PBS Forum

Dracunculus is hardy here in western New Jersey. Flies crawl all over the flower. Last year had a black turkey vulture looking for a ?dead woodchuck it thought must be somewhere around. But neighborhood dogs are completely uninterested.

I have more Rhodophia bifida than I really need. They are grown in deep tree pots in a somewhat gritty soil. Stop watering and let the leaves wither and dry sometime in late spring. Mostly ignore them, still in greenhouse, all summer. If I think of it, give a dribble of water.

Along about end of August / very beginning of September I decide whether to repot, top dress, or leave as is.

I believe, with no scientific proof, that barometric changes as a storm arrives, does have an influence on flowering. When a storm is forecast (end of August / earliest September) I hustle the pots outdoors. And they flower in less than a week.

Trust me, Martin, laying on the garage roof dangling an 18 foot pole while attempting to spread the shade cloth outside the greenhouse was of negative interest to my husband. It might be more efficient if the shade cloth is outside the greenhouse. But there is no doubt that something in place inside is more effective than nothing at all. And I'm still married . . .

To clarify a previous reply - the shade cloth goes silver side towards the roof.

Arnold, I also draped a large piece of shade cloth over the outside of the greenhouse roof. It required me and my husband to lay on the slanting garage roof and maneuver an 18 foot pole into clips on the garage wall close to the top of the greenhouse. It was clear that I would have to find a different way to shade the greenhouse.

I bought woven greenhouse shade cloth, one side green, one side silver, large enough to cover 8 ft by 18 ft greenhouse. Cut 9 pieces, each to the width of individual roofing panels. Sewed a small pocket in one narrow end. Slip a drapery tension rod in pocket and pressure fit into high point of roof. Use clothes pins to clip to framing member at lower end of roof where it meets front wall.

Did this in 2006. Still in good condition. I can put up / take down by myself.

Hope the two images I have tried to attach come through O.K.

Perhaps . . .

Completely unexpected call this morning. The man with whom I have been playing telephone tag is 12 minutes away. O.K. to stop by, see job, take measurements? Of course.

The polycarbonate I have on hand in too thick. He also wants to replace all the roof caps where the panels meet - they're old and tend to crack when removed.

He will bring polycarbonte and cut on-site. Will call next week with labor & material costs. Project to be done, one day job, by end of September, perhaps earlier if a day opens up.

It would be So Good to be done with this. Send positive thoughts in my direction.

Someone was supposed to replace the roof back in October 2020. I took the measurements, as he described to me. Man showed up with his reasonably adult grandson and a worker, and polycarbonate panels. Took the first unit off the roof - and the replacement unit was too short by just a few inches. They put the old unit back on, put all the polycarbonate panels in my garage. And left. I never got a bill, and have not paid for the polycarbonate.

The greenhouse roof has 9 units. Four are shorter, to accommodate the two 2-unit roof vents. The other five are, obviously, longer.

There is polycarbonate for the four shorter roofing panels. No idea if they are the correct length or not. There are two polycarbonate pieces for the roof vent units. And for all I know it is possible to fit something - ?plywood - to fill in the few inches between the roof and the five longer-but-still-too-short polycarbonate units.

Here's the somewhat long back story. My 8 ft X 18 ft glass to ground lean-to greenhouse has a polycarbonate roof that needs to be replaced. I have tried general contractors, sun room companies, roofers, glaziers - no help.

Arnold Tractenberg gave me the name of the man who installed his greenhouse. Charming man, now retired, who gave me the name of someone who supposedly could do the roof replacement.

Spoke with the man who supposedly could do the work last year, 2021. Supposed to happen this year. I called him in April. He was supposed to call in second half of May to set up a date to come look and take measurements. Nothing. I called on June 3rd. He would call on June 6 to set a time to come on June 7. Nothing. Clearly he is not interested.

Greenhouse bought from Charley's Greenhouse Supply. They are on the West Coast. Called them. Unhelpful. I called the company that actually manufactured the greenhouse kit. They are on the west coast of Canada. Cannot help.

I am in Hunterdon County New Jersey, 2 miles from the Delaware River.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Judy, very discouraged