Wow Linda, what a great hot house. What is the covering?

It's commercial grade poly-something I'll have to ask Bob. We got it from a local nursery who builds all his own tunnels and it is really thick - the one from Bunnings is far to flimsy. We have added battens on the uprights outside to keep it tight and will give it one extra pull down once we get the concreting done outside. Might still put a batten across horizontally but we've had big winds and it seem OK. The whole project just grew out of not wanting to spend big money and I'm pleased to say I think we have a really good result. Now for the tomatoes! Thanks for your help in the early stages! Linda

Well done now that its out of the way just think of all those yummy things you will be able to plant.
What a difference it makes when you build things yourself ( hubby and I built this house ).
And he reckons it would take more than a Cyclone to do any damage, as it was made to last.
And some of those prefab sheds and hot houses are so flimsy, yours looks good and strong.
I hope you get many years of pleasure and produce from it..Cheers...MM.

Congratulations on a job well done.
Are those strawberries, just lovely on a creamy sponge, yum.
Enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Marion, who would just love a cool breeze instead of the hot north westerlies we have been getting here for the last week

Thanks MM - I agree - my Dad always used to say, if you want a job done well do it yourself! We also built a house many moons ago and even though it was hard, there is a pride in succeeding. Marion, yes they are strawberries. We used to farm them - so have come down from 350,000 plants to a handfull. I planted in the garden last year but the birds got them from above and the slugs from below so this lot will go straight onto the plate. You can have the cool breeze, we are still under 18 during the day and around 9 at night!
Cheers, Linda

Wow Linda, what a good Hotty you got there. Love the rolling hills as backdrop.
Looks Idyllic, to say the least.
Whereabouts are you in Tas?., it looks like the North West.

Fossil Bluff Wynyard. The hill is protective but too steep to mow so always looks a bit bedraggled, but those trees are Protea type things that the council planted; should look good when they grow. There's a walking track that goes up the hill and fabulous views from the top. There are only about 30 houses here, lying between the Inglis River and Bass Strait and about 4k to town; mostly retired people and just enough kids to make it lively. All good kids who offer to walk your dog and speak respectfully. Something to be said for not being in the 21st Century. Many have veggie gardens and our dogs have play time together on the beach at low tide. It's a bit of a village of Old Fossils with a lot of swapping ( seeds and stuff) going on. So yes, apart from the sodding weather, it is Idyllic. We bought here the year I had C and so it is special to me, every bit of gardening I do is restorative.
Keep on Keeping on!
Linda

Linda, I didn't know you were a C sufferer too! I took up gardening in a big way after my diagnosis. I find it better than any drug as a therapeutic regimen.

That's Peter Cundall terrritory isn't it?. That would be restorative in itself!!.
Wow, the amount of people on this forum who have got into gardening for "therapeutic"reasons is incredible.
Mine is also still terminal at this stage, but who's to know what will happen?.
I do love the Wuthering Heights look though; perhaps you could talk the other half into a change of name , to Heathcliffe?.

Ray, yes, I'm coming up for three years now so the juices are doing something - mind you I believe life is terminal and I don't intent to go out with a whimper. Unfortunately after the chemo and radiation I still get 5 years on drugs. But. I'm of the get up, get over it, get on with it school of philosophy and I think getting proactive in the garden is the best way to do that. Adamus, you seem to be holding up well too - must be the lycopane in the tomatoes! Lack of stress is a major factor too. When I got C I got led into studying Ayurvedic medicine - have 100 hours up and it has been amazing to really understand the influence of what we eat and how we can take charge of our own recovery. In a lighter note; I couldn't handle a complex man like Heathcliffe! Peter Cundall is down the Tamar at Rosevears - other side of Launceston about 2 hours from here. Off to swap some plants for worms tomorrow.
Linda

Great pictures, Linda! It's always interesting to see other people's gardens and hothouses. :)

Great inspiration there for our hothouse...I will have to show Steve the photos. I've always gardened and now that I am ill I find it my inspiration to get going...and you just cant beat fruit and veg you have grown yourself....

Linda what is Ayurvedic medicine?

Helen

It is working well - we had to add some extra horizontal slats outside because of the beastly winds we get here and were sick of hearing the plastic flap, and we've also added some old bamboo blinds inside ( from Chickenfeed) to regualte the sunlight on baby seedlings. Got a nice gravel path up to it now so all systems go.

Ayurveda is Hindu medicine. When I had BC and had to go for double dosages of radiation I was warned because of my skin being both thin and white, I might suffer burns. I did a bit of a surf because I beleve in natural therapies if poss and came across a site for Ayurveda( which knew about vaguely of my years of Astrological work)There was a recommendation for Turmeric as a preventative for radiation burns. I got Hatton and Laws in Launceston to get me a litre of the tincture and took 15 ml every time I had radiation ( 35 times with 10 boosters as opposed to a 'norm' of 22 +4) Result - one tiny blister; yellow teeth! I actually went from the last radiation to Daysford in Victoria and convened an international conference with 200 delegates, and did 6 lectures so it really worked! This led me to become a student of Ayurveda doing a correspondence course that gives me 100 hours credit. So what it about? It's based on the philosophy that every one's body is unique but formed from three basic constiutional types (doshas) Vata, Pitta and Kapha and combinations of the types. By eating the foods relevant to your type, you can maintain good heath and restore your body to balance It depends on organics and mainly vegetarian; you need to have a good assessment done to dertermine the constiution you were born with as opposed to the imbalances you now suffer if you are ill. This is called your Vikruti and Prakruti. The aim is to get as close to the perfect balance you were meant to be by eating healing foods. I was born a combination of Vata/Pitta - Fire and Air - but over the years have stressed theKapha to the extent that I am diabetic and fat. By balancing the Pitta ( spices) and avoiding Kapha ( dairy and meats) I have lost 20 kg without dieting over this year and no longer take insuline. So that's in a nutshell, there are lots more complications in studying as I am doing for professional reasons but the very basics of food as medicine is easy to gasp. I'm retiring from my Astrological business ( hoping to pass the Academy on to someone else) to concentrate more on studying and hope to go the India for my practical work in 2007. Online you can find some good and dubious sites - here's a link to a good one. Don;t be put off by the 'cures on vomiting, etc. There is a link there to do a questionaire that wil tell you your type and a suggested food plan for your type. I hope your health returns with full vigour. The garden was my saviour.

Here is a link that might be useful: This explains Ayurveda

Link is not working. Try this

Here is a link that might be useful: This link is the right one.

Hi Linda,
Interesting. I had a look at the site and did the test (born Pitta/Kapha, now Vata/Pitta) but I found it rather confusing. I suppose I should see a bona fide practitioner to be certain. I think the idea of food as medicine is fantastic. I love food. Imagine eating your way to health.

Traditional Chinese medicine treats food as medicine as well. It has a lot to do with ying and yang too. There is 'heaty' food and 'cooling' food. If something is ailing you, your balance is out of whack.

Of course, it's a lot more complex than that, but it's sort of the essence of it. It's an incredibly interesting topic.

It can be confusing - that's why it's going to take me 6 years to become a practitioner, the hardest part for me is the Sanskrit - it gets worse as you go along and specific organs have sub doshas and so on. When I go to India I'll have to know all the words! As a general healthy eating regime, you can just get a general idea and experiment with foods. Some will give you symptoms - like Bob who, when he overloads on Vata foods; yawns, farts and sighs a lot. One of the basic principles is the 6 tastes - every meal should have a proportion of the 6 tastes, but certain doshas need more of one than the other. I haven't really examined Chinese medicine but the concept of Yin and Yang is familiar because of the balances that the medieval doctors used when using astrology and herbs. Certain herbs are 'masculine' others' feminine' - same things as Yang and Yin. The medievals used the concept of 'humours' as set out by Hippocrates which actually tie in quite well yo Ayurveda. I think that site may have a list of foods. I'll email you offlist if I can find a properly trained on in your area - there is probably one in Sydney. All the best
Linda

Mind Boggling, Linda. I'm about to do the test. Knowing my luck, Ray is a hottie, and I'm sour , or something.

People with red thumbs are smarter than the average bear. You cant beat fact. I've allways said that.
The pride of ones achievment is great,
but being positive of the outcome is greater.
and i allways feel that there is tomorrow or next year.
i simply think you have achieved the ultimate in your greenhouse.
now to achieve the ultimate in knowing your greenhouse.

Keith

Sage words indeed Keith. I thought I'd write a book called "Zen and the Art of Getting to know your Greenhouse" but I think there may be a precendent ;-)

Cheers
Linda

When it gets too bright in our polyhouse Bill puts whitewash on the outside. The first lot is up now, nice swirly pattern so it's only about 50% cover. As the season advances he'll put up more. By the end of summer most of it will have washed off.
If anyone is interested in knowing more I'll ask him what it's sold as.

Penny.

Thanks for the info Linda...I do believe the food you eat and the environment affect your health...I'll have a look at the website...good luck with your Ayurveda studies and with that wonderful greenhouse

helen

Penny, my Dad used to whitewash but that was in a glass house, not poly. Interesting that you can use it on poly so I'l be pleased to hear about it. We still have a problem with seedlings stacked on the ground as certain times of the day the sun streamed in below the bamboo blinds which don;t reach the floor - I found a neat solution yesterday. I am planting herbs in styrofoam veggie boxes for a local restaurant so have all these lids left. I joined them together with tape in a long row, like a japanese screen - they are about 1 ft high 2ft long - just high enough to put behind the babies and can be moved around, even forming angles as needed. 8 of them just fit the length of the hothouse and I'm off to get more boxes today. I'll take a pic later today when I venture out into out sub antarctic spring. They reflect the heat without diminishing the light. Off to Melbourne for a week or two on Friday - got to clean my nails and scrub my disgusting feet then I'm of the leash.
Linda