If you missed the first part, here it is though the title doesn't suggest it, it really starts there.
After some days with lots of existentialism and overthinking, it seems it's the right moment to get back on track on turning imaginary visions into palpable realities. One of the things I'm most interested in finishing is the no-nails, and no bought plastic greenhouse project.
It's been raining lately so I haven't been too inspired to make advancements but I think it's time to use raw willpower and push on despite the adverse weather.
The idea is to use a lot of old discarded plastics and weave them together with cordage. I think if I use two or three layers, that should make up for the holes and keep the warm from escaping too fast.
Here I setup my plastic cleaning station. They are quite dirty, some even got some green stuff growing on it, but with some scrubbing it comes off a lot.
This is what I'm talking about...
I used an old garden glove to do the scrubbing as it has the little spongy pores on the fingers which helps to clean better.
This is the same plastic after some cleaning. I think it'll work!
Some of the plastics have bigger holes in them and I spent a while thinking if I should just leave them that way or cut off the area with the hole.
If I kept the hole I would cover a larger area quicker but it would be less insulated. The other option means more plastics and more work but a better end result. I chose to go for better quality.
After they had been cleaned, I left them hanging to dry before folding and safely storing them till I have enough for weaving.
Meanwhile, I'm experimenting with ideas for what the arcs on the ceiling might be. Two crossed willow branches could do the trick but I have yet to get up there, tie them up and see if they hold.
It's nice that the plants that most need the greenhouse are actually doing pretty well despite the lack of plastic. Nonetheless, I shouldn't shout victory yet as one frost is all it takes to bring their demise, so the time pressure is still there.
I've already cleaned six plastic sheets and there's plenty more where those came from as I still have a lot to tear down from the original shelter:
You might ask: "Fen, why don't you just buy a new plastic and get it over with? Is it worth the time to do things like this?". And just let me tell you I have run those questions through my mind many times and here are some answers that justify this work:
The obvious ecological answer that it's better to use things as much as possible instead of turning them into trash.
In a more subjective way, as someone who spends a lot of time in the wild, I can tell your that there's nothing in Nature like polyethylene. It's just not available. So the way I see it, every bit of it is a treasure, something with magical properties that has too high a value to be seen as trash you can discard.
Greenhouse plastics usually don't last much in this part of the world due to the heavy winds so going down that path means I'll have to be constantly buying more and more plastic. I always say I'd rather spend on tools than consumables and I don't have so much available fiat anyway to be a big spender.
If this experiment gives good results, then you can be sure I'll be making a shit ton more of these greenhouses as people are always throwing away plastic and I have an unlimited amount of willow. Heck, I'd even make one large enough to live inside 😁.
Well, that's all for today. Hope your enjoyed the post and are taking each day more measures to reduce trash and look after this beautiful planet 💚🌿