Jenna Kinghorn
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BUILD YOUR OWN GREENHOUSE ? I saw some people that I follow on Instagram were building their own greenhouses , and since I couldn ’ t have a chicken coop — East Providence doesn ’ t allow them — a garden shed was the next best thing . I wanted to use all recycled materials , so we used the lumber from our deck that we tore out , and I found the reclaimed windows and door on Facebook Marketplace . I spent less than $ 150 to build it . Our design plan changed about five times during the build until we came up with the end results . Each change just made it better !
HOW LONG DID THE BUILDING PROCESS TAKE ? It took about three weeks to build the greenhouse . We built it during the COVID quarantine / lockdown .
WHAT KINDS OF PLANTS DO YOU MAINTAIN OR GROW IN YOUR GREENHOUSE ? This year I plan to use the greenhouse to start seeds . I will also grow all of my herbs in there again .
HOW DO YOU KEEP THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE GREENHOUSE CONSISTENT ? I have a thermometer in the greenhouse . I also ensure a constant air flow from the door being open and the slits in the back wall . We kept the windows stationary , but you could always add hinges to tilt them open to increase air flow . I plan to install a solar-operated fan to keep the air circulating , too .
DOES THE POSITION OF THE GREENHOUSE IN YOUR YARD MATTER ? Yes . You want to make sure the greenhouse gets full sun . Ours faces north / south , so the sun is constantly flowing through the side windows . ◆
For more inspiration from the Kinghorns , follow @ lepetitecottage on Instagram .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY ’ S NEST | 2021 71