Hello,
We will be moving to Massachusetts next year and I will be getting a commercial greenhouse kit. I have done a little research but cannot find any info on what the best floor or ground covering would be building a greenhouse in a colder zone. I have a small one here in NC but we built it on the ground and just used gravel inside for a floor. I am guessing that would not be wise or efficient in MA?
Can anyone give me some suggestions or a place to look for info.?
Thank you,
Susan
Best Greenhouse Floors
Ground would have nothing to do with cold temperatures. I live in MN, where it gets to -30º often. All we have are dirt floors covered with landscape fabric to keep weeds down. Some of the big retail houses have concrete walkways, but only for customer safety.
I would use whatever you a comfortable with.
Bernie
I was hoping that would be the answer. Yeah the ones I have seen have had the concrete walk down the midle with fabric on each side. Seemed good to me.
Susan - In New Hampshire we have to be careful of animals going under the sheds and digging up through a dirt floor and camping in the potting shed or greenhouse for the winter. They can really make a mess looking for stuff to eat. We went to wood floors this time and we've had no problems. Maybe others have had different luck, because we are really in the country on an old farm.
Louise
yes Louise, I was thinking about that too. I thought if we can afford it I might just put it on a concrete slab and make the entire floor concrete.
that's a great idea Louise.. didn't even think of that
Susan - concrete slab is the best if you can do it. Pressure treated wood on gravel base is second best, at least where we are. The people who built our shed came and put a gravel base under the shed. Here's what my potting shed looks like. I still have animals camp underneath it in the winter.....mainly woodchucks.
Hi Allison! How are things "up there"? LOL
...and here's an angle that shows the gravel base better....
yes I have gravel now in my small one all I have found in two years is a little mouse. I am planning on a commercial greenhouse in MA so will need to keep the critters out. Maybe an elctric fence around the lot that I put the greenhouse on.
Louise.. why I outta!!!!
;)
Susan, that sounds like a good plan especially if it will be for commercial use. How exciting for you! I misread "commercial" in your first post to mean "not home built". LOL What part of Mass are you moving to? We have lots of NE members spread all around Mass.
Allison - I don't get it! LOL
We will be in Whitman, on the South Shore. I am very very excited! I cant hardly stand it. Selling our house will be the biggest challenge, but I am hopeful. Nice to be back too!
Best of luck to you! We'll be looking for you to join us at some Roundups in the area. They are a lot of fun!
just joking about the up there comment... just reminds me you are warm.. and I am not
I have a polished gravel floor in my greenhouse. I like it because it cuts down on my heating costs in the spring. It absorbs heat from the sun so keeps the greenhouse warmer at night. Concrete should do the same.
Allison....now I get it....duh....well, I wish I was up there with you now....IT IS SO HOT HERE I CAN'T STAND IT!!!! Did I yell that loud enough!!!???? The poor trick-or-treaters are going to really suffer on Saturday. It's supposed to be a record-breaking heat again that day. oh, noooooooooooooooo!!!!!
oooh, NuttyD, I love the sound of that "polished" gravel floor. Is it pretty?
Florida is so pretty but there is no way I could live there, I can not take the heat for long periods of time.
That's why I left here at age 18, but usually we miss this heat by coming down for the winter when it is lovely and "gardenable". LOL I guess we blew it by coming down here early this year. I'm with you, Susan!
Mine isn't fancydancy DonnieB. Just plain grey but the polishing takes the sharp edges off it so you can walk on it in your bare dahliafeets ^_^
I miss MA. I love to colder weather, but starting a greenhouse business there will be challenging after growing here in NC for 7 years. I am spoiled.
The only draw back to the solid floor is maintenance. I have asphalt under mine. It gives a little heat in the cold. I have a few drain holes (very small) at the base to drain out water. All the dirt and debris have to be swept up or use a wetvac.