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I love gardening—even though my thumb is more gray than green. As I cook quite a bit, I tend to grow plants that I can eat, such as basil, rosemary, cilantro, and green onion.* I’ve tried tomatoes . . .no luck there.
I’m looking to expand the size of my little garden—and a greenhouse would be ideal for my purposes. But how big do I want it to be? What materials do I use? Should it be a portable or a permanent structure?
To answer these questions, I donned my thinkin’ cap (it’s a solid helmet with two beer holders and a straw that feeds directly to my mouth) and hit the Internet.
The Wayback Machine: While not an all-encompassing set of instructions needed to build a greenhouse, this site does offer a lot of great information—primarily in the form of images. It’s a great starting point if you want a good look at a well-constructed greenhouse (made of PVC!) that is not an eyesore to your back yard. A list of building materials is included, though no cost of materials is provided.
Westside Gardener: Apparently this greenhouse is so easy to build that they had a little kid do it. Really! Take a look at the site and you’ll see what I mean! And even though a little tike is doing the construction, this site is a comprehensive look at how to tackle building a greenhouse. Numerous photos, a materials list (with estimated cost) and a FAQ concerning PVC greenhouses makes Internet tool as handy as a screwdriver.
BuildEazy: Though only two pages in length, this site offers a wealth of detailed information. Well-written instructions supported by multiple diagrams and a materials list make this a resource worth checking out.
I’d better get to work! Spring isn’t far off and I’m lookin’ forward to growing some delicious stuff! I may even take another shot at the tomatoes . . .
*Here’s a quick tip on growing green onion: Go to your local grocery store and buy a little bundle of them from the produce section. Cut them about ¼ inch up from the bulbs. Place these in a little pot of soil. Eat the rest. In just a few days you’ll see the bulbs begin to sprout all new stalks. Simply harvest these with scissors, leaving the bulbs in the soil. I’ve been eating on the same 49-cent package of green onions for almost a year now!
by John Barker
