Greenhouse Opportunity

[Salsacharley]

I was walking down my street a few days ago past a high school that has just undergone major construction additions, and much to my surprise there was a big greenhouse along side the new multi-million dollar building (don't ask me who's paying for that!).

I called the school to find out about the greenhouse and I was put in touch with a biology teacher who is "running" the greenhouse. It turns out that this greenhouse is about 15' x 30' and has all the bells and whistles...huge exhaust fans, computerized climate control, etc.

The greenhouse is empty and there are no formal plans to do anything with it. The teacher said that he was told the greenhouse cost about $70,000.

To shorten the story, I happen to have 5 Napa Giant seedlings so I offered to come over and show his garden club how to separate tomato seedlings out of a 2" growing pot and transplant them into their own containers. The teacher didn't know that tomatoes were self-pollinators. He agreed that it would be good to get the greenhouse going, but he didn't know much about horticulture from what I discerned. I'm no expert but why the heck can't a high tech greenhouse grow stuff through the winter. He has the temp set at 80 for high and 60 for low so I'm going to press this opportunity as far as I can for utilizing the greenhouse for the students and try and let it earn its existence.

My plan is to get these 5 tomato plants going, and depending on what kind of commitment the garden club will make I will press on with other crops.

Any suggestions?

Charley

[ContainerTed]

Charley, I help out the high school greenhouse here. I try to supply them with seeds and offer advice on how to get stuff for small money. I have them doing the plant names on cut up mini-blinds, I have steered them to other seed sources that won't cancel orders and send non-viable seeds, and I am trying to educate the "overseer" and his supervision about keeping the quality up by looking for seeds locally. I give them everything I can and it is always "no charge". The small budget the high school operation runs on is pathetic, but the kids are learning and it shows.

My advice is to get a few other folks in your area involved. Find out what plants sell best at the local big box stores. I'm talking about flowers and veggies and any thing else that warrants a couple of 72 hole flats.

Around here, in the spring, the school places a couple of large signs along the main highway announcing the opening by posting the hours the greenhouse is open. The students grab plant carriers and accompany each customer to help them find the plants they want.

This year, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash plants went for $1.50 for a 3 plant plastic. Some of the flowers went for $1.00 each and some of the larger ones went for $2.50 each.

The proceeds go toward restocking for the next year. Any additional goes into a scholarship fund. They usually sell out eveything in about 3 weeks or less.

Around here, it's Rutgers, Mr. Stripey, Cherokee Purple, and then California Wonder Bell Pepper, Cayenne, Jalapeno, and serrano peppers, and then Burpless Cucumbers, Yellow Squash, and then various flowers that do well here in East Tennessee.

There now, that should give you some ideas.

[Worth1]

I had rather see a 70,000 green house as a 60 million dollar football stadium for a high school.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...vpBaro9s960bNg

[AlittleSalt]

I think it is a wonderful opportunity to help educate children. I like Ted's ideas.

Here is the football stadium in the city I was born in and still live very close to. I think they messed up on when it was built. It says 1941, but I think they meant 1491. They call it, "The Rock." http://www.texasbob.com/stadium/stadium.php?id=322

[nancyruhl]

Sounds like the school has the money to build a state of the art greenhouse with no real plan for educating with it. Until last year, I volunteered with the agricultural program offered through the vocational program for the Detroit Public Schools. They had anything but state of the art, but they did have a teacher and aide and students bussed to the greenhouse. The school system , however, did not give them the funds to buy anything to grow anything. We, volunteers helped them to grow what they could sell to raise money for the program to buy these things. Heirloom tomatoes were a big part of that sale. We also sold other vegetables, annuals and perennials, but the big draw was the tomatoes. I would make an illustrated list that was put on their website, and folks would come knowing exactly what they wanted and knowing they couldn't really find these plants anywhere else. The students helped with all aspects of the sale and were so proud of their results. That made me happy. The patrons were excited, too. Unfortunately, the program doesn't exist any longer.

The school needs to provide a curriculum and a teacher, so the students can complete an educational program they can use. You can support them with your experience, skills, seeds, plants, etc. You can show them your love of gardening, and the pride and concrete results of growing things. You can interact with the students. Maybe you can ever have a small space for starting you own plants (ulterior motive). But the school really needs to step up to the plate to make it worthwhile for the students.

[Ricky Shaw]

Some excellent ideas, I hope this takes off. Positives for everybody.

[clkeiper]

Good night! 70,000 big ones for a 15x30? I can't hardly wrap my brain around that. anyway...
Is this being used by a garden club of students or an actual class.
Plants plants plants. But 15x30 isn't really a huge amount of room to work with, either, so, my thoughts are along the same lines plant sales of vegetables and flats of flowers if at all possible. Mixed combination containers for Spring sales if those sell in your area
( add those soil moist crystals to the soil to retain moisture). You don't have a lot of room, but what about hanging baskets? all the plants started from seeds are very doable.
Are you going to try to utilize it yearish round or just from Jan to April? Or whenever your Spring market is? You could try some container growing of vegetables or a small hydroponic system just to get the idea of how hydroponics works. Is the floor finished (concrete) or sand/gravel? that may change how you use it. Check out MHP ? gardener out of Virginia to see what his project are going on in his houses. simple ECONOMICAL methods and ideas.

[rags57078]

I work at the local college in the Biology Dept . We have 2 greenhouses and have plants growing year around . I help student plant seeds , transplant when ready and ect. I went to order seeds from this place ( https://www.tomatobob.com/ ) and said I needed them for biology class , the lady said oh there is no charge for the seeds and they shipped several packs of extra ones I didn't order . They are a class act place in my mind , I buy my personal seeds from them when I can .

[Worth1]

I was going to buy a green house for $10,000 I think it was 12 x 16 or 18
It had all the bells and whistles fully automated and it was glass.
Sometimes I wish I would have bought it.

A government project always costs more than a private one.
It should be a crime.

If you bid a job with the government of any kind the way you would commercial you will lose money.

You had darn well better have your ducks in a row and read the contract like 5 times.
You will get stuck with prevailing wage, liquidated damages, if the inspectors want to they will run you through the wringer.
This is where you have to suck up and take them out to dinner and be their buddy even though you hate them
Sometimes even a little blackmail works wonders.
You dont have to do anything just get something on them and make sure they know it.
Does your wife know about the girl on the job? Click.
Now about that little thing with the sidewalk being off grade a wee bit.

Sometimes if not all the time they will make you hire a HUB subcontractor if one is available.
Then sometimes the Union is involved so you have to grease their palms.
Yep I can see where it would cost $70,000, been there done it.

Worth

[clkeiper]

Yep, Worth, I know it all too well. We, on occasion, bid on prevailing wage jobs. you should see the penalties for the finish date if you miss it. it makes you about sick to your stomach to actually get the job. then you worry about what you missed if you are the lowest bidder.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Yep, Worth, I know it all too well. We, on occasion, bid on prevailing wage jobs. you should see the penalties for the finish date if you miss it. it makes you about sick to your stomach to actually get the job. then you worry about what you missed if you are the lowest bidder.

I am really reluctant to jump into this mess again but I am going to have to do it.
All of the meetings and everything.
I would be happy going in circles on a tractor.

Charlie if you have the time give these guys every thing you've got.
Who knows you just may work your way into something.

And it would be great for the kids to learn from experience not just a text book.
Some of them will even put their phones in their pocket.

Worth

[zipcode]

Not sure about your climate, but over here a greenhouse is a huge improvement in terms of foliar diseases, and tomatoes do so much better. In fact, they are the ones that benefit the most from it.
Don't forget the greenhouse rule: all tomatoes pruned to one stem (average density 2-2.5 plants per square meter) to maximize production (I assume it's tall enough).

[Salsacharley]

Thanks folks. I appreciate all the input.

I just got back from a visit to the greenhouse where I demonstrated separating seedlings into their own pots. The high school students were all motivated to get their hands dirty and I was greatly encouraged by their overall appearance and behavior.

It turns out that the greenhouse is 40' x 25'. The earlier dimensions I stated were just estimated to me by the science teacher. It also turns out that he's a physics teacher, not biology. He is the only one with any interest in the greenhouse. He is very happy somebody else has an interest in the greenhouse. He told me the reason there is a greenhouse is that the school's construction improvement plan required that all existing buildings at the school had to be replaced and improved. He said they had a crummy little greenhouse before so they had to replace it and improve it. The engineers took it from there.

I told the teacher that I would come up with a plan for using it. He was very excited about that. Now, if anybody has some specific ideas for a plan to use it I am most receptive.

By the way, it has controls for heating, halide lighting, air conditioning, humidity control, and CO2 controls. It probably has more stuff that I didn't see offhand. I kind of feel like a kid who's dad just gave him the keys to the Ferrari.

Here's some pics.

[Gerardo]

Enzo really outdid himself on this one. What a great chance to flex your gardening muscles. Really cool.

[Worth1]

First rattle out of the box Hanging baskets and Orchids.
Nothing would make the tax payer feel better than seeing something like that.
If you are going to be around this place very much keep and eye out for the stray pot seedling growing and pull it up.
Nothing would give the green house a worse reputation than to have it reported that the kids were growing weed in their new $70.000 green house.
It could ruin it for everyone.

Worth