December 1, 2008

warm weather motivates grrl

A warm wind has blown in from the south and it was warmer outside than in today. So I went to town with my list of lumber and hardware that I had determined I would need to build my hoophouse. I was going to wait till spring - do the starts in my sunroom and build a tunnel in the garden when I needed to transfer them. But the weather has me motivated. I can't afford a greenhouse so I'm going for the poor woman's version - just about as good and if it goes up slightly off the level no biggy. Although I have made one from scrounged materials before, I'm going deluxe this time so it stands up to wind which can come in like a fury. That will be a challenge. I was putting up greenhouse plastic with my partner several years back and the wind came up just as we were strapping the side of the plastic down onto the sill. That gust came in under the sheet, billowing it, and we were both up off the ground sailing. The gust would die back, we frantically scrambled with 1 by 4 strapping and drills and the gust would plow back in and up we'd go. That is a true story: our feet were both off the ground. The neighbours saw us and came running, and we were able to secure it back. I always wished that they had taken a picture first. But a poem will have to do. Securing the hoophouse down onto a solid foundation secured deep into the ground is my plan. If you'd like my simple hoophouse design let me know and I'll post it.

2 comments:

Ottawa Gardener said...

Wow, wind that can lift you off the ground. That is something. I would be interested in seeing your design. I have designed and built 'greenhouses' in the past though my main concern then was snow load. This year, I'm using a low tunnel over my coldframes but next year, I'm in the market for something new.

anne said...

Hi O.G.
just in for coffee..leveling out and staking the ground this a.m. (plus moved the cows to a new patch of green. I'll put up my plan later.