We are getting close

Thanks to everyone who has given us advice along the way. I'm staying home tomorrow morning to try and help get the plastic on the GH...we are supposed to have 20 MPH winds, but they aren't supposed to start until the afternoon. We really need to get it on because the weather is warming up and once the ground thaws again it will be too muddy (again).

We have learned a lot during the construction process and plan on posting those lessons learned on our web site. I will also post a picture of the finished GH here (hopefully tomorrow).

Thanks again,

Shelley Darland

Well, it's on. Not nearly as neat as we would have liked it, but it's under cover. It is a Clearspan 30X48X12 with roll up sides, which has us perplexed...there are springs to hold the fabric in place along the the ends until it reaches the side rails (along the length of the sides about 4 feet up) but there isn't anything holding the fabric down on the radius of the side. Gonna hafta do something about that - will get pictures posted tomorrow. We ran out of screws and washers and we still need stove pipe, gas line, etc. Headed to Manards and Pondarosa (not necessarily in that order)

This message was edited Dec 30, 2004 5:19 PM

Bless your hearts.... we all know how you feel!!!

Judy

I am happy for you and very envious in a good way. Just keep reminding yourself all the work and trouble will be worth it. You have a greenhouse! What could be better? Looking forward to your pictures.

I wish you the best, and congrats.

Got the rest of the supplies, and then some...decided to use the leftover channel and springs to tie down the radius on the ends - we will have to unhook them come spring, but it will save on some propane.

Not gonna work on the GH tomorrow though...DH is going to shoot sporting clays with his buddies and I'm getting snackies ready for New Years.

Hope you all have the best year you have ever had in 2005.

Pictures as promised...this first one is the outside view

View from the inside...'cuse the mess

congrats...i luv it......i sure wish i woulda gotten the big one like that......i bet you are so happy.......post them pics as you progress.....again..CONGRATS!!!!


cindy

That is so great! What is the first growing thing you're going to put in there?

Various perennials, veg. starts, and beddings plants...small nursery business - sell online and at farmers markets.

Good luck!

It is entirely closed in, the wood burner is set up and has had a fire in it since last night. The insulating blower is also installed and working fine. All exhaust fans and intake fans are in place but haven't been wire yet. We are trying to keep the fire going to dry out the interior...very slow process. Still have'ta call the propane company and have them set a tank (i'm sure they'll be very happy to sell us $1,000 of propane three months out of the year, lol)

Ground also needs to be raked out and landscape fabric laid...not going to have the gravel added until next spring.

Congrats! Looks good!

Also looks like you may want to put in some leach lines before laying your weed fabric...it'll sure help!

By leach lines you mean like a trench?

Yes. I dug two trenches in mine and put in leach pipe (doesn't cost very much at all) and filled it in with gravel. It really helped to keep the excess water out of there. If I find some pics I'll post them.

shellydar, great looking GH and nice and large. Good luck with your business Donna

Thought I would send an update...
The wood stove is up and running - night temps run about 20 deg F higher than outside. Today the outside temp was 30 deg and it was 71 in the GH!!! Not going to put any plants in until the gas company sets the tank and gets the propane furnace hooked up...the wood stove results in just too much temp variation. However, we need to keep it heated 'cause we have been having a lot of snow and ice (6" yesterday). Don't want all of our hard work to end up in a heap.

Fans and Vents were wired this weekend - the exhaust fan has got some power!!! we can't use it when the wood stove is on 'cause it pulls so much air out it pulls the smoke out of the wood stove.
Lights are also in - nice not to have to use all the drop cords.

Next step is to set some additional outlets and clean up. Still pretty damp (actually rained inside from the condensation yesterday) but we are going to get the floor raked out and lay the landscape fabric. DH is going to start on the benches soon.

IT'S DONE - IT'S DONE - IT'S DONE (almost)

First, I want everyone to know that I have THE BEST husband in the world!!! He has spent a lot of his "free" time getting the GH up and wired, many times getting frustrated but always hanging in there. If it were not for him, this dream would not have come true.

The only construction step remaining is to get the floor raked out (again) and lay the floor fabric. I'll work on that this week after coming home from my "real" job.

In addition, the LP company has to come out and set the propane tank. Sweetie is going to schedule that this week. The furnace is already wired and plumbed so it ought to just be a matter of hooking it up.

And on that note...neither of us can believe how warm it stays with just two layers of plastic and a wood burner. We are going to do some more detailed studies but I can tell you that the temp here has hovered around zero F on a few nights and with the wood burner we haven't seen any temps inside below 34 deg. Although we wouln't atempt to grow without the propane (wood is too unreliable) the wood stove will cut our heating costs considerably. And I'll burn a few calories cutting and stacking it :)

Well, going to work on the grow lights in the basement. I'll post a few additional pictures...

another pic - sweetie installed a window so I could see out into the garden when the plastic fogs up. My potting bench is going to go next to the window.

One more...

Congratulations. I hope it is everything you've dreamed of and more!

Looks great to me!

Wish I lived closer I could gladly help your hubby. I built, wired, plumbed everything in ours also. He should feel successfull at all that he's done.

Congrats!

Congrats shelly---Very nice greenhouse.

We moved little over a yr ago---I have to start over on building up greenhouses--I dread it. Mine are just hoop houses though. I'll be getting a late start this year too. Bummer! No heat this yr. So i cant transplant to greenhouse til last frost date-----unless yall can tell me when you think it would be safe before the last frost date with no heat ?

HAPPY NEW YEAR
CRICKET

Last picture - ok, at least until benches go in (maybe next week?)

Have some plants started under the grow lights in the basement and I'm headed back down to start some more... Spent today cleaning the "garden cottage"

garden cottage

And the layout for benches in the new greenhouse

Thought I would post an updated picture...been really busy - all the plants are doing great. They are beginning to bloom and we can't wait until our open house on May 14th!!!

Awesome!! (did I ever mention that I was born in Goshen?)

No kidding? Then you know right where Ligonier is! How long has it been since you were in the area?

Probably last summer. My Aunt still lives in Goshen and my grandfather is out at Dewert Lake.

Well, I hope if you're in the area again you will stop by the Greenhouse - I'll give you a big discount!