Traude Karia's GH365 Eco-Greenhouse - Part Four

Despite a few delays waiting for electrical inspections and such, we are now nearing the final stages of installations. The electrical and most of the plumbing components are completed. We are now preparing to install planter tables with the root-zone heat tubing. Once these are in place, the heat-retention wall, radiant floor and root-zone tubing will be connected to the pumps and other heated water circulation components.

The first full test is always a bit intense. A GH365 greenhouse is much like a living organism. All the systems must function smoothly and be compatible. We have been creating a unique facility i.e. one that allows living plants to grow and flourish whether it's frosty white with snow outside or scorching under the heat of the summer sun.

Soon the lighting fixtures, ceiling fans and other finishing touches will be in place. Then for Traude, her grandson Nathan and his wife Susan, the fun begins. Growing things!

Traude Karia's GH365 Eco-Greenhouse - Part Three

As we come to the end of September, I reflect on what is my favourite season, which doesn't come every year. And that is "Indian Summer". It always seems a blessing to have summer extend into autumn. For Traude Karia's greenhouse project it has also been a blessing. I think we may have lost no more than a half hour due to inclement weather. So we've made excellent progress. In fact we have now completed the solar system installation (solar collectors on the roof, solar thermal hot water tank and the connections thereof) as well as most of the electrical wiring including the panel box.

As the inevitable colder weather begins to arrive, a third blessing, which a GH365 greenhouse provides, is the ability to continue growing greens, including 'green medicines' in Traude's case, for the benefit of all. It's truly like having "Indian Summer" all year round. Wonderful!!

Traude Karia's GH365 Eco-Greenhouse - Part Two

Pete Silvaggio of Precision Millwork and his crew have been working hard and the project is progressing well. The structure has been cladded, the roof shingled and the south glazing (16 mm polycarbonate) was installed yesterday.

I must say, with the sweeping 16 foot vertical span, the building looks magnificent. I think some bypassers must have thought we were building a church. In a way we are. As Traude said, it will be a "Temple of Greenery".

Soon we begin the solar, electrical and plumbing components installation. I'll keep you posted.

Traude Karia's GH365 Eco-Greenhouse

Green Growers Maxim #6 -- Everyone likes to be touched with affection---even Mother Earth.

We have begun construction of the next GH365 Greenhouse --

Traude Karia's GH365 Eco-Greenhouse.

A word about Traude Wedding. She is a lady full of energy and life, seemingly ageless. Traude is also a specialist in "green medicine" i.e. alternate remedies through the judicious use of often common plants and herbs. So for her, a year-round greenhouse makes a lot of sense.

At this point, the site has been levelled and prepared with a solid gravel base; the continuous concrete footings have been poured; framing has been started; the north heat retention wall is nearing completion and the roof joists are in place.

Traude's greenhouse will be larger than my original prototype at 26 ft. x 26 ft. and a south glazing vertical span of 16 ft. It will look quite magnificent and will incorporate several improvements. As an example, the heat exchange unit, hot water tank and other mechanical, plumbing and electrical components will be in the preparation room allowing more growing space. The solar collectors will stand more upright at 18 degrees off vertical to be more effective during the coldest months and to shed snow better. The 16 ft. glazing span allows for a much larger greenhouse (growing) area of 26 ft. x 18 ft.

I will keep you posted on a regular basis as Traude's GH365 Eco-Greenhouse takes shape.

Spring Thaw

Green Growers Maxim #5

'The month of May is when you win or lose your war on weeds'.

The winter of 2010/'11, has been a challenging one up here in Northwestern Ontario for a year-round greenhouse due to the inordinate amount of overcast weather. Last winter had an overabundance of sunshine and was reasonable short. This winter was the opposite. And yet, even with the electric back-up shut off, my GH365 greenhouse performed quite well. Certainly the tomatoes weren't as vibrant as last winter but they survived and I picked fresh tomatoes until a couple of weeks ago. At that point, the older ones were simply not productive enough and had to be replaced with new seedlings for a more efficient use of space. Now I have about 80 to 90 tomato plants coming along from about 3" to 8" in height and all looking very healthy. There is a mix of sub-arctic plenty, beefmaster and sweetie cherry.

The best performers were the broccoli, lettuce, spanish onions, parsley and wheatgrass. Basil has only now in the last month or so begun to show vigorous growth. Marjoram, Rosemary and Oregano in 9" pots, brought in from outside in September, continue to do just fine.

As a small diversion from updates on greenhouse activity, I thought that since today, April 13, '11 marks the fourth year since I returned to my homestead from Southern Ontario, I'd show and tell you a bit about the setting here. My newly renovated log house is set on 160 acres which is about 50/50 fields and boreal forest. Additionally, through a deep gorge that cuts into that forest flows the Whitefish River through my property. And I'm fortunate in having one of the most beautiful sections of the river with a series of spectacular waterfalls only a 15 minute walk from the house and greenhouse. I took that walk today and have posted a photo of my house and the South Cascades.

Veggies and Greens in the Dead of Winter

Green Growers Maxim #4 -- There are two rules for watering: 1. For inside plants, when in doubt, don't. 2. For outside plants, when in doubt, do.

This winter I'm taking some risks and testing the limits of my GH365 greenhouse. I shut off the breaker for the electric back-up in my water heater back in mid-November. So I'm essentially heating my greenhouse by passive solar and solar thermal means only. We've had some cold periods reaching a low of minus 31.29 degrees celsius on December 14th. But what is of greater concern is the fact that we've had an unusually high number of overcast (cloudy and part sun) days since November. And yet the coldest temperature I've recorded in the greenhouse was +4.49 degrees celsius, not surprisingly, on December 14th. Otherwise, it never went below +5 C.

Now that's still pretty cold for a greenhouse but as you can see from my photographs taken earlier today (January 6, 2011) the vegetables, for the most part, are performing well. Admittedly, the cold sensitive plants like tomatoes are taking an unusually long time to germinate and to ripen. But the ripening has more to do with the lack of sunshine than the lack of warm temperatures. Even one day with good clear sun has noticeably shown a significant reddening of those reaching maturity.

I've included some photos showing the ripening tomatoes as well as the one with the smallish red one and two green ones with broccoli in the background. These are on a tomato plant that I seeded on November 11, 2009 --over a year old and still producing. Pretty amazing!

Notice as well that the other more cold-resistant veggies like the broccoli and spinach behind the parsley are doing great. Not a bad way to spend the winter!

Wheatgrass Juice

Green Growers Maxim #3 -- "A gardener is a producer. Anyone else is just a consumer".

Wheatgrass juice has been used for thousands of years around the world for its health benefits and healing properties. As an energizer, it gives one a great feeling of vitality. It is a 'whole food' containing all the nutrients for human existence. Wheatgrass juice contains every essential amino acid; vitamins A, B, C, E and K; a full complement of minerals including calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus as well as an abundance of enzymes which assist in nutrient digestion, heart muscle toning and slowing cellular aging. As a healer, it is an excellent detoxifier; the chlorophyll in it is a blood purifier. It can repair ulcers, reduce high blood pressure, fight bacterial growth, purify the liver, improve digestion and much more.

GH365 Wheatgrass Juice (Good Health Every Day) is all organic. The seeds are 'hard red spring wheat' certified organic by OPAM. It is grown using all organic fertilizers -- well-aged local manure, natural fish fertilizer, peat moss and horticultural grade perlite and vermiculite.

And it is all grown, harvested, juiced and frozen in our unique solar thermal greenhouse.

Look for our 'Wheatgrass Juice' page with more details coming soon on our website.