Build your own greenhouse
Whether you want to usher tender plants through the winter outdoors or get a jump on spring propagation, a backyard greenhouse is a handy solution. But it can also be an expensive one. In addition, some gardeners tend to bite off more greenhouse than they can chew. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension publication “A Small Backyard Greenhouse for the Home Gardener” provides plans for building an inexpensive 12-by-14-foot “hoophouse” out of PVC pipe, electrical metallic tubing, plastic sheeting and pine lumber. The four-page publication provides information about how to choose the best site along with step-by-step building instructions. You may download at
www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/publicat
/postharv/green/small_greenhouse.pdf or call your Cooperative Extension agent for a copy. You can find other helpful resources at
http://clark.wsu.edu/volunteer/mg/gm_tips/hoophouses.html.