hardest-working pollinators in the garden. Without pollinators, many vegetables and fruiting plants produce fewer harvests. That's one reason I've gradually shifted toward using fewer pesticides and encouraging more beneficial insects and wildlife around the garden whenever possible.
This is the end results! I haven't done any planting yet, but plan to do a little tomorrow morning.
The greenhouse fits on my deck perfectly like it was meant for that corner.
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| Greenhouse shelves |
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| setting up greenhouse with planters |
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| adding my tropical palms to greenhouse |
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| greenhouse fits nicely on deck |
I've decided to start a new garden in my front yard. There's an area beside my driveway that's been an eye sore for a long time - the sun bores down on that spot. I think it's time to dig up the grass, fence the area, and start a patch of garden. Now I just need to find the energy to do it all...
Before I forget, my Seed to Seed book arrived Thursday in the mail. I've started reading the first chapter and I'm getting excited about heirloom gardening and saving my own seeds year after year.
This morning, I ordered a used book off of Amazon.com on Common Sense Pest Control - I really have a problem with pesticides, killing off needed bees, and other creatures, so I'm looking for NATURAL remedies. I hate the thought of killing a poor frog or lizard because I went nuts with poison in the yard.
Speaking of bees... I think we have a honey bee nest nearby. I'm finding honey bees in our pool everyday. I guess this is a good thing as I'm sure going to need them with all this gardening!
At the library, I found a video about honey bees and watched it with Pamela. I honestly have more respect for these creatures now. It's little things like this that brings mockery to the evolutionists who deny their Creator. I can see God's handiwork in every creature outside, to the simplicity of a tiny leaf!
Looking Back
Looking back, this little greenhouse became the beginning of a much larger journey into homesteading, heirloom gardening, seed saving, and preparedness. What started as a simple gardening project eventually changed the way I thought about growing food and becoming a little more self-reliant.
6 comments:
wala pulos imo blog.
I love your greenhouse and you have some very nice plants in it. Hope it all works out well for you. In fact, in your area it should give you a big head start over the winter months.
While I'm thinking of it, Midland TX was bad for squash bugs and if you find any on your squash plants, turn the leaves over and look for clusters of eggs, if you find some paint them with fingernail polish. A much safer way of preventing them from hatching then spraying.
Believe it or not I found 2 nest on my zucchini this morning. Very rare for my area.
If you don't kill the eggs they will hatch and suck the life out of your plant.
I just noticed your designer Cool Whip planter.. where did you buy that one? :-o
I like it, it looks pretty Cool (pun intended)
Wala opulos imo blog :p
Hey how much did it cost you I'm thinking of getting a green house and hope I don.t have to pay and arm and a leg for it
Other types of installations include digging out a sunken floor that aid in retaining heat during colder months. Maybe you want a full concrete slab under your greenhouse with a slightly sloped floor and floor drain set up. You can build a knee wall around the perimeter of the greenhouse and build on top of that wall, which also gives you more headroom inside. Greenhouses need to have good drainage on the inside and the foundation you use needs to address this. Keep in mind that some of these installations are considered temporary and others are permanent. You need to check your local building codes to see if a permit is required for your type of installation. Greenhouse Kits
Hydroponic plants can also be grown in nurseries and greenhouses as well. The benefit of growing these plants without soil in a sterile medium includes not having to remove weeds or dealing with soil-borne pests and diseases. And since all the nutrients necessary for the plant are readily available to it, the plant is noticeably healthier than the plants grown in soil. Hydroponic Grow Kits
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