For years I felt envy when visiting the greenhouse at Colton Garden or when seeing beautiful greenhouses marketed online. Some of these were too expensive for my budget. Others did not appear sturdy enough to survive our Doney Park winds. At last, we built a do-it-yourself version, and I’ve enjoyed its benefits ever since. I encourage anyone to tackle something similar, from full-scale greenhouses to much smaller protected spaces you can place on a porch or apartment balcony.
We built largely from recycled materials, using old sliding glass doors and windows we had replaced on our home. We purchased framing material, inexpensive sheathing for walls, bricks for a floor, and polycarbonate sheets for a clear roof. You might not need the bricks if you plan to grow directly in the ground (not an option for us due to gophers). We leveled the ground to build in a sunny location near our vegetable garden, with sliding doors at each end and large windows facing south.
Laura Huenneke is a retired plant ecologist and university professor/administrator. Taking the Coconino Master Gardeners course a few years ago improved her gardening efforts in our challenging northern Arizona environment.
Gardening questions can be sent to [email protected] or submitted to the Master Gardener Hotline: 928-773-6115.
Darcy is adorable! Just look at those ears. She is a 1-year-old German Shepherd mix with a gentle soul and a heart full of love. She might be a little shy when you first meet her but give her … Read moreCHA Pet of the Week: Darcy
Sweet, loyal, and full of charm, Sandy is the best friend you didn’t know you were missing. After losing her previous guardian, Sandy has been thriving in a loving foster home and is now ready… Read moreHCH Pet of the Week: Sandy
From May 12 to 18 there will be a number of events in the city directed toward encouraging people to ride their bikes as part of Ride Your Bike Week. For more information on events visit www.f… Read moreGallery: Ride Your Bike Week begins in Flagstaff
The Flagstaff Police Department and Coconino County Sheriff's Office would like to make the following sex offender notifications: Read moreSex offender notification
