Arlene and Gary's Greenhouse Photos

[Ann B.]

Hi, Everyone!


This is really great! Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So many ideas, and it is so wonderful to have great members on the board who are willing to share them!

Click on the link below to see pictures of Arlene and Gary's Texas Greenhouse.

http://www.landspro.com/page1070.htm

If you have any questions about their greenhouse, please post them here.

Thanks, Arlene and Gary!

Enjoy!

[vicki]

Gary & Arlene,
Cool pics! Is that square field fencing I see? Seems like that would give a little more support than just poly pipe. I have never been west and was a little surprised at the scenic view. Being a northener I always thought Texas was flat and sandy (that's what you see in movies, LOL) . I guess I learn something new everyday.:)

[sewfarsewgood]

One of the best kept secrets in the whole US is Texas. Of curse Texas is sooo big that we have whole ecco systems that are unique to Texas. I live in the Texas Hill Country, and area of southeast-ish central Texas that is about 125 by 200 miles area. In Texas this is a small area - in comparison to many states it is half the state or in relation to the states in the east it is bigger than many of the states completely. This is an area of green rolling hills, rivers, streams and lakes, fruit and nut orchards, cattle and sheep raising and some major cities such as Austin, San Antonio. We live just outside of Kerrville, a town of 35,000, 2hcih is located off of I-10 abut 60 miles NW of San Antonio. When my son visited his first impression was as yours - this isn't what I expected Texas to look like. The eastern half of Texas is green and pretty, the western half is what you expect Texas to look like - much dryer and much flatter - sagebrush, creosote bush and cactus. There is another really pretty part down around Alpine, Texas in an area called Big Bend on the Rio Grande. Its high mountain country for the most part. Most of the Alpine area is in Brewster County - a county bigger than the state of Connecticut. Speaking of hills we live on top of a hill that is high enough for us to see the city of Kerrville, which is 14 miles away. We have a beautiful view of Kerrville's, lights at night.

The greenhouse is constructed not of field fence, but of mats of concrete reinforcement wire. The mats are 8 feet wide and 20 feet long and are quite stiff. They are held in place as you can see in the picture by steel T-posts. They wire goes on the outside of the T-post and is wired to it using wlectric fencing wire or whatever other klind of wire you happen to have on hand. I am also in the process of making another greenhouse using PVC but with some real differences from the one Bob H made. I will be making a lattice of the pvc which will make it so much stronger. When I get the first 2 ribs done I will take a digital photo and put it here on Landspro.com. This will be even better than the wire one as it will not have the problems of the wire wearing through the plastic, but will be equally as strong. It will have to be staked down though as it will be light. When I get the photo taken and posted my idea of using the frame as a watering sysytem will become apparent to all too.

[demingc]

I am getting ready to build a PVC Greenhouse. Where can I find the pictures of your greenhouse. I haave plans for a gable and hoop greenhouse and haven't decided which one. Any suggestions. My greenhouse will be 8' X 16".

Thanks

[sewfarsewgood]

Click on the link Ann posted in the original message in this thread.

IF you have the room ou will find that 8 by 16 is too small. Mine started out as 8 by 24 and is now 8 by 32 and is still too small.

The numbers of plants quickly fills whatever space you have.

[demingc]

Do you have pics of your PVC Greenhouse that you mentioned in your 1-28-2002 reply. You said you would post a pic when you got the first two ribs completed. The pic u referred to doesn't look like PVC.

Thanks

[sewfarsewgood]

Have not built the PVC greenhouse yet, but have built a small version of it that I am using as a misting enclosure. Sent AnnB a picture of it the other day. My idea with the PVC is to make the frame completely rigid and self supporting by connecting the ribs together with T's and +'s.

Ann could you post the picture of the msting/hotcap enclosure I emailed you the other day??

Thanks.

[Ann B.]

Sure!

Here is the picture that Gary sent me:

http://www.landspro.com/gh_gary.jpg

Have FUN!

[Ann B.]

I wonder what happened to Gary and Arlene?

I think of them every time I pass by the Epi's that their dad hybridized.

Has anyone heard from them or seen them around on other boards?

[sewfarsewgood]

Nope still alive and kicking. Had forgotten in my advanced age how to log in to Landspro. Glad to be back.

Am in the process of building a more permanent greenhouse with Polycarbonate panels from Home Depot (perish the thought).

Arlene is currently visiting 2nd grandchild and son and family in California. As for me, I'll stay in Texas.

We have sheep and cattle now and currently have 17 anatolian Shepard puppies (stock guard dogs, and yes I do know where they come from, you just take cuttings from the momma dogs and place under mist - no - thats not right......).

Gardening in Texas has been a chore the past 2 years - too dry and a successful garden defined as keeping them alive. I have lost fruit trees, bushes, etc. Only thing that grows well are grass burrs and weeds. Watering doesn't help all that much as our water is so hard that you build up calcium in the soil rapidly and then fight iron chlorosis. Without rain its tough to grow. Water bills still were $300.00 plus per month this past summer.

Gary J

[Ann B.]

Wow!

It's good to hear from you. How exciting to have new grandchildren, but California is an awful long way to go, isn't it?

The new greenhouse sounds good.

Sorry to hear about the drought. It's been awfully dry here, and I assure you that I lost some things because it was impossible to keep everything watered.

The epi's you gave me are really starting to get big. Only one of them has bloomed, but I expect others will next year.

A lot has been going on around here. Several hurricanes and tropical storms, and I am now teaching math at a public high school. This is my fourth year to teach.

Please do visit us more often. We have a member from Texas that used to live in Houston. He now lives in Austin and has awesome plants and loves to trade.