It is so exciting to be putting up the greenhouse plastic. This means that spring is on the way. Ken and Ben worked for several days nailing down the slats to hold the plastic in place. They criss-crossed the ends to seal the gable end. The greenhouse is about 65 feet long and so we had plenty of plastic to cover it since the roll is 100 feet long. After they secured the roof on tight they began the project of putting on the sides.
This takes quite a bit longer as each window is separate and has a top board so that it can be let down and opened to cool off the temperature. In the spring we have often had 22 degree nights with 70 plus days which translates to the greenhouse temperature rising to 110 to 125 degrees by the afternoons. We have to watch the temperatures closely. I remember one Monday night we lost a lot of the plants to freezing temps and by the next Monday we were struggling to keep it cool enough in the greenhouse so that the plants did not cook.
Now that the plastic is on the ‘clean-up’ begins. We are so busy setting out plants in the spring and early summer that there is not any time left over to be organizing the greenhouse. We are glad to just get the planting done so all the empty pots, trays, cell packs, tags, cups, markers, hose ends, mainlines, re-may, etc, etc, etc, is just piled in and around the greenhouse. Oh my, what a job of clean up…
We are just enjoying the slower pace of winter and know that the outcome of the work is all the good vegetables. I can hardly wait to taste them; I better get to planting.