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it's amazing what one can grow in a greenhouse, SH. dick wilson's isn't that big at all and he's got 5 foot tall tomato plants.
"chaos reigns within.
reflect, repent and reboot.
order shall return."
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"a great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."
w. james
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I don't understand why anyone needs a green house here. We live in a greenhouse! Our very sunny warm humid conditions and excellent rainfall are better than what a green house can do! A shade house, yes, I can see that being needed. I can even root cuttings and start seeds here 3 X faster than in CA. Of course, Dick does live where there is not as much sun and it is cooler up there where you guys are. And unless you are using hydroponics you also have to keep green house plants irrigated, something our rain does for free.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
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for climate, disease and pest control. to grow certain crops all year round. to turn inarable land into arable land.
"chaos reigns within.
reflect, repent and reboot.
order shall return."
microsoft error message with haiku poetry
"a great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."
w. james
Greenhouses are expensive. People wouldn't buy them if a shade house fulfilled all the same functions. There are tons of greenhouses on the island. Instead of asserting they are unnecessary, another approach might be to assume they have a value as so many people invest in them.
One of the first things I was told when I moved here is that I couldn't grow most tomatoes outside a greenhouse, because there is a wasp that stings them and I think lays its eggs. Cherry tomatoes seem relatively immune. Those lovely Kamuela tomatoes without blemishes are greenhouse grown.
I do not pretend to know all the reasons that growers use greenhouses, but some occur to me. Certainly there are areas where it rains so much that there are rot issues and one would wish to control the irrigation. There are colder areas. A greenhouse provides more than warmth; it provides the ability to control the whole environment, as kani'lehua said. Some crops will not succeed here without controls. A shade house provides a filter for plants like orchids that don't like direct sun, but it doesn't keep out the bugs or remain a constant level of humidity and temperature. I wish I could afford one.
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My tomatoes and those of my friends on my street do great here. I do not grow any big ones,just heirlooms; Plum, Roma, and Grape varieties. No Wasps. Lots of peppers too. I do plant them in containers though, as it is easier to maintain perfect soil for various crops & some things need to be protected from salt spray so we can put them anywhere if they are in pots. Richard Ha grows all of his in green houses, but they are hydroponic. Insects can and do still get into green houses. We owned nurseries on the mainland with green houses, in fact if you get aphids they are almost impossible to get out of a green house short unless you remove everything and sterilize everything.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
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Actually Devany, we live in Nanawale at about 300' and my greenhouse is a compromise, Polyvinyl roof, and screened sides. I don't have any aphids in there and my Burpee's Better Boys are doing great. Wasp don't get in and my peppers, melons, cukes, dill, basil, and garlic are all doing great. I'm gardening in raised beds using soil I imported from Pam up in glenwood and then amended. As far as cost, I used a 12x20' portable garage enclosure from Costco. Got the fabric from Greenhouse specialist, fabricated the ends and door from pvc. Total cost probably in $600. range.
dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"
dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"
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Some of the greenhouses on island are to CONTROL the amount of water.... there are many years that have drought conditions for a month or more, and sometimes (even a month or 2 after a long drought) when we can have enormous rainfall.... These extremes can really tax plants, esp normal sub tropical to tropical varieties that are happy with 45"-60" of rainfall per year... with a good temp/humidity control system and a good irrigation system (some use gravity fed catchments with augmentation) you can create a truly ideal environment for a target plant.
