Galcon
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Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 1:45 pm

The Project My Father Left Behind

Hi,

I am currently renovating my mother's gardens and I found what appears to be an A Frame type greenhouse which my father had intended to use for vegetables before he passed away. I would like to start what he did not get time to do. This garden is in the West of Ireland so there is a considerable amount of rainfall and mostly cloud covered days.

I have some questions which you experienced folk may be able to help me with?

There are some glass panels beside the greenhouse, which I assume are placed around the wooden assembly all year round?
I have access to plenty of soil, should I separate the greenhouse into 2 or 3 layers (using shelves) or keep it the way it is?
There is no base/floor to the greenhouse, should I put something underneath it and then put soil on top of that?

Sorry about the confusion but it would mean a lot to get this started.

Thanks!

G
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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I'm not familiar with gardening practices and techniques there, so I might have this wrong, but intuitively, the A-frame doesn't look big enough to be a "greenhouse" for full season use. However, using those glass panels, it might be an excellent way to start the planting process earlier.

If this frame is movable, you could prepare the ground and then position it over where you intend to plant things like tomatoes and peppers, set up the glass panels, and let the interior and the soil heat up for a week. Then plant your started plants -- I'm guessing you could plant about three tomato plants or 4 pepper plants. Adjust the glass panels depending on the weather. Then once the season has settled and temperatures are warmer, you could lift and move the frame to another location to maybe warm the ground for planting winter squash or cucumbers.

Though a little unorthodox, I think the frame could be used with the glass removed as support for tomatoes or cucurbit or maybe even beans as well. Once they have grown too big to stay inside the glass panels, remove them completely, and let them grow between the slats and tie them on.

In late summer and fall, I'm thinking you could possibly plant cold season greens (cabbage, lettuce, spinach, and such) under the A-frame and protect with the glass panels once frosty weather arrives to extend the season.

It would have been really something if your father had left a gardening journal or something to explain what he had intended to use this structure for.... So sorry for your loss.

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Could it be a cold frame? If it is up against the house with a southern exposure , it might have been a good place to start plants early.



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