The Greenhouse is Finished!
March 22nd, 2009Friday, Bernie finished the greenhouse. Yay! Saturday we filled in around the ground we leveled and added gravel to the floor of it.
As the sun heated it Saturday, the windows were streaked with moisture.
And the auto vent at the top opens and closes beautifully, depending on the temperature. There’s another vent on the opposite side that can be manually opened and closed.
And the white thing on the lower left that I thought was some kind of fan?
It’s actually another vent. The louvers can be manually opened and closed to allow air flow.
There is no question these vents are needed. I suspect that as the weather warms, the double doors will be open most of the time. Even with the temperature in the 40s Saturday morning, it was balmy enough in the greenhouse to force us out of our coats.
I immediately began moving in the potted plants I over-wintered in my garden shed. I’m not sure many made it through the frigid weather of this last winter. But I did see new growth on my butter fly plant.
Today I’ll be filling peat pots and planting vegetable seeds and hoping for the best. I can’t wait to play in the dirt.
Diesel and Dolly spent the majority of the day romping around the yard, chasing each other, and eating chicken poop. The fun ended when Diesel decided to give into temptation and chase chickens. One bad apple spoils the whole bunch. They were both sent inside to reconsider the whole chasing chickens thing.
I tried letting the two broody mamas out in the coop with their babies for a while yesterday. It didn’t last long. Broody1 started clucking for her chicks to come eat and Broody2’s chicks responded by running over to see what Broody1 had found. That set Broody2 into a jealous rage and resulted in another brawl. I got them separated and back into their pens, but not before combs and wattles were bleeding. *sigh* I have another plan to get these two out with their chicks, but it’s going to take some patience and time. Neither of which I have much of right now. But I’m tired of cleaning messy pens every day, so I’m willing to work on it.
Today we’ll be adding chicken wire to every plant in the yard, and around the garden area. The chickens do a great job at turning the soil, but they have no regard for the plants in it. My bulbs are starting to pop out of the ground, and the chickens just love the green leaves. Free ranging them has been a wonderful experience and I just love having them run around my feet when I’m out in the yard, but it certainly comes with a price. Maybe the chicken wire will slow them down. It’s more likely I’ll be battling chickens for my plants all year.
My niece confessed to me that she does not read every word of my riveting, completely enthralling blog posts. But she does look at the pictures. Can you imagine? In all fairness, she is a city girl with absolutely no interest in any activity that does not take place in an environmentally controlled setting, let alone activities that involve exposure to insects, dirt, or animal poop. She is like her Aunt Penny in so many ways, but she did not inherit my love of gardening and other outside activities. She is over 30 now, so there is little hope she will ever appreciate these things at this age, but I am determined to at least cultivate her interest in what I am doing. So now a little quiz for my Non-Reading-I-Only-Look-at-the-Pictures-in-Your-Blog niece - which potted plant has new growth? Read through this blog and call me with your answer. I may have other questions for you as well. I am, after all, your favorite Aunt. And I am interesting, dammit!
Bee Free,
Penny
Tags: broody hens fighting, greenhouse
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:01 am
I’m not your niece, but I know the answer. I won’t spoil it for her, though.
So, the greenhouse looks fabulous! How do you feel about the dimensions inside? Enough? I’m always worried that I will wish that I got a bigger one once it is up and I can really walk around in it.
Any chance you think one person could erect it?
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:39 am
The inside of the greenhouse is 8 X 12 - and the shelving is about 2 feet wide. There is plenty of room to walk around, and between the shelves and the floor, I think it will be enough room. With every building we’ve put up around here, I ALWAYS wish it was bigger! But realistically, they are probably all big enough.
I honestly feel erecting this greenhouse required two people for the majority of it. I suppose one person technically could do it alone - but I sure wouldn’t want to be that one person! There are a lot of steps that require at least four hands, in my opinion.
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:47 am
I love the greenhouse. Is it a kit that you bought or did you come up with it yourself. That is a dream but it will be a long time coming around here.
I love that you keep your chicks and the mama’s together. We have always taken the chicks once hatched and put them under a light for fear that the other chickens would kill them. You know how mean they can be. You are a brave soul free ranging right now. This time of year I put ours up until my flowers, trees and garden are filled out. They don’t like it but if I had to replace blueberry bushes I would not be happy.
Have a great weekend.
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:18 am
Hi Trixi - the greenhouse came as a kit. I got tired of waiting for the greenhouse Bernie was going to build me to make it up on the “list” of things he has to do around here. I ordered it - and I’m really quite pleased with it so far.
I try to let my chickens live in as close to a “natural” type of environment as possible. I had no clue that the two broodies that hatched out the chicks were going to try to “naturally” kill each other every time they saw each other. It’s been a test of my patience and I’ve had to keep them penned separately with their chicks. I really don’t want to bring the chicks inside - the broodies are such good little mamas and I don’t want the dust in the house! I’m hoping I can start by letting one of the mamas out with her chicks for a few days so that she *hopefully* ends up out of the coop with them, and then start allowing the other out inside the coop with hers. Broody1 really wants to be the mother of ALL the chicks, and I’m not really sure how long it will take for her to get over that. That’s what starts them to fighting every time.
And I am really praying the chicken wire around every living thing around here works to keep the chickens out of them. We’ll see…….
March 22nd, 2009 at 1:03 pm
The greenhouse looks great! I know you are so excited to have it built. Your niece just doesn’t know what she’s missing. Playing in the dirt and with all the farm critters is so much fun, isn’t it?
March 22nd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Hey Lilla! I really am excited to have that greenhouse finished. I’ve already got a few flats filled with veggy seeds in peat pots. And my niece is a mess. She’s so much fun and loves looking at the farm critters, but that’s about as close as she likes to get. She called me shortly after I posted this and yelled “Butterfly plant!” And the funny thing is she wouldn’t know a butterfly plant if it grew out of her ears.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:26 am
Pretty….very pretty greenhouse. I love seeing all the moisture clinging to the sides. That means its working like a charm. And it will keep your plants and seedlings all toast warm.
Okay. And really? Who could only look at the pictures of your fantastic blog? I mean, cmon…..
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:56 am
I am so jealous…Not only do you have brand new baby chicks but you have a lovely greenhouse too. I can’t wait for the day we have a large piece of land with no “farm animals” rules, enough space for a large garden and greenhouse, and enough woods to get lost in should we choose to. Until then I have to live vicariously through your adventures.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
frugalmom - yes, it is quite balmy inside the greenhouse. I’m tickled with it. I need to get a thermometer in there. I honestly believe it was 90 degrees in there yesterday. It’s just so awesome.
Kitaye - One day you’ll live on a large piece of land with farm animals and lots of woods - but I’ll NEVER be as talented as you. You make some of the most incredibly beautiful items. I am in love with your carved coffee scoops, your spoons, and ….. well, all of it. Plus you weave. And you’re an artist. It’s just not fair I tell you!
March 24th, 2009 at 9:23 am
lol, I guess this is the mutual admiration club then. I do all I do out of a need to keep my hands and mind busy, and I prefer making useful things. You do what you do out of love. Way more important.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Penny Love the greenhouse. I am still waiting on mine, Tex sayed he aint got to it yet. We worked on the gardens and my poor pond this weekend.
He is trying to get it to hold water. I did get my onions in at least. can’t wait to get my veggie garden all in, all that good home grown food.
March 25th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Hey Charlotte - that pond will be so cool when you get it filled and holding water. Bet Bob’o will love it!
I got some cool weather plantings in yesterday too. We’ve got a lot of work to do on that soil, but hopefully this year will be better than last.
March 26th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Hi, I enjoy your blog! If you wouldn’t mind telling me, where did you order your greenhouse from and what did it cost? It looks very much like what I had in mind. At present, there are flats of plants covering every lighted surface in my house, lol.
March 27th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Hi Liz, thanks for stopping by!
We ordered the greenhouse from Costco At the time they offering $300 off as an on-line ordering special - and you can only get the greenhouse on-line. They don’t have them in the store. If you go to http://www.costco.com and then type 293485 in the search box, it will take you to the one we ordered. Click the picture that displays for pricing info. I don’t think they have the $300 off offer going right now though. And, of course, you have to be a Costco member to order.
March 27th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Your greenhouse is *gorgeous*. I also liked your idea of putting chicken wire around all of the plants. Last year our chickens devoured everything I’d planted, so this time we just put up a chicken wire fence around my garden square. I think I like your solution better
March 27th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Hi JenIG - nice to see you here! Those little chickens can wreak havoc in a yard, can’t they? But I so enjoy watching them roam, scratch, and peck around. I just can’t imagine walking outside without a chicken greeting me for a little chat. After seeing my poor bulbs being pecked to death before they even had a chance to emerge, we decide that chicken wire around everything was the only solution - at least the only one I can live happily with. I just can’t stand the thought of not allowing the chickens to free range. And the chicken wire really does work - even if it isn’t the best looking yard on the block!
Love your blog, by the way! Your kids are just precious.
Take care,
Penny
March 27th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Wow, Penny, love the greenhouse and am green with envy today as we have 50+ winds and snow today. It’s awful outside! Yesterday I tried to cover my 4 inch tall peas with newspaper and painters drop cloth topped with chicken wire to hold in place, in 25 mph winds. Quite a task. Onion sets will have to fen for themselves this year. Unforturnately the forecast was right and we have 23 degrees with that hi wind. Do you think your greenhouse would hold up to that kind of wind? I sure would like to put one up. Guess it’s winter’s last hurrah!?
Now for a fence around my garden, too. Jobs never end, do they? But what wonderful veggies to come. Take care.
March 27th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Yikes Cotton Lady! How awful to get socked with that weather! I know it’s too early to call winter officially over yet, but I am praying we’re past the worst of it. And I don’t know if this greenhouse will hold up against the winds - I am sure praying it will. I guess time will tell. I ordered it based on comments that it did really well in wind. I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed…..
It seems in this bad economy, the fencing people should be doing really well! Everyone I know with chickens is investing heavily in the stuff