Lazy mans' greenhouse (The Garden)

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Went driving the other day and saw a real cool and easy quick set up "greenhouse". The fella took the frame of his kids swingset, tied a couple of long branches across the long width sides, covered with heavy plastic, pinned down tent style. Hay bales around the base two deep and it appeared to have a heat lamp suspended in it. Gonna file this away for use if I ever need a little more greenhouse space in a hurry.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 15, 2000

Answers

Jay, what a neat idea. I've been pondering an easy way to make a greenhouse, even just a temporary one, and this is a great idea. Something like this, you could even straddle it over garden beds in the spring and start seedlings. Will keep this in mind and thanks!

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), December 16, 2000.

What a great idea! My 'greenhouse' is a 4 x 8 pallet with cattle panels bent over like an archway. I put plastic over the wire, the northend is a wood panel and the south is a fiberglas sheet and straw bales around the base (only one deep though). I've only used it in spring and fall, the heat lamp sounds like a good idea and I'll add one, but still won't get me thru a winter here in Wisconsin.

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), December 16, 2000.

What a great idea! My 'greenhouse' is a 4 x 8 pallet with cattle panels bent over like an archway and attached to the pallet with many u-nails. I put plastic over the wire, the northend is a wood panel and the south is a fiberglas sheet and straw bales around the base (only one deep though). The whole thing is portable (canbe dragged by a tractor)I've only used it in spring and fall, the heat lamp sounds like a good idea and I'll add one, but still won't get me thru a winter here in Wisconsin.

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), December 16, 2000.

Jay and Annie, If the kids don't want to give up their swings, you can get a sawhorse kit for about $6.00 and make really tall sawhorses. I've done it and it's easy. The kits I got are hard plastic with all the hardware you need. You supply the 2 X 4's and make the legs any height you need. I grow vining crops on them in the summer and throw plastic or sheets over them when frost threatens. (I know you can make sawhorses without a kit, but this eliminates the angles and makes it so simple.) These mini A-frames are also good for small shelters for animals or equipment.

-- Peg (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), December 16, 2000.

Hey Peg, super idea. I don't have an old swingset laying around, thought I might find a used one real cheap, but I do have extra lumber and the saw horse kit is a great idea. Liked the idea on the climbing plant idea too. Thanks for the tip. This board has so many great industrious people!

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), December 17, 2000.


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