Meeting the Team Behind the Greenhouse
Our journey began with a tour of the greenhouse, guided by the original creators, Arin, Avni, Emma, Kenrick and Zyanya. They walked us through their process of building the structure and shared insights into their timeline and vision. We also met Jerry, our mentor and a Board Member of the LEAF organization, who has been a constant presence and an incredible help as we carry out our work.
Inspired by their passion and dedication, we committed to weekly Sunday work sessions to restore and improve the greenhouse step by step.
The Team
The greenhouse team is comprised of 3 people now: Me (Arjun), Pradyun, and Erika.
First Steps: Cleaning and Maintenance
In our first session, Pradyun and I (Arjun) focused on getting a handle on the overgrowth in the greenhouse. We weeded and cleaned the interior, giving special attention to the tub that holds the pump. We also removed all the damaged weed cloth inside the greenhouse, clearing the way for future improvements.
Solar Connections and Gopher Protection
During our next session, we turned our attention to powering the hydroponic system. A solar panel had already been installed, but it wasn’t yet connected to the rest of the system. We extended the solar panel wiring and learned valuable new skills in attaching and securing wires. After that, we installed fresh weed cloth in the pump area and added a layer of wire mesh to prevent gophers from digging through.
Power System Challenges and Solutions
With the solar panel in place, we focused on setting up a reliable power system. We built a custom shelf to safely house the battery. However, we soon realized the battery had only one socket for each wire—posing a challenge since both the solar panel and the pump needed to connect. To resolve this, we found the connector that allowed all components to work together.
Getting the System Flowing
When we first ran the pump, we hit a new hurdle: the system didn’t have enough power to move water all the way to the top of the hydroponic tubes. After some quick troubleshooting, we adapted by starting the water flow at the lower level of the system instead. With this change, we finally achieved consistent circulation and got the hydroponic setup working smoothly!
Climate Roots 