The Green House is very simple to build, if you have some simple construction knowledge and tools. I will give you some basic ideas on how I did it. First of all, I build two. One with PVC pipe and the other one with Wire Cattle Panels. The PVC Pipe one goes like this. It is 12 by 18. It can be larger, next year plans are in the work for a 12 by 40+. I experience alot of wind, so I made it stronger than needed. First I made a 12 x 18 box out of 1 x 6. Then I dug 4 holes in the corners for a 2.5 foot 4 x 4 post. Then screwed the box to the posts. Then cut 1.5 inch PVC pipe cut 6 inches long every 4 feet on each side. Next take a 1 inch pvc pipe that is 20 feet long and bend it into a hoop. I stress buying 20 foot lengths. I tried to glue 2 tens together and it was just a pain. Two people are nice, but one person can do it. Drill two holes through the pipe and 1.5 inch pipe and attach the hoops to the box with long screws. Optional part, I ran a 3/4 inch pipe down the middle and bolted it to the hoops. It made it very rigid. On the ends is the tricky part. They can be done many ways. I framed up a couple rectangles and mounted some old storm windows that I picked up for free. Then made the door out of a scrap piece of chipboard. Prior to attaching the doors and window, the plastic needs to go one. I used a 6 mil piece that was 20 by 25. It was not fancy greenhouse plastic, just the stuff in a hardware store. 6 mil is the best, I wouldn't go for 4 mil, waste of time. I attached one side of the plastic to the outside of the box with staples. Then sandwiched it on to the side of the box with a 1 by 4. The boards ran the whole length of the building. Pull the plastic over the hoops and pull it tight too, then sandwiched it. Then pull the ends around and wrap them through the window rectangles and sandwiched the windows on and put 1x4 sandwiched on the bottom. I attached two short ropes over the outside of the plastic and attached to the sides of the box, this stopped the "Balloon Affect". Watch the temps, it can get very hot in the sun. One day it was 45 outside and windy. It was 90 plus at 10:00 in the morning. If the plastic rips, fix it with clear duct tape or clear packing tape. Attach it to both sides, if you can. I had a rip in a 45 mile wind storm. I was able to tape it back togther and it held great! The smaller one is the same process. Made a box, set posts, bend cattle panels over, attach to the box (on the inside), put black pipe insulation over the ends of the panels to avoid ripping the plastic, cover with plastic, sandwich the sides, finish the ends and enjoy. A high tunnel can be made very easily. Google "High Tunnel" and you will find out some really good info. These two little building have survived alot. Two tornadoes, 4 hailstorms, 2 weeks fo 30+ mph wind, 5 inches of rain (in 1.5 hours), 50-65 mph winds. I think they are the greatest things ever!

This is one of those years I'd just as soon forget....... Absolutely hammered by curly top virus all summer long, I keep pulling plants. Not just the tomatoes, but cucumbers and beans were wiped out. On the positive side, I planted quite a few, so even pulling 60-70%, I still have 20 healthy plants left. I tried several new varieties - one of interest is 'Cold Set' a determinant with slightly I was able to save seeds from J.D.'s Special Ox Heart before the virus got 'em all. Currently, the only Ox Heart going strong is "Ludwella's Ox heart", but only two out of 8 plants remain. Thessaloniki seems to have resisted the virus, and while I haven't been paying all that close attention on viral resistance, I do know that it has been my best producer the last 4 years running, so maybe I need to pay better attention. I still have 10 or so "OTV Brandywine" that are huge and doing what I would expect for a massive beefsteak. That part of the garden dodged the bullet re the virus. Eaten three now, and not bad at all.

For those interested in the tomato garden he starts that part of the tour right at the 4 minute mark of the first link. The string trellis, tomato pruning set up is almost identical to mine, so his methods interested me. He recommends snipping off suckers until "there's a good bloom". As far as I understand indeterminate tomato growth, each vine is going to set one flower cluster every third leaf branch. So there won't be a "good bloom" (imo) until he lets several suckers flower at once. There's a little contradiction there. He says prune until it happens; I'm pretty sure it doesn't happen until pruning stops. In the market or greenhouse forum here there was a few professional growers saying they prune their tomatoes to one stem until they're three and a half or four feet then leave them alone. That's probably/hopefully what Ryan meant to suggest, and that's how I want to try the string trellis next year (with a half dozen plants). One problem is it gets hard to support with just vertical strings as he suggested. Once all the suckers are vigorous and producing suckers of their own, you either spend a ridiculous amount of time dropping multiple strings vertically to each and every sucker that then need to be clipped or wrapped a couple times a week; or, as I figured out late this year, tie off some horizontal strings (connecting everything) between six and eight feet. Three horizontal strings across the whole shebang 8 inches apart in height did the job better than a dozen or more vertical strings. Think of it like an elevated weave where needed. Also interesting how he used strings for peppers and eggplant. Thanks for the links.

that is one absolutely beautiful box of gifts. You know how I love wood, and that board is just perfect. Don't be afraid to use it, though, wood is so forgiving, just a quick rub with fine sandpaper and some oil and it's good as new, maybe with a little more character even. I also think that linen towel looks soft and luxurious, like it was meant to be hendled and the napkins are gorgeous too. Enjoy everything, and Ann, you did a flawless job of choosing items for Karen. Annie