greenhouse

 
hi all,

i am designing and creating a greenhouse for my A2 DT coursework, and
wanted to get peoples views on anything that is irritating or unhelpful
about current greenhouse models, and any additional features that could
be added to greenhouses to make them easier to use, or to make flora
growth or more efficient, or more inclusive.

the greenhouse is for a flat garden, with less than a 3 metre squared
base area, however the greenhouse is going to fold together, similar to
an airiing device for clothing, so that the space could be used for
other activities rather than a permanent greenhouse. if anyone has any
tips or thoughts about this, and any specific views or tips about
gardening in small spaces, then comments would be much appreciated. :)




--
tomwhipps

 tomwhipps wrote:

This is slightly mysterious, I take it A2DT isn't an intelligent robot
shaped like a garbage tin so never mind but what it is that will be more
inclusive and why this is a good thing escapes me.

The main problem I see with current greenhouses is cost.  Cheap ones don't
last and those that last are expensive.  I begin to suspect that you will
not make this any better but in fact your collapsible version will be more
expensive than the same size that is fixed.  Is that the case?


Do you mean 3 square metres or 3 metres square (ie 9 square metres)?  Why
this size?

however the greenhouse is going to fold together, similar

I know several ways that airing frames fold up so this doesn't help much.
But it is collapsible, OK.

How big will it be folded and what will it weigh?  How many people will it
take to fold/unfold/carry it?  Will it have racks or benches inside?  Will
these also collapse?  Where will all the pots or trays full of earth go when
it is collapsed?  Given the storage requirements for the components how much
space will actually be saved by collapsing it?  I assume it will be covered
with flexible transparent polymer sheet, what will be the effect of
collapsing or erecting the structure on that sort of plastic over a period
of years?

so that the space could be used for

Why would you go to this much trouble?  When do you imagine it would be
folded and when unfolded?  What climate would it be suitable for?

if anyone has any

The trick is to garden in 3 dimensions which requires stands or shelves, or
trellises.  Are such involved in your plan?

David

 

Then if it doesn't require benches or tables, perhaps you will be
planting into the ground, in which case you don't need a greenhouse, you
need a cold frame. If you don't know what you're going to grow, then you
don't know what you need. Four 10 ft. 2 X 12s, and a plastic sheet may
be sufficient.
--
- Billy
Both the House and Senate budget plan would have cut Social Security and
Medicare, while cutting taxes on the wealthy.

Kucinich noted that none of the government programs targeted for
elimination or severe cutback in House Republican spending plans
"appeared on the GAO's list of government programs at high risk of
waste, fraud and abuse."
<http://www.politifact.com/ohio/statements/2011/mar/28/dennis-kucinich/re
p-dennis-kucinich-says-gop-budget-cuts-dont-targ/>

[W]e have the situation with the deficit and the debt and spending and jobs. And
it¹s not that difficult to get out of it. The first thing you do is you get rid
of corporate welfare. That¹s hundreds of billions of dollars a year. The second
is you tax corporations so that they don¹t get away with no taxation.
 - Ralph Nader
<http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/19/ralph_naders_solution_to_debt_crisis>

 
A2 DT is the year 13 course title for design technology, just to clear
that up,


and i have considered using perspex, which although is brittle is cheap,
and with simple structural changes to the greenhouse would be
theoretically strong and lasting.


[color=blue][i]
I begin to suspect that you will
not make this any better but in fact your collapsible version will be
more

expensive than the same size that is fixed.  Is that the case?
[color=blue][i]

i would have to create a folding mechanism, however my ideas incorperate
less, or the same amount of material as a fixed greenhouse of the same
size, due to the wway the greenhouse would fold.


[color=blue][i]
Do you mean 3 square metres or 3 metres square (ie 9 square metres)?
Why

this size?
[color=blue][i]

i meant nine square metres, and my greenhouse is designed for flat
gardens,

ie. apartment, or balcony gardens, as my original post wasn't very
clear, and the dimensions are based on research on apartments and flats
in my area, and the average size of their garden, which is around 3m2,
or 9sm


[color=blue][i]
How big will it be folded and what will it weigh?
[color=blue][i]

it will be folded flat abainst the wall, to 2.5 metres high, and about
5cm thick, and will be incredibly lightweight, using only perspex, and
metal bolts and screws/nuts.


[color=blue][i]
How many people will it take to fold/unfold/carry it?
[color=blue][i]

it will only take one person to unfold or carry it, as the folding
mechanism will be smooth, and one action will make each part fold
separately, simply by using the force of the initial movement of the
user.


[color=blue][i]
Will it have racks or benches inside?  Will
these also collapse?  Where will all the pots or trays full of earth go
when

it is collapsed?  Given the storage requirements for the components how
much

space will actually be saved by collapsing it?
[color=blue][i]

i haven't decided all the interior components, but shelving is possible,
and wouldn't takeup any extra space, however pots would have to be from
the user, and i would only be able to include a space for pots, and they
would have to be removed when the greenhouse is folded. i have thought
of some ways in including extra features such as rain collection, which
would be easy to include, would this be a useful feature?, and the
greehouse would fold down to 5cm depth, meaning an extra 2.95m would be
given.


[color=blue][i]
I assume it will be covered with flexible transparent polymer sheet,
what will be the effect of collapsing or erecting the structure on that
sort of plastic over a period of years?

[color=blue][i]

i am not going to use any flexible plastic, as i believe it looks
incredibly ugly, and untraditional, and it would stretch and wouldn't
retain its shape, and the perspex would't be stretched, or damaged by
any amount of folding, as no friction between the surfaces should
happen.


[color=blue][i]
Why would you go to this much trouble?  When do you imagine it would be


folded and when unfolded?  What climate would it be suitable for?
[color=blue][i]

it would be for first time flat buyers, generally, and for those that
live in houses/flats with small gardens that wish to garden. it would be
folded down during the colder months, when the plants simply cannot
survive without heating, or when the user wishes to use the outside
space, eg when they are socialising they may wish to go outdoors, and
with a permenant greenhouse the space isn't useable, however with a
foldable greenhouse the space can be used. the greenhouse should be
suitable for UK weather, as that is what it is designer for, however i
haven't created a prototype yet, so the insulating capabilities are
still unknown to me.


[color=blue][i]
The trick is to garden in 3 dimensions which requires stands or shelves,
or

trellises.  Are such involved in your plan?
[color=blue][i]

all of which i could incorporate, however am only in the first stages of
the project currently, and i will have to test different features when i
have created some prototypes.


thanks for your feedback.




--
tomwhipps

 tomwhipps wrote:

Good luck with making a folding version weigh less than the fixed
equivalent, I don't think it's going to work.  You skipped over the cost,
greenhouses are expensive as it is, yours will be more expensive.


If it is so lightweight with no metal structural members I doubt that it
will be strong enough to stand much wind, it may not even be rigid enough to
stand on its own.  The wind load on such structures can be considerable and
they can be literally blown away if not fastened down well.


One person to carry it!  Have you done any sums to estimate the weight?
It's time you did.  For a structure that sized to be rigid, durable,
transparent but light enough for one person to carry you don't need perspex
you need unobtainium.


You seem to have missed the point.  If you don't have all the trellises,
racks, tubs etc (whether you supply them or not) you don't have a
functioning greenhouse.  If you do have them the space saved when the
structure is collapsed may be trivial or non existent.


 Without any metal structural members the perspex will bend all over the
place, it will be like trying to fold a wet paper bag without tearing the
paper.


Really?  I can see an empty greenhouse may be foldable in a few minutes and
give extra space but what do they do with the contents, the rather heavy
contents?  This doesn't sound like something you will do in 10 minutes
because people are coming round for drinks this afternoon.

however with a

Have you checked municipal authorities to find out if such structures must
accord to a building standard or if they require building permission?

Have you got a back up plan in case this project proves to be impossible?

David