Can we tour your greenhouse?

Just cleaned and arranged everything in my greenhouse today. Looks so nice!

Oops, why didn't the pics show up? Let's try this again....

Roxxanne you and I had like minds!!! That's what I did today also!!! Mine had been overtaken by root beer plants. They were as tall as the walls would allow. I filled up the wheel barrel with just root beer plants. I finally got the round-up out and after I cut the plants, I got a sponge paint brush and started to treat the roots. Then I started repotting plants and twirling the vines to my hoyas, where they weren't just everywhere. I was too tired to take pictures but I'll try tomorrow.

Finished putting the plastic on the hoop and sidewalls, but still have to anchor the plastic to the walls on the bottom and build an entry half wall and door on one end. The little hoop will then be moved in front of the door to act as an entryway/cold crop room (unheated).

I moved a bunch of stuff around today, transplanted another bed of squash, and made room for a table and a compost pile, but this is how it looked earlier today, before I got started.
1. Northwest corner with barrels on the right
2. Southwest corner with raised bed in foreground and transplanted the green beans that got hit with frost into the blocks on the far wall
3. Barrels temporarily hold some plants and sweet potatoes growing slips
4. Tomatoes that were hit by frost then trimmed and transplanted from outside
5. Squash is bouncing back nicely from frosted blackened leaves after transplant from outside.

I transplanted squash, some herbs, green beans, and sunflowers this afternoon, clearing the southwest corner for a table/bench and cleared the northwest corner in preparation for the compost pile. Growing in there now are Bantam corn, tomatoes of various kinds, okra, watermelon, avocado trees, some lemon trees from seed that are still tiny, squash, arugula, cilantro, basil, cosmos and zinnia transplants from outside, sweet potato slips, and Kentucky Wonder beans. I have a Moon & Stars watermelon in the house mini-greenhouse along with tomato vines and starter pots with brocolli, eggplant, and other stuff planted. So far so good. It's already gone through a storm with 50 mph gusts without the plastic being permanently anchored on the bottom. What a blessing to have a greenhouse!

Solace ~ are you pollinating your vegetable blooms? I know the tomatoes will be easy but the squash will need your encouragement but I'm sure you are up on that.

Jeri ~ I agree on the tangled web the Hoyas can weave... my first photo is Hoyas.

I have been making room and building shelving today ( I am a zip tie engineer ~ lol) Have been moving plants in over the past month so don't feel quite as pressured. It seems like I don't have lots of space but when I take photos, it looks like there is room to spare but more plants to move in too. Kristi

Yep, Kristi, something's pollinating them. Not me, but something. I had to run a couple of bees out of there yesterday evening, because they kept running into the plastic trying to go 'home'. I live close to a honey farm, so that might help. When it all gets good and closed up/sealed, then I think the flies will help, as there seem to be a few in there - not a lot, but a few walking on the plants. I hate flies, but if they help pollinate maybe it's a good thing they haven't died, yet. Otherwise I'll take a paintbrush or a Q-tip and pollinate them. You have lots of beautiful plants in your greenhouse. Happy plants :)

We will be interested in seeing how your edibles venture does for you this winter. Hoping you keep us posted.

Last winter I kept cucumbers and tomatoes growing in the GH through winter but fought whiteflies till I gave up on those plants indoors. I will keep them out this year and move them into a storage room for the freezing days.

Good luck with your endeavor Solace.

We moved most of the Tropicals into the GH to overwinter them. We are using the electric heater fans for a few weeks until the propane gas tank is installed. This will be the first winter we heat the GH and I am looking forward to seeing how it goes.
We put a few herbs in there to have fresh herbs this winter, I think Ric is also going to try to grow a flat of mixed lettuce and maybe try to pot up one of the tomato pants and see if he can keep one going in the GH this winter. Not sure how well that will work.

I thought about trying to keep a tomato going in there but there just isn't enough room.

Here are the pictures of what I accomplished Sun. What is missing is the wheelbarrow of root beer plants that I pulled and/or cut out of the GH. I rewound hoya vines and repotted until I ran out of soil.

Thanks, Podster. I have a friend that told me she puts a trash bag over her plant, treats it for white flies, and leaves the bag on long enough for them to die (the flies, that is, not the plant, lol). I've never tried it, and hope I don't have to. I had fly strips up in the little greenhouse hoop and it was loaded with them, but I never found white flies on the plants. They must have been attracted to the fly strips more. Went down to check on buying some more for winter, just in case, and there were several people around commenting about how bad flies are this year, especially this late in the year. Is that just here, or does anyone else see that happening? Anyway, the fly strips work well. When you can find them.

Jerii, What are RootBeer Plants? Ric picked up the pipe he needs to install the new heater and I think they are going to bring the gas tank on Monday.

Holly here is a link to the root beer plant. I have had this plant for over 15 years and it has never behaved like this before. I guess it was b/c we really didn't have a winter last year.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/530/

I use Round-Up on mine!!!!

Happy I cut them down and used a paint brush to paint Round-Up on to the stalks and since Sunday I can't tell that it's done anything.

Jeri,

I do that with my EE that get into the grass. The only thing there is it leaves a yellow circle where the plants were. And no, I did not paint the grass.

Hap

Just in case of high winds from Sandy, we wrapped up the HF greenhouse with a tarp. Better than nothing, I think

I think that was a smart idea!!! It should help!!! How is the weather there now? Prayers going out for all in the path of Sandy!!

Amen to that, jeri.

Just very wet and a kinda windy. Not as bad as they thought, here at least.

My DH is in Greencastle, Pa. They are on stand-by to make a run from Atlanta, Ga. to Oriskany, NY. I hope the weather stays like you have described. He is in a truck at the truck stop.

Don't know where Greencastle is but here on the western side of PA they have lifted the high wind advisory but now they're watching for flooding.

Glad Yall made it through without much damage. Can you tell yet how the G/H did?

To tell you the truth, I'm not sure either where Greencastle is. He said he was about 5 miles from Maryland.

Hi everyone. I must have marked this thread a long time past. And recently just rediscovered it once again. It's the longest running thread, i've seen. ^^_^^ . Hi Sis, 5 miles from Maryland that's tad closer to some of my family there. It's amazing that we've bonded together over the years. I recognized many participate in this thread. So here is a big howdy to everyone. And sis, hope Jim is safe during his trip on this hazadous weather!
Kim

Hope everyone is safe and sound. What a poor mess NY is. Glad to see this come back to life and those with greenhouses posting pics. Hopefully I can join that group this year or early part of next.

So glad you didn't get the winds they predicted.....

I don't really have a true greenhouse; just a makeshift GH in the basement. But tropical and subtropical gardening? I'm into it with both feet. lol Here is "Peanut" that's blooming for the first time. This was a single 4" cutting that someone has shared from Jeri's get-together--in yeas past. Sis, it was back in 2007 or 2008?

happgarden; I can't even phantom the messes that they've to clean up after the storm. And that fire in NYC! Possitive thought and prayers continue to go up for those that are affected.

Oh Lily that is too cool. I have never seen that before. I am curious does it grow up and down or up and fall down? Would love to have that in a head planter it would look like dreadlocks...rofl.

Here goes ...

The flower is really pretty. I agree with you those head planters are quite expensive I think also. There is someone in florida that has several and they just crack me up when I see her postings.

I've missed you too Kim!!! Check with Wairfair. I got 2 Greek God planters for $69.00 ea. That sounds like a lot until you look at the other heads.

http://www.wayfair.com/filters/Planters-l349-c489055-q~.html?q=head+planters

Looks like I got a good deal. These have even gone up.

Roxxanne how did Yall do in the storm? Still praying that no lives are lost in the clean up process.

Not much damage in our area other than massive flooding. We toured around the area and didn't see much wind damage. Last year we had a very early heavy snowstorm. The leaves were still on the trees and a lot of dead/dying trees and branches came down. It was a huge mess but I think that is why we didn't have more of that type of damage with this storm. We lost our power for about 18 hours and it was just in our neighborhood. We think a neighbors evergreen was the issue. Some lines run thru the branches there.
We did have some serious wind last night and our GH did just fine. Those extras that Ric included to help with our winter weather really did pay off. The new gas heater kept the GH nice and toasty even though the circulating fan didn't run. I was down there earlier today cleaning the plants, removing dead leaves. It was nice and warm and pleasant in there.

Oh Jeri, Greencastle is about an hour and a half South/West from me. Not too far from where my DH grew up.



This message was edited Oct 30, 2012 3:03 PM

Hoping and praying that everyone is safe and sound. Jeri ~ that includes your husband.

Greenhouses can be rebuilt and plants can be replaced but lives are precious.

Kim ~ great going on the Huernia blooms! I got my start of that plant from Larkie here on DG and have since been able to share it a few times over. It is a generous bloomer and thankfully not fragrant. LOL

I am posting a photo to show you that like the Hoyas, these will bloom on the same bloom spurs so don't remove them when done blooming and you will be rewarded with more blooms.

Kim, Lin shared the peanut cactus with me and I shared it with you I think. You did way better than me. I lost mine I think that very winter when my G/H had a heater malfunction. I had no idea they flowered that pretty!! You geaux girl!!!

Waving at you Pod!!! How have you been? Thanks for that info on the spur, I didn't know that.

So... would you want a start??? LOL I have a start that is already blooming and you've shared seeds/plants with me in the past. I'm sure I owe you. Or is there no room in the greenhouse?

LOL!!! Could we wait until the spring then I won't have to put it in there until next winter. My DH is out of town so I was bad this year and not only filled up 2 g/hs. I have 2 kiddy pools full of plants in the sonroom and the 3 steps to the jacuzzi is now covered with a large black trash bag and hoyas on top so as not to stain the marble.

Spring is good if you promise to help me remember... lol

You and your plants sounds like my DH and his old cars.
We should have put a roof over five acres.

Now that is really a thought!!! Do Yall ever make Crusin the Coast?

Jeri, Thanks for the link on Wayfair planters. Ones of these days I'd probably consider it. As for "Peanut"; now, I remember... Not sure if I remember Lin, but I remember, I was awestruck with the 'Peanut' but it was marked taken. You saw the expression on my face and didn't have the heart to see me going without. So you later gave me a start. That's truly the gift that keeps on giving! Like Christi, I'd be glad to send you some cuttings in the Spring with a promise from you that you would remind me.

Christi, sounds as if your DH has a real passion on old cars, as our passion on gardening. ^^_^^ Oh thank you on the tips regarding the flower spurs. The spurs on your photos are much bigger, a tell-tale they have bloomed a time or two before? Since mine just started, so it appears quite small. I also just now realized as I looked at the picture. I saw there is another spur on the upward pointing branch with a spent/dried up old remnant of wilted flower. I have 2 spurs!!! Hah, this has bloomed before and was going un-noticed. I will be sure I won't interfere with the spurs to ensure future flowering as Hoya's culture. FYI plumeras' inflorescents work the same way as these spurs on Huernias and Hoyas. Another thing I've observed, with Plumerias; they will selectively self-terminate spent inflos. So I just let's nature takes its course.

Jeri ~ no... we are self employed and the "boss" doesn't let us take time off for cruises. The most DH does is tinker with them (6 older rides) and enter them in the small local car shows. In fact with age, I find it preferable to ride in something new and comfy. lol We used to drive the older rides when we went to visit family each summer but now I just want to get there quickly.

Kim ~ the sweet thing about sharing a plant is that it reminds me of the sweetie that shared it. I called mine Larkie even after I got an ID for it. Yes, mine have bloomed many times but I only recently noticed the bloom spurs. You keep trying to tempt me with the Plumies but I made a mistake and got interested in Bromeliads instead. They are not fragrant but fascinating. I keep asking myself why I want a plant that dies after it blooms. lol

I actually have two of the Huernias... the blooms are similar but the plant is not. They are the same age but came from different places and I've never been able to ID the shorter, upright one on the left.