So, i got my new Flower Tower mini greenhouse this morning. I put it together.
Its nice, a tad bigger than my other one and probably about as sturdy, the clear vinyl cover is more heavy duty and the seams are reinforced. The zippers are also more rugged.
It wasn't windy at all this morning when i started putting it together and it was only slightly breezy when it was done. Just enough to move your hair a bit... i set the Tower up next to the long side of the house.
I didn't figure it would be smart to put anything in it without bracing it with something, so i put a couple bricks and a short piece of 2x4 on the bottom shelf along with 2 extra bags of seed starting mix for good measure. Then i took the seed trays i had prepared this morning- herbs, some veggies and a type of flower or two and put them on the second to the bottom shelf, figuring it wouldn't be wise to make it top heavy. I left the zippered door open and the vent it has on the back- thought this would keep it from catching a gust under the cover and lifting it. Still only lightly breezy out... went into the house to do some household stuff... about 20 minutes later i heard a noise that could only be a lightweight, hobby style greenhouse falling over...
It had fallen over in a rogue gust and tipped my seed trays out into the clear domes... ok.... this stinks... but i won't get mad.
I took an empty Sterilite tote and just dumped the soil into it. I had planted some large seeds- like Okra, Birdhouse Gourd and some Nasturtiums.
Easy to ID and find.
So i found all of those seeds ok.
Other seeds i planted were tiny stuff, oregano, marjoram, peppermint... total loss there. I didn't want to waste the soil and even putting it in the compost would be a waste cause its seed starting mix and i only have so much of that. So i decided to just leave it in the tote and i can use it a bit later to sow my onions into it... onion sprouts are distinctive enough that if any of the herbs sprout i won't have a bunch of mystery seedlings.
So, since i emptied the flats for reuse later i set them aside and moved the greenhouse a bit more snug to the house, replaced the weights and went back inside. A few minutes later, i hear a really strange noise... it sounds like a small, hobby greenhouse flying through the air.
Ok.... somehow, the wind got under it in a way that it had to have lifted it about 10-15 feet in the air to move it between the basketball hoop and the roof edge (which is too narrow for it to pass between) and set it down about 20 feet away, scattering the wire shelves, wiping out my now-empty seed trays and distributing my plastic seed labels all over the back yard. It somehow bucked out the weight items and took off.
Greenhouse still with barely a scratch... amazing. lol The seed trays are amazingly still intact as well.
So, now i have it under the overhang, pinched between the stroller, the step and the gas grill.... let's see it try to fly away now.
Sometime later today i will get the chance to re-plant the seeds i lost.
*sigh*
I just hope this isn't a preview of things to come: Me, chasing 30' lengths of white row cover all over the yard, out the driveway and down the street.
But in a way it is funny, i bet it looked really cool up about 10 feet in the air. It must have landed gently cause it isn't the worse for wear.
I thought i was going to get ahead of things today. I woke up really early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, so i got up and made myself a coffee. With nobody to bother me or get in my way, i had the kitchen cleaned and the dishes done. I picked up the living room too and everyone got up just before i took the vacuum around the house.
So it looked like i was going to be able to get more seeds going--and i did until the flying greenhouse incident.
I didn't get any pictures.
I think the little one is going to be having finger-foods for lunch today so i can sit with her, but i can be replanting instead of feeding and dodging purees.
