Ready for the freeze.....before and after

Thanks for the detail, you can tell that your trial and error has paid off! I just showed DH your pics all the while saying how sweet your DH was! I wonder if he got the hint.

mS. mERAE,
When you finish with your DH and he builds your GH, come talk to mine!

bigbubbles, I had to go to assist my Mother so I didn't see your post about shipping the brug cuttings to Mitch. When I send small cuttings, I wrap the end that has been cut with damp paper towels. I squeeze most of the water out after the end has been wrapped. If the cuttinga are small enough, I place them into a ziplock bag. If the cuttings are too large to fit into the largest ziplock bag, I wrap Glad Press'n Seal wrap around the damp paper towels, place a ziplock bag from which I have cut the ziplock part around the "wet part" and tightly secure with a rubber band. Sometimes I use waterproof tape to secure the top of the bag. Bags from the vegetable section of the supermarket work really well too. You can also not cover the wet paper towels (secure them with a rubberband or string) and place the whole cutting in a large plastic shopping bag with the top being tightly secured. This way, if the cutting has leaves, they will receive some moisture. If I am still worried that the leaves may dry out too much, I also thrown in a couple of damp paper towels. If I don't have a large enough plastic bag to place the cuttings into, I enclose the "wet part" in a bag and just carefully wrap them in newspaper. I have been surprised at how well plants survive shipping.

I hope that your quava does well. I think that it will be okay with heavy mulch around its root zone.

Thanks for the photos of your great patio greenhouse. The way you added a door is very clever. How did you attach the pipes to the fascia board? What steps did you folow to attach a board to hold the plastic down at the top?

Bigbubbles, I think your design is unique and apparently works well for you. I think most of us who have seen that are scheming to see how we can make that work. Thanks for sharing the photos. pod

htop......Thanks for instructions on mailing cuttings. I had lots of thick, 2 ft long ones, as well as some smaller. I wanted to send the bigger ones so he'd have a good start of a few standards. At the post ofc, I weighed the cylinder and found it was way too heavy so pulled some out and 're-crammed' the box. Just hope they get there by Saturday. I have a great appreciation of those who sent me cuttings this fall. That's a job!
Sending a pic of the T-connectors that attach the pvc pipe to the faschia. DH used a long bit to screw T to faschia.
To attach the plastic at the top, he put a few staples in the plastic to hold it in place( leaving a couple of inches excess at the top to roll over the front of the board). Then used a 1x2 board to hold the plastic to the faschia, screwing it in tightly to the faschia. 'Stapled the excess plastic over the front of the board. DH says screwing the board tightly to the faschia is key to keeping it from leaking.
Hope that's not confusing. I explain better with my hands!!!!

Pod...you have a great gh already! I saw it on another forum. Pretty cool!

bigbubbles, thanks for the info and the photo showing exactly what you are talking about. I appreciate your time and efforts.

Bubbles,

In other words, you sandwich the plastic between the fascia and the thin board, leaving some overhang which you then roll backwards over the thin board and down toward the PVC ribs, right?

Now for the T-joint. You screwed straight on through the part where the PVC is going in, and into the fascia, right?

The chicken wire is doing what? Serving as support for the plastic and to guide it on top of the PVC ribs?

Gymgirl.....yes to first question.....
yes to second too.......
no to third, it keeps any rainwater from the roof from caving the plastic...
Also first year, we wrapped one single piece of plastic all the way around to the ends of structure. Other years, we've just used another piece for the ends and clamped them all around. Less plastic to flap around in the wind.
Wind picked up here, now it's still and clear and we're expecting low 30's tonight. Have plumerias budding and hibiscus blooming in patio gh. Think they'll be fine. Only time I get nervous is when the forecast is for freezing rain.
If you decide to put up a gh, my husband would be glad to walk you thru it....answer any questions. He can probably explain it better than I.... !! And if you're concerned about storing all the pieces when it comes apart in spring......the plastic folds and rolls into a neat little 2ft roll and the connectors fit into a little box with the clamps. Pipe goes against the fence with rebar, hidden from view. Door comes apart and pieces are stored in garage, with chicken wire. I can take gh down by myself and put it away in about an hour...except for folding the plastic and dismantling the door.
Go for it!

Bigbubbles, it seems no matter how big the plant shelter is, it is never big enough! : )) pod

Thanks, Bubbles!

It has been sleeting with some snow flakes for the past 30 minutes here in San Antonio. The air temperature is 44. Only in Texas ...

I just walked in from Xmas shopping and we have a party to go tonight. Heard on the car radio about the sleet. Will have to check now .... 'Said too warm to stick here. Of course, that's before dark. Party's on a hill too!

Keep warm and toasty tonite!!!

Love it bubbles! Very innovative! Sort of reminds me of the four season extensions they put on restaurants. I'm sure your plants are loving it too.
carol

BigBubbles, Pod sent me over here from another thread, and I'm so happy I came! Your 'greenhouse' is excellent! It looks like something I could 'get' done. Thanks so much.

Flowrlady and justfurkids.....thanks for coming! Have to confess...I love to lurk on the Mid-South forum, so I feel like I already know you... I'm originally from Biloxi, and we're in zone 8b here in Austin...so most of what goes on there sorta relates to me also. I'm sure glad Pod sent you over! Let me know if you have any questions. Sandi

Bubbles, you come on over any time you want! I just learned that because of the re-designed zones, I'm now in 8 as well as 7b. That's pretty neat for me!

I'll just do that! I'd love to try to make it to one of your round-ups one of these days. Sounds like they're a lot of fun! Still haven't made one of the TX ones yet, tho.
We're going to have Felder Rushing here for a garden club seminar next year. Can't wait. I love his books....especially "Pass-Along Plants." Used to read his columns in the Biloxi paper. Not sure if he still writes column now that he's retired.

I receive a monthly newsmagazine for Mississippi. He has an article in there, and I love to read them. I believe corgimom knows Felder Rushing and Dr. Dirt. I wish he could come to one of our round ups sometime in Tupelo. I live in the opposite end of the state from him.

I had to "Google" Olive Branch to see how far north it is...I believe you have one foot in Tennessee! What's the name of the MS magazine his articles are in? I might have to look for it.

Our electric co-op, Northwest MS Power Association, I think it is. They are all through Mississippi.

Yep, about two miles south of TN. Go into Memphis every weekday to work :)

Shoot...I thought it was a subscription mag. I have a nephew that works for Gulf Coast Power. I'll check and see if their mag carries F.R. articles. Maybe I can 'Google' the older ones too.
You're working everyday and still have time for gardening and RUs? Remarkable! I've just gotten seriously interested in the last few years, but I'm way into gardening now. Front yard is going to get re-done as soon as I figure out what to do with it. Want it to be easy care and deer proof....if possible. Too hard to keep up the front and back.
What kind of plants do you grow?

Front yard: crape myrtle, Chinese varnish, Aristocrat Pear, evergreens, Camellia, Endless Summer Hydrangea, flowering quince, butterfly bushes, lillies, sedums, clematis's, cannas, reseeding petunias, Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, hardy hibiscuses, viburnum, iris, daylillies, cleome, hollyhocks, verbena bonariensis, grape hyacinths, dianthus, hens & chicks, tomatoes (they volunteer so I don't pull them up), Confederate Rose hibiscus, oxalis, roses, milk & wine lillies (crinum), daffodils and hyacinths,... and more

South side of house: crape myrtles, althea, Chinese varnish, cannas.

North side of the house: Neverending rose (or whatever that one's name is that blooms continuously all summer), artemesia, sedums, several kinds of hosta, columbine (several), Lenten rose, Yellow Rose of Texas (double), crape myrtles, hydrageas, white beautyberry, lillies, iris, more... Plenty! to keep me busy LOL

Back yard: three Cleveland Select pears, Sara's Choice crape myrtle, other crape myrtles, ginko tree, Chinese varnish tree, corkscrew willow, pine tree, Carolina jessimine, lillies, Wygelia, butterfly bushes (the kind the butterflies lay their eggs on), spirea (2 kinds), forsythias, purple beautyberry, three large vitex chaste, gardenia, many iris, daylillies, Sweet William, 4:00's, touch me nots, buddleia, clematis's, cardinal vine, several altheas, hydrangeas, altheas, gunnera, herbs, hollyhocks, tomatoes (that volunteer), datura, sweet woodruff, alocasia and colocasia, marigolds, I'm running out of memory...

Wow!!! I can't even remember what's in back. In front, it's ornamental grasses, salvias, and asst. things the deer won't eat. Your yard must be gorgeous in spring! Sounds beautiful. Do you have pics already posted somewhere on DG of your gardens? Such variety.....How long have you been 'collecting?'
Someone sent me cuttings of Confed rose this fall and they're just starting to root in water. I don't remember them on the Coast. I know we had camellias, azaleas, and trop hibiscus...but not C. rose. There's a pink one, 20 ft tall, blooming in Zilker Gardens here. It's stunning! Can't wait to get my new cuttings in pots.
I think I'd be scared to walk around our backyard and "inventory" plants. Afraid husband might see list and ground me! I've nowhere near what you've accumulated, tho! I think I'll show him your response, so I can say, "See, I'm not the only one!"

You Definitely are not the only one... I think I have quite a bit, but some of these other DGers have, what seems to me, millions of things! I had to quit collecting because I live in a subdivision and can't just turn my whole front yard into a bed! LOL I've been collecting for about 10 years, I guess. I never got into all this in a big way until about 10 years ago. I moved to what I thought was going to be "the house I die in". Of course, it was not, and I moved. So I had to start all over. My 'problem', if you wanna call is that, is that I want one of everything! AND, I have so much stuff scrunched up together, that sometimes (most always) it looks like a hodgepodge. Oh, well, it's my own personal little hodgepodge!!! LOL

I believe we must be kindred sprits. I also have to have one....at least one of everything. But worse, I'll go into a nursery and see six little half dead plants for half price.....and I have to buy them all....even if I already have that particular cultivar. I think it's a type of OCD. DH just shakes his head.....I wish I could focus on just a few plants and collect them. Maybe when I get tired of dragging hoses around again this summer, I'll pare things down. Right now, I'm enjoying them too much. Big regret is that I didn't take a lot of tropicals back here from Hawaii when we left. Just didn't know they'd grow over here at the time.
Supposed to be 74 tomorrow. We have all our temporary greenhouses open in backyard. Will probably have to water again, it's so warm. Have a lot of bromeliads that are out back gh in pots. If we get a hard freeze, I'll be scrambling to get them into the garage. I haven't a clue how to care for them, but they do well in spite of me...so I want to at least give 'em a chance.
As for 'hodgpodge,' I can't stand to see open ground...have every spot crammed with vegetation. Been lucky so far that I haven't had some kind of infestation.

Isn't this weather amazing, bubbles? I can't believe how gorgeous it was today. I hear it is supposed to get into the 80's on Saturday. Can you believe it? Only in Central TX. LOL.

And Houston, too!

Merae..you're right...it's gorgeous weather...but I'm afraid it's going to get really cold around the 25th....usually turns nasty, wet, and cold about then...and thru January. I'm going to go get a bigger heater for the gh on the patio. Going to definitely enjoy the warm while it lasts. tho! Hope you have a great Xmas planned. We'll have to get everyone together for another nursery tour when it warms up. That was such a fun day.

So with this crazy weather, when are ya'll gonna start the new veggie and tomato seedlings?

I like to start my tomato seedlings indoors in mid-January. Gives 'em 6 wks to grow long and spindley by end of Feb., when I can justify tossing them and buying transplants.....

Bigbubbles,
Why do you do that? Really? Do you have seeds yet?

Yes...I confess......(sigh) I'm a lousy tomato seed grower. However......I'm also a Master Gardener...and I buy the huge one gallon sized tomato plants from our greenhouse for $3., and the 4" pot for a dollar. Last year I bought 444's and Juliette's. Grew them in a growbox and they were great. You should correspond with Ms Merae and Tomatoholic. They both use grow boxes and luuuvvvv tomatoes! They could give you some great tips. My husband is a meat and potatoes guy. 'Thinks most veggies are evil.....Too late to try to retrain him, so I just shake my head and try to remember his good points! In his defense, we have a very shady backyard, so it's not condusive to vegetable gardening anyway.

Merae and Michelle are my Houston gurus! TPlant is my Shiau Lin Temple Kung Fu Master!

Well.....I thought those two lived in Austin.....and I'm gonna have to 'google' Shiau Lin Temple King Fu Master......there must be a story that goes along with that?

We are definitely in Austin, bigbubbles. I too had fun on the NT last June. Can't wait to all meet up again.

Merae....Have you heard from Connie? I haven't seen her post in a while. Probably busy with school and the Holidays. We'll definitely have to set a date for a "reunion" nursery crawl. May would be a good month...not too hot yet.
We're looking forward to Christmas morning with a 15 month old! He and his parents will spend the night with us Xmas Eve (even tho they live about 2miles away)....and we'll get to enjoy him tearing wrapping paper. I'm not admitting to over indulgence for the first grandchild, but I only have a small pathway on my side of bedroom....rest is filled with toys!

Bubbles, I know what you mean! I've scaled down some this year... but of course this year I have three instead of just one grandchild.

What do y'all do when you go on a nursery crawl? We're planning one after the first of the year, but we've never "done it" before.

Bubbles ~ is Connie_W the Connie you asked about? If so, she came up for air a Thanksgiving here http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/644683/

Please do tell us about the nursery crawl. Sounds grand!

Re: Nursery tour.....I was trying to find the thread that we used to plan the tour. Connie W proposed on a thread that we check out some nurseries in Austin. We all had some input and planning, but she put it together. Was a lot of fun. Amazing that you can be perfectly comfortable with a group of total strangers....just because they love plants! My SIL commented that if I was meeting people I didn't know, other than from the Internet, just because they liked plants...he thought I was joining a "horticult!"
It was already hot when we finally settled on a date for the tour. We had a plan to hit a nursery in the morning, have lunch (and not have our purchases fry), then tour another in the afternoon....and have everyone get going home before the evening traffic. I think we did purty good..... We met at our morning nursery about 10......carpooled downtown to Whole Foods grocery store at noon for lunch, where we parked underground...saving our plants from scorching sun....then caravaned to my house, where we dropped our plants off in the shade and carpooled to the afternoon nursery. It was a near perfect day....'bet we'd never duplicate it again. Connie, Merae, Tomatoholic, Nivlac and his family, Ampy and me.
We did hit another nursery about a month later that was having a sale, and then caravaned to Connie's for lunch and a tour of her gorgeous home and gardens.
Guess I'd have to suggest...plan it so you can stop for lunch and not worry about your plants...either leave your purchases and go back for them..or find a place that you can park in shade. We went to my house after lunch because it was near the second nursery. We probably spent too much time here, because I was digging plants and clippings cuttings. We should have dropped plants, hit 2nd nursery, then come back here to finish up. By the time we toured 2nd place, we were tired, hot, and ready to call it a day. But it was lots of fun and we all still keep in touch....except for Ampy...I think she's afraid I'll stuff cannas in her car......
I'll try to find link the Austin nursery tour...I'll post it at the Mid-South forum...to you....