The beginning

Well, here's the beginning of my greenhouse, dh got the rr ties at a bargain, also got the 2x6 cypress cheap too, going to be a peak type roof, and then we'll put chicken wire around it, then plastic, and doors on both ends, and flip out type windows on each side, i'm hoping for 4 of them, but it's going to be up to my wonderful dh. LOL. I will have to be really nice. It's going slowly, but will be ready when I need it, he's got ostioarthritis in his arm, and it hurts constantly.

not in a really good location right infront of the barn like that, but there's enough room to fence off for a future cow or horse. will post progress pics here. off to the left front, is a well house w/ electric, so we don't have far to run electric and will just use a water hose straight from the pump for watering.

kathy

Look likes a good begining about 20 x 24? Ernie

Well, actually it's, a l6x30, I've tried posting other progress pictures. we have the 4 walls up now, and some of the boards across the top. I'm having troubles posting pics right now, seems like i'm not the only one though.

Will post more pics as soon as I"m able.

kathy

Ok so I only got kinda close lol mine is 16 x 32 and turns out to be kinda of small but it is solid wood on one side because I built it on one side of my shop so I have some dead space good for working in but not real good for plants. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine. Please post more pics as you go along. Ernie

Looking good Kathy. Oh how I wish I had built a big one, but I never thought I would be using it for anything but a few annuals. Then I found Daves Garden. Boy, have things changed. I know you will enjoy your new greenhouse.

Dh, started out building alot smaller one, I quickly talked him into making it alot larger LOL I'm trying to post those darned ol pics but something's keep ing alot of folks from posting pics, will try again tomorrow.

kathy

ok, here goes nothing LOL checking to see if my pic got posted.

yeah,!!! it works, LOL

kathy

Looks good are you going to have a flat roof? Ernie

Love the progress pics...keep them coming!

Tracey

no We had to discuss that one for a while, we were going to order tubing to make a rounded type, but he's going to do the rafters since they were cheap, and put a peak roof on it.

kathy

Looking great,you'll be spending more time out there than in the house come winter,and the smell of plants living together,like the smell of fresh sweet compost,ain't nuthing better!

Read first of the post and saw you said that good because you will get better airflow with a peak roof. Also by using rafters you will get more shade inside and lots of flowers like that. Keep going untill finished I didn't get all the way done and its harder to get back to once you start using it. Ernie

LOL We did the 4 sides last week, and we haven't been back out there again LOL. Hum, Thinking it's going to be a slow process. Hey that barn in the background took us 2 years. we got themoney spent it on the barn, and it was paid for when we finished. He didn't take off work to work on it. we just did it on the weekends. And you talk about ever joyful when we finished LOL . Only to sell all the horses and goats. We don't even use it any more. Anyway. I'm thrilled I will be doing better by putting on a peak type roof. and rafters. did I mention he's going to do the chicken wire around itnext. I didn't realize why he was going to do that. But I saw a greenhouse like that in mossouri, and then I knew why, It really did help protect the plastic. especially on the roof. I noticed some windows in the shop, he's going to put regular windows in it. They came out of our house this spring when we put new windows in . Cool ha!

I will keep the pics coming. But we have to work on the dog pen for a bit first, so it will be a couple weeks before I post any more pics. I have a Redbone that is having pups soon, and we need to divide the dog runs up again.

kathy_ann

Ok, had a discussion today with dh, he wants to put the stove smack dab in the center of thegreenhouse. This a good idea? we're still debating over benches in there. any ideas on benches, where are yours, what would you do about big trees, where to put them, if the stove is in the center. I'm thinking I dont' want a stove at all, but I'ts out of the question any other way of heating says dh, costs too much. it's an extra 50.00 a month in the winter, to keep heat lamps on the dogs. LOL And yes, there are fans out there in the summer too.

So, give me some ideas on where to put benches, I want a work spot, and part of one side will have florescent lighting down lower for seedlings.

I have no ideas yet on how I want the inside done, but I don't want to put the stove in the center, thinking back corner and a fan on top close to it to circulate the heat. let me know .

kathy_ann

In my opinion,since heat rises,I'd put the heater on the floor in the north corner,with a fan over it,also with a fan at the opposite corner to keep the heat ciculated.Put work bench close to heater and bench were seedlings are to be,less walking, closer to the heat,most greenhouse are colder at the bottom half,were actually it needs more heat,foliage can take cooler air if there roots are warm.

What type of watering system do u have?
I'm looking of a timer that will mist in seconds instead of mins.
Anyone know of one?

we won't be having any kind of watering system in there, but a hose, right next to the gh is a pump house with well water, so i'll be dragging in the water hose everytime I want to water. this is a cost effecient greenhouse LOL I talked him into florescent lights, he didn't want to do that LOL. no water inside though. which is ok with me. as long as I have my lights and some electrical outlets. Thanks for the advice tropic man



kathy

Your welcome,
Here's what I do for water 55 gal plastic drum full of water,sink a cheap submersible pump with a hose on it,then starting pumping,I use one of the coil hoses,that has air bubbler and one with a mister,works great!

Kathy beg plead cook special do whatever you have to do to get water in there other wise every time you go in there just to take a peek you will be going back for the hose. Just to many watering task to not have water on demand. But the first hurdle is the gh. PVC plastic is cheap and if the pump house is close I bet less than $25 will get you water. Ernie

hum, you don't say, so if I get him to do this, I have no idea what kind of watering system to use or go with for that matter. I was just thinking of having the hose run through the greenhouse at my availability and turn it on when I need it, but in the winter, i'd have to keep it unhooked from the faucet and keep it in the greenhouse so it won't freeze, that will be a bummer,

kathy

Kathy how cold and how long is it cold where you live.If the soil freezes how deep. The only water system in my gh is a freezeless faucet and I made a misteak by putting it on the end wall next to the door. I am forever draging the hose from one end to the other and everything on the floor gets in the way. I Have tried those strech hoses that uncoil and they sorta work but its just to far you have to work to fully extend it kitty corner from the faucet to the far corner then the coiled hose grabs everything in its path when you back up. I am going to fix a main line that allows me to quick connect the hose of my choice bubbler , mister or watering wand at three different places and quit being a slave to this hose mess. Ok so off er to help dig the ditch to get the water inside now here comes the ouch freezeless faucets cot about $35 like I have think it's called an orchard Faucet. Think bannana creme pie . Ernie

This message was edited May 31, 2004 7:16 PM

UpDated pictures here, WE got some work done, can you tell, LOL all the rafters up, windows and doors up, we're about to put up chicken wire all the way around it, and on the doors and windows, then the plastic, we're getting there.

kathy

Its begining to look a lot like a greenhouse!!!LOL

You and DH built that barn? I am REALLY impressed, it's beautiful. Don't know much about greenhouses, living in Florida, but I could live in that barn (LOL)
Pati

if you didnt buy the roof already 'Grow it ' in Danforth Con. sells things like that.

Michael, what do you mean grow it? we got the plastic for the roof , thinking of putting up shade cloth.

Patti, that barn did take us a couple years to build. LOL on our spare time, Every time he said let's go work on the barn every body ran the other way. by the time that barn was done, we didn't even want to ever hear the word barn again LOL , then recently we sold all the barn animals, so now it's empty, go figure. LOL

kathy

Grow -it is the name of a company that sells Greenhouse kits and plastic-and misc. related stuff-

LOOKIE! LOOKIE!!!! got some progress going here, LOL we put up the plastic on all thesides, except the top in the front and back and the very top of it, won't be long now, here's some diff views.

Here's the back side, the part with the door is the old pump house, we added that silver tinned area to connect it to the greenhouse, and the woodstove is going inthat middle area, and where the two rooves come together there, I know, kind of looks dorky, but when it rains, I can fill up 4 of those big tubs of water like theone in the picture. to water the plants with, was dh's idea, thought it was a pretty good one, can recycle water like that.

here's the inside, I hope I don't have trouble with grass growing back, as we didn't put down a floor inhere, just killed off the grass. we'll have to wait and see.

we're going to fan in the warm air from th e stove. hopefully we won't have any problems this winter.

kathy

Kathy,
I am looking into GH's...and just read this about flooring and weeds in the GH. Maybe it will help you...
"The floor of your greenhouse is both functional and aesthetic. It forms the surface you walk on and helps complete the image of the greenhouse. The walkway and the area under the benches are usually two different materials. The walkway should form a firm nonskid surface for walking, be easy to clean, and be durable enough to withstand constant moisture and dirt. Common materials used for a walkway include concrete, brick, stone, gravel, wood slats, and ground bark. The area under the benches is usually covered by a porous material that can be dampened to help provide humidity and should allow easy drainage of water. For under bench areas, consider gravel, sawdust, ground bark, or any other porous material. You will want to lay a sheet of woven weed barrier (ground cover) under the floor covering to prevent weed growth, because weeds harbor many pests and diseases. For more information, take a look at our guide on building a foundation and floor. "

http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/guide2.shtml

picture lady, haven't had a chance to go look at that link yet, but dh said he wasn't putting down anything on the floor, unless I do it myself, and it doesn't cost money LOL I don't think it's gonna get done. I might just have to live with it the way it is, I'm still gonna be really happy I even have a greenhouse. got the roof up now. don't have all the straps up yet though

I am totally jealous: what a big GH!! Thanks for the pictures of the inside, too (it's big enough to dance in). I have 2 greenhouses: a 10 x 13 Janco insullated glass lean-to and (just put up this weekend) a 6 1/2 x 13 Rion. Both have gravel floors: the Janco's floor has much larger gravel than the Rion, and it's kind of tough to walk on.

The Rion was a LOT harder than you'd believe from their ads, but once we figured out the instructions, it went much smoother (except for the fact that we misread the directions and put the roof on before the sidewalls and had to remove the roof). I already have water out there, but am still waiting for electricity and the benches. The Rion will be heated to no more than 45 degrees (I'm not made of money), and I plant to keep the succulents and tougher tropicals out there (you'd be surprised at how many flowering tropicals can take a minimum temperature of 35 - 45 degrees).

The Janco lean-to will be used for the more temperature-sensative tropicals and the 130-plus orchids I acquired over the winter -- that has to be kept at 60 degrees. I guess I'll have delay retirement if I'm going to be saddled with the heating bills.

I haven't yet decided on the type of heat: my husband wants me to heat it with electricity for the first winter, and switch to a propane heater if the electric bills are too high. (I'm in New England, and the temperatures can get to minus figures in a really bad winter.)