If you could complain about discrimination to Mother Nature I would, but she doesn't listen. The wind that races eastwards from the Irish Sea thirty miles away across my unprotected plot selected some greenhouses to attack. Plots two through to seven all had damage, and I am on plot seven. Why me, Mother Nature! Am I not very green? I suspect that a short lived vortex was at the root of this very localized damage. Several windows were blown out. Fortunately, as a Briton I am no stranger to wind, so I leave it a pathway for it to escape. But it still took out some panes of glass. One pane went when a bolt shifted in the framework causing a weak aluminium strut to bend, so the glass broke under the strain. But my discrimination case against Gaia would fail on the grounds that a week or so earlier other greenhouses went completely. Karen, a really pleasant and jolly woman, lost her whole greenhouse, which turned into mangled aluminium and broken glass. I have been fortunate.
So what repairs are needed? Jeff, a good friend, gave me some spare glass, some of which I have fitted into the empty spaces. But not all of it fits, so I have had to order some replacements in. I am using polyurethane instead of glass, when I can get it. Slowly over the years I am moving to polyurethane panels, and there's a reason: they don't break as easily as glass does. My young grand-daughter will be brought to the allotment as the weather warms, and I want her to wander around freely-and safely. So any remaining glass will be covered with metal mesh for safety's sake.
We don't use putty to affix the glass, but we use W clips, four for each pane. However, fixing down the structure needs something stronger than clips. I have bolted the greenhouse to flag stones and cemented it down with Pink Grip, a very powerful cement. The bolts have held, but I am going to reinforce the Pink Grip, as the wind can exert quite a force. I have repaired the small bolt that shifted, and some panes that had slipped were restored into position.
Next will come improvements to the greenhouse floor. My floor is wood chip,and it is looking fine, but wood chip needs constant refreshment, as it composts down. Then the pots will need filling with compost, multipurpose compost that is.But I am in no hurry to plant tomatoes and other greenhouse plants,for I learned my lesson several years ago when I planted tomato plants in an unheated greenhouse, only for there to be a late frost. All dead overnight! Lesson learned, but gardeners have to learn from their mistakes. This year I am going to try new plants, aubergines I hope. You see, my daughter-in-law grew up in Portugal,where these were part of her diet. I have never grown them, but she is keen, so why not give them a try? Andrew, my son, will help me add a second greenhouse, this time a fabric one,so we can grow more plants in protected conditions, such as aubergines. We will fill in the space vacated by a cherry tree that I was forced to fell when it caught disease from an infected damson.
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Thanks Angela. Today I worked on the greenhouse, repairing the glass. It is not fully right yet, as one or two broken panes need finishing off and replacing. I also worked on the beds, digging and hoeing to create a tilth.
Gardening is a way of life, and you will find that in retirement you can really take it up with enthusiasm. My gardening activities are a combination of simply cultivating my plot and being a committee member. Being a committee member enables me to exercise responsibility in an area of activity that I really love.
Some day when I retire, I'd like to garden. I enjoyed reading about your experiences, especially about taking Mother Nature in stride. I had to look up the word "aubergines" to discover we call them "eggplants" in the U.S. What a difference in names.
Thanks Jennifer. At the moment I need the colours of nature reviving and surging up again. It has been a slow, cold winter.
Thoroughly enjoyed your reflections on your transition from winter to spring gardening. Still too early for much gardening activity here. I have to admit I'm looking forward to the colors returning!
Thanks for your comment, which shows the contrast between gardens across the world. In the cold and often grey of an English February your mention of a richly colourful garden is welcome and enriching to the emotions. Some winter plants are possible here,but they are not lush. For example, I have a small winter jasmine in my back yard [ my house does not have a garden so I have a container garden in the back yard.] I grow a small plot of Japanese onions on the allotment, which grow slowly during Winter then surge up in Spring.
In Bangalore, we are fortunate to have an evergreen garden because the seasons are not so harsh. Winter isn't that severe; roses, daisies and hibiscus bloom in the autumn months. We have jasmine, dahlias that bring brilliant colours to the summer garden. Greenhouses would be a costly affair as real estate is damn expensive here and houses are small. Very few houses have space for gardening.
As you said, for regions that are prone to harsh winter and snow, it is prudent to use the time for preparing soil and readying for the spring.
Coming to roses - the real dense rose bushes that mystified me were the ones I saw in London. I will never forget those row of houses covered with rose bushes of various colours and hybrid varieties.
Thanks. Being retired is a great help to my gardening activities.
Hey Frank, best of luck this spring with your raised beds, herb garden, and greenhouses producing a bountiful harvest.