Garden Centre

Friday, December 12, 2008

December greenhouse

Next year, I promise, this blog will be full of pictures of glorious forced bulbs, flowering in perfect time for the festive season, and lovely tender perennials, lovingly being overwintered in my brand new greenhouse. As it is though, what I actually have in there, right now, is one rhubarb crown being forced under a black plastic box (yes I know it sounds stupid to put something under black plastic to remove light, and the stick it in a bright greenhouse, but forcing rhubarb requires both dark and warmth, you see) and a tray of pea seeds that I’m hoping will germinate, and some bubble wrap.

Yes, just about the only thing that is flourishing in my wonderful greenhouse is the bubble wrap I’ve lined it with to keep it warmer. I’m also on the look-out for families that are buying big electrical goods for Christmas so I can go and beg the polystyrene packaging from them, as no less a resource than Gardener’s World says that sheets of white polystyrene can be used to line the sides of a greenhouse below staging level. Good enough for them is good enough for me!

And of course, given that I have only one rhubarb to examine, there’s no difficulty for me in examining the contents of my greenhouse for overwintering pests! By next year though, I hope to be having to search a dozen lush plants for infestations of whitefly, red spider mite and greenfly.

Icy greenhouse courtesy of Aunt Owwee

Labels: december greenhouse, forced bulbs, greenfly, red spider mite, rhubarb, tender perennials

The All Seasons Gardener at 9:18 AM

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