Crickets Greenhouse Part 3

I finally got the watering system set up on the other greenhouse tomatoes.

Now I wish I knew how to hook it up to a nutrient tank.



One step at a time.

I was working hard to finish the watering system in the greenhouse so it wouldnt be hard for my mother to water everything for me while I was on a short mini vacation.
We are goin to Six Flags in Atlanta Ga for 3 days.
June 28- 30.
It will be my sons 7th birthday July 4th. This is vacation and birthday gift.

I been saving my tomato sales for the vacation.
I picked four 5 gallon buckets of tomatoes yesterday and only sold 2/3 of them. I have been averaging $40 a day on tomato sales just sitting here at home. If I could find a good spot to set up away from home, I would sell alot more. Hoping things are slow because this is my first year in new area.
I need to make some flyers for the local gas/service stations in the area.

I like my Honesty Box. I have been counting my cups of tomatoes on the table every day and figuring everyone has been paying for their tomatoes when I am not out side or next door checking on my grandfather.
The Honesty Box is a mail box that is screwed to the table. It has a slot in the top for the money. The door has a pedlock. I have a few customers that come by as early as 6:30 am and use the honesty box and pick out their own tomatoes and bag them up and they said they like my box too.

happy gardening

cricket

I have 2 resturants buying my tomatoes now. I don't know why that makes me feel more pressured to grow better.

My oldest son is getting married July 25th. I have a wedding to plan.


Heres an update of the tomato jungle. They have reached the top of the greenhouse and falling over.

hop the wedding plans are comming along all right cricket

We miss hearing from you, but hey - we understand with all the big doings goin on. Hope to hear from you soon...

Swoz

The greenhouse tomatoes are too hot. They are just about done for.
The second crop is coming along nicely.. so far so good.

I been building a Koi and Gold fish pond in the front yard.

I have several pond plants for it---
I store them in my little ponds til I get the big one done.
Pond plants: 3-4 differant water lilies, Umbrella--the small version and the large version, water iris, cat tails, frog bite. I cannot find water hyacinth no where. I have a water cypress tree too. Some other odd and end water bog plants.

This is pond under construction.
Yes--its edged with cross ties. There there will be an underlayment of Roofing felt on cross ties and the bottom. some old carpet here and there. Redneck pond. The top of the crossties will be capped with a 2x6 to hide the pond liner edges. All of it will be painted Gray.
I have my pond liner--20x30
It will have a 16 inch deep shelf on both long sides of the pond. 26 inches deep in the center.

My son decided to wait a while before he gets married. Actually I think his girlfriend decided it cause I wont let her wear her slut clothes in my house.

oops
Hey cerwin---glad you visited Daves Garden.

What i dread most of all is having to dig a small ditch/trench from the trailer to the pond for an outdoor outlet to hook a pond pump up to.
So far I have found a Pond pump with filter and fountain that pumps 1000gph for $69.

I made a drastic decision.
I been pondering on it for 2 weeks now.
The profits from my greenhouse business is not worth my time. I been doing this for 7 yrs almost---I keep telling myself it will get better but It has not.
No more greenhouse business.

That is a drastic decision Cricket...I am sorry to hear that you haven't been making money....you work too hard to not have it be profitable. It is a tough business, thats for sure. Will you walk away from all commercial growing-not sure what else you do besides what is in the grhouse. I do know that you grow the best looking tomatoes I have ever seen!

That's too bad. You worked so hard.

Hope things look up for you in the future.

Best wishes,

Veronica

had a few friends to talk me into keeping it one more year. Then decide.
For one------the prices are goin UPPPPPPPP.
For two------I must have more varieties.
For three---------IM addicted and feel too lost at the thought of never doing it again. Nothing else feels right.
Danged if i do and danged if i dont.

Cricket,

Whatever your decision is, I want you to know that I for one have learned so much from your threads and journal. You've taken quite a few of us along with you during your planting seasons and your investment. The step by step you've given us is priceless. In fact, I've been looking for it in books all over - for years and have not found what you have given us in your threads. It is as if my dream of a gh business was taking place before me and I just had to tune in to watch. I'm addicted to your updates - or "addicted to your addiction" I'm really "rooting" for you to make a go of this. Hey - is there a book deal in here somewhere? You've already got the pictures.. Is there anyway that we could be supportive of your efforts? Would next year be easier since you've got your gh's built and you won't have to spend as much time on infrastructure?

I can see where this year has been overwhelming for you with moving and building new stuff, then producing crops on top of that. Look at a positive side - you ran out of annuals and could have sold more. We're still selling annuals at the garden center where I work - even this late in the season. Perhaps a different planning strategy can be considered?

You must do what is best for you. Just know that folks like me really appreciate the effort you've put forth in bringing us in virtually to your business and being up front about the good and the bad, techniques, design and realities of being a gh producer. I'll give ya one thing girl - you can grow a tomato like a champ.

If I can put myself in a similar scenairo - since I cannot put myself in your shoes.. I would probably be feeling some burnout at this stage due to the trememdous amount of energy spent trying to get to this point of the growing season. When I arrive at those stages, it's easy for me to get discouraged and make decisions that may not be the good ones. Your friends may be right in asking you to give it another year. Give your efforts time to pay off. Even if you do not grow professionally next year, there'll still be people coming and wanting to buy from you because they know you. Repeat business and word of mouth is a great builder - it's better than the yellow pages.

Let me end with a word of encouragement because I know that you would do the same for me. I intend to give you that chance in a few years. Find a bit of time to rest now and reevaluate. Press forward for another year if you wish. Know that you've got a big fan club and I'm on the front row. Thanks for all you share with us.

Swoz

Ditto !

Count me in and standing next to Swoz cheering you on in whatever decision you make.

I am right there in line. I mostly lurk, but I read everything you post on this forum with a great deal of interest and respect. Best to you no matter what you decide to do. Dotti

Im speechless.
Thank you very much.

I have to make a few changes to make things profit better.
I need to have a few trees and shrubs and perennials ---All of which I know nothing about.
I do know on top of the list for new items next year will be Cannas, Hawiian Ginger, stella day lillies, elephant ears, english ivy, trumpet vines, hydrangeas, hostas, weeping willows, crape myrtles, rose of sharon, hardy hibiscus, and mimosas.
I do not know what kinds of bedding perennials to grow yet for my area. Will try Bee Balm, Cleome, cockscombs, liatris, fox glove, zebrina malva, Hollyhocks.
Will be selling Gold Fish and a few water plants next year also.

My almost finished Koi and Gold fish pond.

I have ordered 60 water hyacinths and some water lettuce for the pond.

I had 5 people to stop and look at the pond yesterday.
I had no idea it would be such an eye catcher. Others want to build their own ponds so I hope raising a few plants and fish will be worth the time. This was just my new hobby anyway. Might as well let it pay for itself.

Man this has been a trip. Love your forum it is so informative. I have been reading and have learned a lot.

I would love to see a recent photo of your deck with all the blue planters you have made. I know where the lady was coming from when she asked you if any of your plants on the deck was for sale. I like to make nice planters but never have any luck with it. So when I see something someone else has done, It always gives me great ideals. So I like the ideal of filling some with plants that look good and then selling them. I know I would buy something like that.

BTW what size is your mobil home? It really looks long. You do have your place all fixed up so nice. I am thinking about using some blue 50 gal. barrels for flower pots. My husband has about 4 of them already cut in half like yours. When we had emu's about 100 years ago, he used them for holding water for them. Keep all the photos and all the information coming, I love to read it.

Linda

Our 100+ heat drought was too hot on my potted plants. I could not water everything enough so I let the planters die out. I been cleaning them up and have plans to sow some squash this week. Will also plant fall crops--like broc, cabbage, cauliflower, and turnip greens.
We just now finished underpinning the deck and trailer. It made everything look so nice and clean. I been working on removing grass from around the deck so I can dig and add good soil to my clay for flower beds. I put my elephant birdbath fountain in the flower bed already. It is so cute----water comes out of his trunk and rolls down his back and ears.

The trailer is 16X76 (80)
We are suppose to build a dinning room , office, and sunroom onto the back this Fall.
ITs a shame you can't dress up ugly black barrels of water to make them look better in the sunrooms. I even thought about putting vinning plants on top of the barrels but that would block the sunlight to the barrels.

Here are some old pictures of the planters.

They really got impossible to water. Maybe if I didn't have so much to water every day --it would not of been so bad.
Or------maybe if I didnt have sooooooooo many.

June 6 planters.

Those really look great. On June 6 they have filled out so nicely, and really look great. Yes next spring I will go and get the ones my hubby has cut and fix them up for planters, and set them out in the yard I do think they will be an added attraction. When it is done next spring I will add a picture to show you. Thanks for such a great idea.

Linda

Well, a lightening storm killled my modem last month and I am just now getting it fixed.

We have been building a Sun Room onto our trailer.
Its a Dinning Room, Office, Sun Room combo.

What ('-'?) no plants ................. lol

*/:-[)

Glad the modem is the only thing that got fried Cricket

in the Sunroom ---I built two concrete block planters in the floor ---to the ground. the planters are 16 inches wide and 63 inches long. The planters are topped off with red brick. The only thing showing above the floor is about 2 inches of block and the brick. The planters are about 2 1/2 feet deep.
Corn Plants, Scheffalera, The Money Tree, and a Ficus are in the planters now with caladiums to add color. Will add impatiens and begonias come spring.
The Sunroom is 12x24feet. Has about 22 feet of windows.The outside is painted Rubber Duckie yellow.

I took a few pictures just before I planted my plants.
This is under construction.

the other side

Been working on the Sunroom.
Put my house plants in the indoor planters.

Still underconstruction----

ARe you ready to see the outside of the sunroom.

:) :) :) :) it makes you smile and your eyes bug out.

Wow .......... I guess [;-))

good job !

I am not growing bedding and veggie plants for the public next year. I will only be growing Tomato Produce and few other veggies.. Putting up 3 more greenhouses by Spring 2007 to have a total of 5 greenhouses. And plans to have total of 8 greenhouses by Spring of 2008.
I will be growing the tomatoes in GrowBeds in the greenhouses. Each Greenhouse will have Poly tops and open sides with shade clothes for the heat of Summer.
AT the base of the poly tops--there will be gutters to catch the rain fall that tunnels it into Barrels. Etc...........
Hoping my decision is successful.

The greenhouses will be 11 feet tall in the center.
2 crops per year in 2 greenhouses.
1 crop per year in 2 greenhouses.
cukes, peppers, eggplants, okra, squash in the other 4 greenhouses. Turnip Greens in the Fall.
Will rotate crops.

Thats my story and I am sticking to it.

The End


Cricket

What are GrowBeds? What kind of soil will you grow in?

I've always enjoyed reading about your greenhouses and growing experiences in these threads.

Grow Beds-----Grow Boxes made of concrete blocks

This is a grow box-----only the ones in the greenhouse will be much much longer.

The soil will be Barnyard TopSoil, Compost Manure, Peat Moss, and Chopped Leaves.

Got my maters in the sunroom.

Brandywine, Big Beef, young sweet million
Germinated some Siberian tomato seeds.

I have alot of volunteer tomato plants in the greenhouse.
they have several golf ball size maters.
I will not heat the greenhouse but will keep a record on how long they survive and produce with no heat.
They should last til Thanksgiving.

Wish I could write a book. I talk to myself all the time anyway. I bet writing a book is expensive.

actually it isn't, did you know you can sell your own book on Amazon.com. I read about it and it is free, !!!! but yes getting the other stuff is i think maybe some expense,
love what yor doing Cricket, i have been tausght so much by reading your threads.

Maters in the sunroom

omg Cricket i luv the sunroom and the yellow paint-you go girl
Hey do you ever slow down? Your like the energizer bunny girl!

When i saw the planters in the floor i just knew there had to be a tomato plant in one of them!!

yes I watch a movie and play on the puter. Thats when I slow down.

AS for projects---I am never bored.

I have lots of landscaping to do.
ARound the trailer and sunroom and deck come spring.
I want to put a concrete grow bed down the drive way --about 100 feet long and one out front about 180 feet long.

If it were not for REntal income, I would never have the money to do all this.
The rental income is my play money.

Cricket that is a neat pond, i took my kids to a fish farm today, they do pond sales and supplies as well , along with koi, bass, rainbow trout, and they have sturgeon in huge tanks and they are pets, the sturgeons love to be scratched under there chins just like a cat!!!! it is the craziest thing i have ever seen. Kids can feed the huge tanks of trout, they jump out of the water and we got wet, DD didn't think that was nice of the fish to do, she sat and waited for the fish to say sorry. LOL finally convienced her it wasnt going to happen becuze fish only talk fish language and not english LOl what else could i say to her. :)
ponds are fun, wish i could convience my DH to do one, but he thinks it will be a feeding ground for the racoons :( which it might end up being i guess.