Building a greenhouse - considerations?

silver hawaiian · Aug 25, 2012

Hi all

I'd like to set up a greenhouse for our veggies & ourdoorsy stuff. The goal/function, I suppose, is to be able to get a head start/late finish on things throughout the year.

I'm planning on making a frame house and covering it with plastic, though I may do the roof in corrugated plastic - we'll see.

Anyway, I'd like to hear from y'all about considerations, things to keep in mind when building this. Here are some things i'm chewing on, though I'm sure there are many more I'm missing..

- How big? I'd like it to be fairly compact/not too imposing - but
ultimately, the idea is to be able to get a head start on enough to
fill two 3' x 16' raised beds, and then some)

- What about ventilation? Can I get by with a passive situation of
some sort? What size in/out is good?

- ..Any other considerations, I'd love to hear 'em. Thus far, my outside growing experience is more hobby than function, though I'm expanding every year, .. If nothing else, I love the idea of a greenhouse to increase the amount of months throughout the year I can tinker with the outdoor veggie hobby.

Hoping to hear any and all input - thanks y'all :thank you:

nameless · Aug 25, 2012

pvc frame maybe? maybe 10 x 20? gotta have a fan in there too... you could just hang a box fan...

supermanlives · Aug 26, 2012

whatever you do make it twice as big as you think you need. i had 4 once . like 14 x28 x2 and 30x98x2. having roll up sides helps alot . passive ventillation blows chunks . i had 4 ft fans lol. i didnt bother building my own farmtek financed me for the 98 footers. paid it all off in a year.i sooo miss my acres and greenhouses . i had more greenhouse space than i got house space now by alot.

trichrider · Aug 26, 2012

ventilation's a must. roll-up sides sounds good.
10x20 is a good size, but bigger have you more room.
get it on bro!
good luck.

supermanlives · Aug 26, 2012

the woven poly greenhouse film from farmtek rules. its strong and dont really allow to be seen through clearly unless leaves are pressed against it. great for slight stealth. better than regular gh coverings

silver hawaiian · Aug 30, 2012

Sh*t. Added degree of difficulty. Need to make it dog-proof.

I'd figured on a lumberized frame, with good plastic stretched across it.

I've considered making a fence-of-sorts out of nylon snow fencing/similar and some concrete forms with posts in 'em as bases/posts..

Anyone have any links to some affordable corrugated plastic/similar material for walls and roof? If I can have a structure rugged enough to avoid a fence, that'd be great..

Thanks all..

supermanlives · Aug 30, 2012

lowes has good stuff. gonna get some myself and make my green roof clear. farmtek has alot of gh stuff. actually everything u would need prob

silver hawaiian · Aug 30, 2012

Thanks superman! I'll have to check it out. I had another consideration a couple days back. We've got two smaller dogs (Bostons), and they're kind of shitheads when it comes to minding their own biz.

I'm now wondering if I ought to do some sort of fence around it, or maybe even make the first 3-4' of the sidewalls out of ply, and have the plastic sheeting/panels/whatever i decide on start above the dog-proof kneewall section.

supermanlives · Aug 30, 2012

i would use some sort of metal fencing of your choice. then you still get airflow . airflow is key in greenhouses. farmtek also has the roll up sides equipment and browsing their site will give you ideas. i get their catalog. . the more you can ventillate the gh the less fans you will need IMHO. home depot didnt have shit but lowes had lots of corrugated plastic panels at fair prices. my outdoor area has green roof and i want clear i think. and possibly shadecloth for mid summer.

silver hawaiian · Aug 31, 2012

superman - good call man, on the farmtek site.

I'm currently in negotiations with my wife for one of these:

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplie...ies-ft1_small_hobby_greenhouses;pg103846.html

Though, I have to be honest - once I do decide to pull the trigger, I feel like I probably should go to the city & find out what (if anything) I need. I'll be running power to it (which could be an extension cord, for all practical purposes), etc, .. Just wondering if I'll need a permit or whatever. (It'll be fixed to the ground, most likely, etc..)

Because of the inside projects, I'd prefer to tread lightly.

(MMJ state, card-holder, but there are some local ordinances, less-than-warm climate..)

Thoughts on the whole permit thing? Anyone? Anyone?

..Bueller.. Bueller..

....Frye......Frye......

dragongrower · Aug 31, 2012

remember to place the greenhouse with the ends facing east/west. The sides then face north/south and you get the most light in it..

supermanlives · Aug 31, 2012

most greenhouses dont need a permit. i think i was ok as long as i had dirt floors and not concrete. but its been a while . i think most are considered temporary structures or some shit.always good to check before you do anything. been dealing with farmtek a long time . great people . spent like 80k with them. even when i moved back to cali they found my addy somehow and sent me more catalogs LOL they got everything ya need

supermanlives · Aug 31, 2012

ooh man thats a small one . i wouldnt worry about anything but running out of space LOL i like their hoop houses with roll up sides. you will have that little guy stuffed full in no time

silver hawaiian · Aug 31, 2012

Ha. Y'all are classic. Ideally I'd like something 10' x 20', but I've got to live within a couple boundaries, .. For starters, the boundaries of the damned property. A 10' x 20' would take up damn near the entire yard, or what's left of it after the garden.

And the other boundary-setter is the wife - that is, cost and footprint matter here too. :tiphat:

I could be happy with the 7'x10', though the 10x12' would be even cooler, ..

Anyway, back to other considerations. Just wondering out aloud here, but the GH would need power, for fans, at the least. I suppose I could ("could") run an extension cord from the garage to the GH, but this gets me back on my "check with local ordinances" deal. Hmm.

I'm at about 42-deg N. I've never grown in a GH, so I'm not too sure what my expectations ought to be in terms of lengthening the season. Anyone have any input?

supermanlives · Aug 31, 2012

you want your greenhouse to glow bro?. done that. pics from my old gallery here.not in albums.

supermanlives · Aug 31, 2012

i buried all lines . water,electric and hydronic heating lines. no permit lol. greenhouse on left organic beds. on right hydroponic. man i miss them. sorry to jack your thread i wont anymore. got me all excited like i was getting one again lol

silver hawaiian · Aug 31, 2012

Awesome stuff superman - not a threadjack at all, .. Keep 'em comin' if ya got 'em.

SeaMaiden · Sep 1, 2012

silver hawaiian said:
Ha. Y'all are classic. Ideally I'd like something 10' x 20', but I've got to live within a couple boundaries, .. For starters, the boundaries of the damned property. A 10' x 20' would take up damn near the entire yard, or what's left of it after the garden.

And the other boundary-setter is the wife - that is, cost and footprint matter here too.

I could be happy with the 7'x10', though the 10x12' would be even cooler, ..

Anyway, back to other considerations. Just wondering out aloud here, but the GH would need power, for fans, at the least. I suppose I could ("could") run an extension cord from the garage to the GH, but this gets me back on my "check with local ordinances" deal. Hmm.

I'm at about 42-deg N. I've never grown in a GH, so I'm not too sure what my expectations ought to be in terms of lengthening the season. Anyone have any input?

Think: Solar. Buttloads, and I do mean BUTTLOADS of products with converters are coming out now. You're a bit further north than I am, so that's making me think that if you're considering growing stuff out there over winter, if you get snow or frequent <32*F temps, you might need some passive heating.

festivus · Sep 1, 2012

Hey Hawaiian, Ohana Greenhouse and Supply carries 3' x 4' sheets of greenhouse siding.
I'm pretty sure they have at least one store on the Big I.

It has an 80% light penetration, but you can't see into it. It would be cheaper to make a simple tube frame and screw the panels into it. Leave a gap on the top and bottom for airflow. It has the same structure as corregated cardboard and is light weight.

Shit works great!

silver hawaiian · Sep 1, 2012

SeaMaiden said:
Think: Solar. Buttloads, and I do mean BUTTLOADS of products with converters are coming out now. You're a bit further north than I am, so that's making me think that if you're considering growing stuff out there over winter, if you get snow or frequent <32*F temps, you might need some passive heating.

Ooh - good thought. I'd be happy with just an extended fall season and an early spring season, but if I can finagle a year-round environment.. :dance:

festivus said:
Hey Hawaiian, Ohana Greenhouse and Supply carries 3' x 4' sheets of greenhouse siding.
I'm pretty sure they have at least one store on the Big I.

It has an 80% light penetration, but you can't see into it. It would be cheaper to make a simple tube frame and screw the panels into it. Leave a gap on the top and bottom for airflow. It has the same structure as corregated cardboard and is light weight.

Shit works great!

Good call - I'd initially figured I'd just build a frame and wrap it, but we've got two small dogs (Bostons) whose curiosity will no doubt lead to them standing/leaning on the damned sides.

Building a greenhouse - considerations?

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