There is only one Greenhouse left! Make sure to get to the ReStore soon before its sold!

Typically when the word “greenhouse” has been used in a sentence in the last 25 years, it has been in reference to the ever-present and harrowing subject of the “greenhouse effect”. That is, the effect produced by the air pollution created by automobiles, factories, heavy machinery and of recent discussion, large cattle herds (think methane). However, the term “greenhouse effect” is borrowed from a much more therapeutic and satisfying science, the science of greenhouses.

History-

The idea of a greenhouse or a controlled environment in which plants can germinate year round has been around since Roman times. The Roman emperor Tiberius made a cucumber like vegetable a part of his daily regimen. Roman gardeners were presented with the challenge of pleasing the king’s inconvenient tastes, and their solution was to plant the cucumbers in wheeled carts during the day and then wheel them in during the cold nights. The first modern greenhouses were built in Italy in the thirteenth century in an effort to maintain exotic plants that they had gathered during their expeditions in the tropics. Soon the concept of greenhouses moved into colleges and universities, commonly being used to protect oranges and pineapples from succumbing to a cold snap, being that both fruits are historically very sensitive to changes in temperature.

Science-

The simple explanation is that in a greenhouse, heat and gases are trapped and maintained at ideal temperatures and conditions for plants to grow. The necessity of a greenhouse simply comes from the desire to grow seedlings or plants in a normally unacceptable clime or soil, or nurture plants during a time of year that is not ideal for the plant to grow with the intent of transplantation when their growing season arrives. A greenhouse allows a green thumb (or budding green thumb) to get an early start on the spring/summer’s crops by germinating the seeds in the greenhouse, or in hostile climates it provides the ability to grow plants that typically would not survive in the gardener’s geographic location.

So all I need to do is go to ReStore, buy the greenhouse and some other supplies, put seeds in some planters and water daily, right? Not so fast. A greenhouse is a very delicate mini eco-system, and conditions have to be well-maintained and constantly monitored to ensure the wonderful benefits that a greenhouse can provide. For instance, things such as temperature day and night, exposure to sunlight, CO2 level, soil condition and watering are all things that have to be considered on a daily basis. Why carbon dioxide though, isn’t that something that is the product of the combustion of fossil fuels? Yes it is, but it is also necessary for a plant to maintain photosynthesis during the day. When the sun comes out in the morning, the greenhouse’s CO2 levels are significantly depleted as the plants go to “work”, using the sunlight, CO2, water, and minerals in the soil to grow and produce oxygen (a personally important byproduct of photosynthesis). So if your intention is just to get a head start on your flower garden to impress the neighbors this spring/summer, or to have some delicious tropical fruits/vegetables ANY time of the year, the greenhouse at ReStore is at least worth a peek. So come check us out!

Luckily, greenhouses have been around for a long while, and there are many books and internet articles that can explain how to manage your greenhouse, no matter what size it is or what plants you want to grow. Visit your local library, the internet or even the Wendover Road ReStore… perhaps someone has donated a greenhouse book to us that would go great with a cup of coffee as we load up your new greenhouse!

Jeff Hardesty