Greenhouses

 

I've been thinking about getting a greenhouse to extend my growing season
by a month or so on either end. Does any one have any experience with
them and have any suggestions about what to get? Costco has a $300 coupon
next week for a 8'x12' that will be $1300 after the discount. I assume at
that price it's going to be polycaronate not glass. They are also selling
an $8000 glass green house that's much nicer looking but I'm not sure
that I'm up for spending that much.

 



Get the largest size you can, they fill up quick. and for the $8k range, I
would go commercial at that point.

I decided on the Harbor Freight's (HF) 10x12, it is ~ 750$
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber “358  or
http://tinyurl.com/33mzq5  .  I got it for $600 at the time, a grand less
than the Costco one was.  It's double wall poly also. Instructions are a bit
difficult to understand, (call and get pics) and its frame seemed a bit less
sturdy than the Costco one .  but it has held well for last 2 years.  A hoop
house might have been cheaper, lots of free plans on the Internet for those
but my wife wanted pretty and cheap as she wants to move.

Do plan on benches & also consider electricity and water if you really want
to extend your seasons.  I ran a 20 amp circuit with GFI and 3/4 poly pipe
w/ antisiphon hardware for added protection, Our code allows them in the
same trench and we only have to go down 12",  so it was one dig w/ a $60 a
day trencher.

Mine is on an old kennel slab with plastic decking as a frame to anchor it.
Normal construction calls for gravel,  so plan accordingly.  I figure 3-5
yards of pea gravel to fill it in.  lot of wheelborrowing if you can't dump
inside it.

Keep air moving inside, controls mold and strengthens plants.  I got 2x 20"
box fans from our local Hardware store for ventilation,  but saw similar
ones at Walmart for < $20 ea.  Dual outlet timers are ~ $20 at HF also, same
item is $24-32 at the Big Boxes and garden stores . In the really hot parts
of summer I built screen frames that fit inside the channels, the xtra cross
ventilation cools pretty good.  I'm telling you this because temps will jump
to over 100 degrees as fast as inside a car when that sun hits it in the
summer.  You might have to consider shade cloth or whitewash if you live in
a hotter climate.  For xtra winter protection  I am going to try 4 foot wide
bubble wrap for inside insulation to give xtra protection.  I also run 2
small oil heaters on low ~ 36f and have them turn off at 45. But we have
mild ( but long cool winters).

My raised beds are just outside so I start seeds inside on a couple of 4'
heat mats and then move them outside.  I have budgeted for 2x 6 light T5s
for next spring in there.
http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/commercial_lighting_fixtures_35_ctg.htm  
or http://tinyurl.com/32btko   also have 2 x1' square tube frames with feet
spreaders for hanging plants inside.I wouldn't trust the walls or ends to
hang anything from.

Yesterday we loaded it up with my wife's plants she wants to overwinter . I
have another hydro system to build this winter and put in there for next
year. Similar to this one:
http://extremegrowing.com/web/content/view/110/41/   or
http://tinyurl.com/ykdzqwq .

Use one of the inexpensive inside and outside remote weather info gadgets to
watch your temps. another 20-30$.

If there is anything  I can help with,  let me know.

More Hydro: Dr. H. Resh:
http://betterbuyhydroponics.com/index.php?pr=Hydroponic_Lettuce_3  or
http://tinyurl.com/yfemr8h

 

On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:09:03 -0700, gunner wrote:


commercial_lighting_fixtures_35_ctg.htm

Thanks for the suggestion, $750 is cheap enough to be used as an
experiment to see if a greenhouse would be helpful, if I liked it I could
get a nice glass one in the future.

 



Exactly my thoughts when I started, now I want a sunroom or a Florida room
attachment to the house, right next to the kitchen.

Fresh herbs and lettuces are nice in Dec and Feb. The Tomatoes still have to
wait for the sun until LEDs make an improvement.  Which speaking of Solar
panels,  HF also has small solar lights to use for night lights.

BTW here is a better link to Dr. Resh.  That last one was a front for a
Hydro store and not educational:http://www.howardresh.com/home.html

For years I've used his books ;  Hydroponic Food Production and Hydroponic
Tomatoes as THE reference guide. The first one is a bit technical but lots
of good information.

 

gunner wrote:

<snip>

   A hoop

   Working on a modified hoop myself at the moment. Straight sides with
a hoop top. I just need 8' * 8' (all I have room for) and the curved
walls would take up foot print. I'm bending 10' 3/4" irrigation pvc
(thinner walls and cheaper) over 8'. That will arch up 2 1/2' and give
strength and a nice rounded top (for water to run off).

   If it'll stop raining here, I can finish it! I think I just had my
second batch of kale wash out.

   Jeff