The Greenhouse Gets a Permanent Roof
When we first walked this property before buying it, this large glass enclosure was filled with enormous fish tanks that provided food and an income stream for the previous owners. Most people probably would have seen a project, or maybe even a problem. But I saw a greenhouse.
The structure itself is 22 feet long and 13 feet wide, which gives us 286 square feet of pure potential. Knowing that a fishery was not part of our future, we removed the tanks and cleaned out the space… and then it sat open and waiting for over three years.
When you have been trying to baby vegetable seedlings in a basement for three years, 286 square feet feels like winning the lottery. I have done the grow light setup. I have rotated trays. I have adjusted heights and fans and watering schedules. And every single season, my seedlings were just puny. Florida sun and real airflow cannot be replicated in a basement, no matter how many lights you hang.
At one point we stretched Tyvek over the old trusses just to have some kind of cover, and that worked for a while. But the wind in Florida does not play around, and we knew it would be short lived. Before long the Tyvek was in shreds, and I grumpily ripped it down and tossed it in the dumpster.
This week, after several failed attempts, I hired a company to come out and put on a proper roof, and I could not be happier with it.
The original roof had to come off completely, and instead of rebuilding the original pitched roof, we decided to go with a lean to style roof for ease and affordability. It simplified the build, kept costs reasonable, and honestly fits the space beautifully.
The new roof is sloped six inches, just enough to encourage water runoff while still keeping the structure simple and clean. We left open venting on each side to keep airflow moving through the space, which is critical in our humid Florida climate. I do not want a greenhouse that feels like a sauna by 9 a.m.
Eventually, those open sides will also allow bees and other pollinators to move freely in and out, which feels important to me. I do not want this to be a sealed box. I want it to feel like a living part of the garden.
Watching the framing go up and the panels get installed was one of those moments where a long held vision starts to become tangible. Three years of “someday” turned into lumber, screws, and clear roofing panels catching the afternoon sun. It is not fancy or overdesigned. It is practical, sturdy, and full of possibility.
I can already see trays of tomatoes, peppers, and herbs lining the edges. A potting bench tucked along one wall. Baskets hanging from the beams. Maybe even a cozy chair for early morning coffee when the air is cool and everything smells like damp soil and green leaves. Two hundred eighty six square feet of potential might not sound like much on paper, but in the context of a home garden, it feels like a small empire.
This greenhouse has been sitting here for years, waiting. First it held fish tanks. Then it held dust and old tools. Now it is about to hold the next chapter of this property. And I could not be more excited.
