We've talked a lot about getting away from plastics that release chemicals when they are heated which can contaminate our foods with carcinogens. Unfortunately plastics seem to have take over our green house options. How do we get away from this?
We talked about using Red Wood and posted a link on how to build a raised garden bed from Sunset Magazine.
Now let's look at the cover over our vegetables.
There really is only one option that makes sense and that is glass.
Grandma used old glass windows in wooden frames placed over the beds or running down the side of the house which worked very well to hold in the heat and allow a lot of natural UV rays.
When we do this we need to keep in mind that glass magnifies and plastic does not. So that magnification of the sun can actually be a fire hazard and can burn our plants.
This is all about angle to the sun. And you can study and control that angle somewhat to help with this situation. Sunlight is a very power tool. You can use a light netting to minimize the intensity of the light reflecting on the glass but still get adequate UV to help your plants grow.
Glass also can generate extreme heat. That heat needs to be regulated by having the ability to vent the green house. How much you vent depends on the heat so you need a thermometer system.
Nothing is healthier than glass as a container and a natural element in our environment.
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