Could this, Should this be a Greenhouse?

Living so close to the shore, my peppers fall off the bushes when they are as big as a 50 cent piece. Just too darn cold at night.

Plus I am losing my sunroom to all of my seedlings and rootlings.

(I am trying to justify a greenhouse in Southern California, get the picture? LOL)

We have a barn and the porch is south facing, approximately 7 x15. Concrete and boardwalk floor and a water source within these measurements.

I could knock the ply and shingle roof off, replace with fiberglass and frame up the wide south side with old windows and put a glass door in each end.

Is this a crazy project?
(the car usually isn't there- its a friend's and the lot where it is will be veggie gardens next spring.)

And there is already a little vent in the roof that opens!!

Sounds like fun, but of course I am prejudice, I love Greenhouses.

Do I need lights if I have loads of sunshine? For seedlings, I mean. Not to see at night.

I have seen your greenhouse posts and they are so inspiring.

check this link
She basically did that
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/365081/

If you have lots of light you don't need any--but some seedlings need a lot--if the light is a little low you can get a grow light to help them a little,as they will get too tall and spindly and be more susseptable to damping off, etc.You can get one to hang just over a seed starting table [or what ever you use]. If you get a cheep light meter it can help you see what you have-- In the winter, light levels are lower any way and a good grow light can help at those times also. I don't know how much fog you get ,I know up by SF where I was for a time we had weeks at a time with very low light levels.-- Michael

Thanks, cc! That is an amazing GH! Mine could be a mini hog gh.

Michael, We get a lot of marine layer and some fog. But it usually clears by noon. I thnk that I need a grow light regardless if I do this or not. I had to bury my peppers far too deep because of legginess.

In Anna_Z's thread, they used a polycarbonate sheeting. Anyone know here that might be found? I don't think that I have seen that in HD.

In HD it is back by the roofing metal-they have fiberglass too, but Polycarbonate is by far the better material . Long Beach is quite a ways from Ceres Ca., but Mcallif might have a store near you-[their main office is in Ceres]-if they do ,you might compare prices. I know there are other commercial greenhouse suppliers in S. Ca but can't think of any right now. I used to build Commercial Greenhouses in Southern California, but it was quite a while ago, and mostly in the Bakersfield area.

daisyavenue:

Let me see- a greenhouse or a barn. Hmmmmmmm. I know what my hb would pick.
I wouldn't have to think too long about this one. Go for it!!


Jay

Daisy there are design functions to be considered I think if I had it to do again I woul not add my gh to the side of my shop like I did and yet I like a lot of things I got. Since you don't have to worry about snow you may want to stub a wall up on the host roof four to six feet to get additional roof height which will keep your gh a more stable temp and help you ventilate. Hunt for a good book. One good source for wall panels is used pario sliding doors they are handy I have four and wish I had used more.

Grasshopper go for it jump jump jump happy landings Ernie

I like that height idea if we do build there.

sigh Anything we do there might be temporary (2 years or under) because the barn is termite ridden and we want to make it higher and make my workshop nicer which is behind the barn door in the first picture (higher would make an office for my Dave so that he isnt in the guest room since he works at home).

So maybe we will build it out in that mini field and make it a good frame with poly that can be replaced with glass later....?

A good book could go miles here. Gotta look.

Daisy...I am in No. CA and have been spending my WE, looking at the portable GH's. Yes, even in CA. I think we NEED a GH!

The site recommends some books, so I will give it to you. Also alot of other good info. besides the GH's they sell...
http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/info.shtml

One thing about DG members...you can always count on us to support what you think you need!
Good luck and keep us posted! Margie

Great link! Thank you! I will let you know how it goes.

Any update here?

We went for the Harbor Freight GH http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/456545/ because we are lazy I guess.!

Now when we re-build the barn, we will just build a permanant one then.

Hope you enjoy it--Michael

Thank you!!!!