This page introduces my thoughts and experiments with easy to build and easy to install greenhouses.
(Skip introduction-- Click to see Roll Top Garden Cover)
We neglected our vegetable garden about 30 years. In order to focus on income paying jobs (during the boom years). As of 2009 job prospects are diminishing. My earlier interests in self-sufficient living styles has increased a lot. Boosting organic soil fertility will take more years. This is essentially hard labor, which can need strong inspiration. Many years of creative concrete promotional efforts, convinced me that path is not actually profitable monetarily. No matter, i am thankful for the experience and can now move onward to more humble pursuits. I worked hard at rebuilding green-manure-compost piles, and bed drainage, in 2009.
The2009 summer growing season in Maine was very rainy, damp and overcast, with infrequent days of sun. It appeared that 'hot houses', 'hoop houses' and protection from long periods of damp days, did help many nearby gardeners avoid the dreaded blight.With new determination, i improved my raised beds, added new compost and also some fine, local sand, (with lots of wheel barrow work).
Long term healthy soils, complete with organic eco systems, also greatly forestalls the effects of bad seasons-- 2009 was surely a wake up call-- Given the destruction of economies by financiers who use elaborate investment instruments which amount to little more than illusive betting and gambling schemes. (Covered up with many layers misleading terms, encouraged by complicit office holders. Well, until actual assets are called for and are then found lacking. This is becoming more apparent, regardless of scripted media lies. This combined with war mongering by the hoped for elected leaders of change, means we are momentarily doomed by incompetents in office. Too much financing goes into destructive war industries. True: "It is easier to make nothing out of something. It is hard to make something out of nothing." Also, it requires effort to maintain good things.)
My 34 year old grape trellis frame works of rebar are still standing and without coatings other than natural rust. Just to the right of our pup, can be seen a crude stick jammed under circular top of this grape arbor. This arbor had a huge ice slide fall on it a few years ago, which snapped one of the rebar supports. Over the years, #3 rebar rod, (3/8ths inch or nearly a centimeter in diameter), has proved to be the best priced framing and very durable in the garden frameworks. By comparison, metal tubing presents more surface area for corrosion. Plastic risks buying PVC which is a vial polluter of the planet. (Though other plastics might one day provide good options). I should also describe my thinking about arbor construction, but separately, someday. Here again, follow some new #3 rebar arches made from half length rods, (each about 10ft long). These are very simple to install by one's very own self.
My trusty kale was slow growing this past foggy and rainy summer of '09. I decided to cover it over with my rebar arches and cheap plastic sheet. This also promotes winter greens, but next year my soil improvements should give a much better yield. I say this to encourage people to persist, even though beginnings are often difficult to endure. Take courage. Find some land, in a region with reasonable rain fall. Start gardening.
This style of 'crawl-through cold-frame' easily adapts to most any garden layout, even after the fact. Even as an after thought! One can delay it until the last minute, (because summers have so many other demands). If the season turns too wet as 09 did, just roll yourself some #3 rebar. With a swirling flourish, spread out a sheet of plastic, for covering. It is always good exercise, besides.
Snow or dirt generally seal the plastic edges against the ground. Snow is easy to brush off the south face. Let not a cold winter depress oneself. Crawl into your creative-shelter and reconnect with earthen energies. Frost is reduced a great deal, even by one thin plastic layer. Empower self, escape the big-box depression of life energies.
These are crawl-through houses. Also called 'hoop houses', but i prefer the name arch-houses. My '09 kale was not even half as good as in better years, of the past, but it has been worth the low cost investment in steel and plastic. Ground has frozen less than expected inside, allowing me to continue digging leaks and potatoes.
Above is a much older frame, made primarily of steel rings. The season was early spring. The fact is, that domes can be made with simple lengths of rebar. Even in the winter, with ice and snow covering your garden space. Simply use a short piece of rebar as an 'ice-pick' like chisel. Pound your way through the frozen ground. (This should not be so difficult in an established growing soil). Then insert a series of arched rebar lengths. (I'll add some demo pictures on rebar bending, though intuition should go a long way for you). Call them 'hoops' if you prefer, except that the word hoop is defined as full-circle rings. Cover with a sheet to accelerate the spring thaw for a few garden beds. Get an early start this spring, as temperate climates offer short seasons. There is no time to loose. Too many warm climates are draught ridden, be thankful in wet, cool climate. Plan for your well being, take greenhouse action.
A much more advanced approach to short season gardens now follows. One of my plans for 2010 garden is to cover the main section, almost completely. Something like 20'X 20', or larger. Above is my general frame structure comprising 16 or more 'pillar like' hollow-bar-frames which connect together. (Progress photos will be linked in summer of 2010).
I have been meditating about the design for some time. It is in addition to a smaller self-heating design still under slow development. (Click here). Low employment leaves me time, while i did buy rebar in the boom years. My region, Maine USA, has long periods of cold weather, with snow. I am considering ways to easily drop snow through the 'valleys' of the plastic-- So that a wheel barrow can catch one load, at each point along the path. Then be dumped outside-- This should be reasonable winter exercise, for those who do not like gyms or sterile exercise machines-- A poor man's exercise, productive and useful exercise in the cold winter. 'Uninsulated' and 'unheated' green houses have proved better than expected.
My schematic diagram above, indicates that a 20ft sheet of plastic will be spread out by a quick roller action. It will speed up spring-soil-warming, for earlier planting and start up. It will protect against early and late frost. It will allow wanted full sun at times. It will provide for simplified opening and closing. It will allow closing during prolonged summer-damping periods (like summer of '09 was in Maine). It will allow extended fresh harvest during winter. It will be low cost. It should also help forestall blights in damp rainy summers, like 2009, (in the Northeastern USA).
It may ultimately include a provision to sift snow loads to ground. In short, it will be a roll-top greenhouse and work almost like a huge roller-window shade. The pillar like frames will include truss like ties for rigidity. Also, vine plants can be easily hung. Other details will be revealed with time. Here is a separate page on 'container gardening' which i might use in a roll top greenhouse. Also,another page of mine-- Here are some of my visions for greenhouse-container-gardens. Or perhaps 'indoor-hanging-gardens'.
I think this computer-design read out resulted from 24 pillars (in my CAD model). So 500 lbs of rebar investment might do the job. I bought a bundle of long rods when income was good-- Plan ahead, invest in practical materials. My garden has sufficient slope to induce some slight draft for good ventilation, good drainage has been vital. Yet also provides water retention in draughty summers.
My 09 kale was not even half as good as in better years, but it has been worth the low cost investment in steel and plastic. For better gardening years ahead. Now that the boom years are past. There is no longer any incentive, to trey to make much money with my art.
Note: These pages are placed in the public domain and are furnished "as is". The author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of the concepts in this series. All authorities should be satisfied first, as might be required, by relevant laws, before any building proceeds.
