Sunshine Coast
Seniors Community Garden

Ideas for a Greenhouse - 1

The New Horizons Seniors Community Garden will include a wheelchair-accessible greenhouse for use in starting vegetable and flower seedlings, and growing warm weather crops like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

The advisory committee has been considering models for a greenhouse that would meet the garden's needs. Program coordinator Harry Hill has visited several greenhouses on the Coast to see if their design could be adapted for the seniors garden.

John Field and his son built their solar greenhouse based on plans in a book they borrowed from the Sechelt Library.

John Field beside the solar greenhouse he built at his home in Pender Harbour.

A gutter along the base of the main greenhouse window catches rainwater.

A ventilation window is designed to open wider as the temperature in the greenhouse increases.

Water in plastic bottles along the north wall of the solar greenhouse absorbs heat during the day and slowly
releases it overnight. John reported that the greenhouse became too hot inside in mid summer and tomato plants
stopped producing fruit because of the heat. He is investigating how to improve circulation and lower the temperature in July and August.

Click to go Page 2 of Greenhouse Ideas