Paula and Jim Bennett’s Greenhouse

Built June/July, 2009Original Presentation March, 2010

Updated August, 2010Updated April, 2011

KEY FACTS:

The greenhouse is 8’ x 8’.

The outer shell is a product called Solex. 5mm is recommended here in the mountains.

Some of the structural frame poles are PVC and some are fiber reinforced for extra strength.

We added a small fan to keep the air circulating in the greenhouse.

The big louver is temperature controlled and automatic.

Smaller bottom vents are manually opened and closed.

Floor is a heavy duty weedcloth and we have a shadecloth we use during the hotter summer days.

Building the Greenhouse in 2009.

• Took these pictures March 26, 2010

• Green house inside temperature was 84 degrees Fahrenheit and outside it was 41 degrees

• The louver is set to open at about 75 degrees

• The lower vents are manual

• The back wall is enclosed (not shared w/ house)

• Tires are for growing potatoes

What are we planting this year?

• Basil• Beets• Bell Peppers• Carrots•Cilantro/ •Coriander • Lettuce• Spinach• Sugar Snap Peas• Tomatoes• Okra• Fennel• Rosemary• Swiss Chard

White Fingerling Potatoes(3 were planted and multiple plants came up)

Red Fingerling Potatoes grew like crazy.

Six truck tires high versus 4 truck tires for the white potatoes.

We got a total of 4 ½ lbs of fingerlings (red and white)

We’ll also be planting potatoes in the tires again this year. But this year we will try full size potatoes instead of fingerlings.

A greenhouse is a somewhat expensive, but very effective method to address all the problems we faced in growing our own veggies.

For those of you who haven’t seen our earlier presentations the problems include:

• Deer, Elk, Bears, Foxes, Coyotes, Squirrels, Rabbits

• Decomposed Granite instead of dirt

• 8800 Feet elevation means unpredictable weather conditions

• Short growing season

Thank you for your time and may all your thumbs be green,

any questions?