commercial size greenhouse help

Does anyone have advise for a novice greenhouse person? Need advise on what would be the most economical way and the least labor intensive to biuld a very large (22x96') cold frame/greenhouse structure which would be utilized for propagation and seed starting for perhaps only part of the structure.

We chose a package from Farm Tech - sounds like a huge GH for someone who hasn't done it before. Keep in mind that you have to keep the GH at around 70 deg F to start plants.

What I intend to do with such a large structure is only make a part of it into an enclosed greenhouse. Using the remainder for cold frame until I need the additional space for propagation of hydrangeas to sell, etc. Maybe I should be looking at starting with something I can extend in the future and start with something smaller.

www.atlasgreenhouse.com

If I could go back, I'd start with their RT gutter connect.
Even if you just build it 30by48, you can always lengthen it to 200ft, and widen it with gutters as much as you needed.

I've seen too many operations (mine included) that have 7 or12 ground to ground frames, because they expanded as needed. A gutter connect would be alot more effective in taking up less space and also is easier to heat and cool.

drew

Drew, I just looked around your website. All I can say is WOW. In case anyone else wants to take a look:
http://www.deeprootsnursery.com/default.asp

thanks man.
I really need to get it finished for spring 2005... that still last years page, and I have dozens of different plants.

course I told myself I'd be done feb 1st...... hmmmm

Wow Drew, awsome!!! Do you or your wife work at other jobs or are you running the business full time?

i do landscaping, irrigation, minor plumbing/electrical work, ohhh I also cut trees and whatnot, which is nice since I heat my greenhouses primarily with wood.
my wife has a seperate company.... we are too bull headed to run a business together. after running her soap company and raising two young kids, she's pretty well tied down... I tend to think it's more work than any 'other job'

drew

Ya, that's kinda why I asked. We started a perennial nursery this year. Our house will be paid off in about two years and we would like to be able to make it profitable by then. We too, are both VERY hard headed and I hafta wonder what it would be like if we were both working the business full time (lol).

Our most intense discussions lately are centered around who is going too quit their "other" job first.

perrenials... cool
great dirt up there in indiana my wife tells me....
yeah, my advice, take it slow. Us 'jumping into' business was good in a way because well, it had to work otherwise we starved. But man, those first few years (heck even now) I long for that friday afternoon paycheck.
Life is alot easier when you can budget with a steady income. Making $8,000 this month and $2,000 the next makes it kinda wild...

if you ever have any questions, drop me a line.

Dp

We put up individual houses because of the heat deal. Our 25 x 60 house used 100 gallons of fuel oil aweek last winter. We had a chance to buy this 25 x 48 last summer so we jumped on it. Heat cost should be less. we will use this one first, when it's full we will move on hoping that it is not so cold then. I made a shed type connection between the two so we won't have to take plants outside to get from one to the other. Also think it will be nice when customers start showing up. especially if weather is bad.
We are not quite done with this, but you can get the idea.
Bernie