I always want a GH so I decide to build one my own, but I got stuck in half way cos I dont know whether I should put twin wall polycarbonate sheets or just regular polycarbonate panels on the 4 walls of GH so this green house will look pretty. Any other ideas that can help me to complete this project besides Polycarbonate cover will appreciate. Last of all anyone know where can I get twin wall polycarbonate sheet in orange county,California? Thank you so much
Lat
You could also use Solexx panels. They are made here in OR. Carol
There are so many hydroponic stores around here - did you try some of them? If they don't have them maybe they would know someone who does.
Ann
lat,
When I was considering making my own GH, I did find some polycarbonate panels at Loews. I don't think they were the double wall, but you could ask them if they can get it for you. Just tell them what your using it for.
By the way , have you seen the thread in the California forum regarding the DG gathering we are having on May 19th? Here is a link to view it http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/689654/
I hope you consider coming.
Donna
Thank you all for the help,I did find 2 stores carry them with one of them only got one selection..I probably end up driving to the store call Rideout Plastic. Web site stated that they have few sizes of twin wall polycarbonate sheet available. So I plan to give them a call tomorrow and hopefully my boss will let me off for half day. Donna,I will try to come to the DG gathering on May 19,but not sure whether I can go cos of my family situatuion, will post later on for confirmation.
Lat
Ganahl Lumber carries it. They have a store in Lake Forest and one in Anaheim.
I finally finished my mini green house this weekend, lots of labor work and brain thinking, now come to one last question, should I put fan inside the green house or just leave it like this for the summer time? I am not sure how well my plant will take the heat( mostly are orchids inside the GH) top part of the GH is just shade cover and the bottom part has few opening( base is just the standard pallet) and four sides I use polycarbonate twin wall with front door cover with shade fabric. and I get afternoon sun at my back yard. This afternoon while I was working inside the GH, I think the temp did get up to 80 degree, I sweat like crazy hot summer day. Just worried about what chance my plant can handle the heat
Here is inside the green house pic.
I'm curious why you want to leave the orchids in the greenhouse during the summer? They definitely don't need to be in a greenhouse then, and you're running a risk of boiling them, even with shadecloth the greenhouse will likely get quite a bit hotter than it is outside, probably not the end of the world if it's only 70 degrees out, but if your summer temps ever get into the 90's or higher I think they'll roast. All my plants are coming out of my greenhouse as soon as our nighttime temps are consistently a few degrees warmer than they are now, I wouldn't even think of keeping anything in there during the summer.
ecrane3, the reason is that during summer time,it is kind of dry here, what I plan to do is bring a small water fountain inside the GH, and give some moisture. If I buy a small 5 inch solar fan,will it help to reduce the heat in summer time when the temp is over 90? Other reason is that sometime I get Santa Ana Wind here,and it will be nice to have a green house to protect orchid from the wind instead bring them inside the house. Thank all for any input
Lat
I share ecrane's concern that you've made a nice little oven there. I think you may have to leave the door open in the summer. Small structures heat up quickly (think about your car). Otherwise, you will benefit from a fan, particularly if it is exchanging inside air, rather than simply recirculating.
If you need shade and wind protection, why not cover a structure with shade cloth?
Either way, you could run a device like a Herrmidifier inside: http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_a2&cid2=378&cid1=203
hi lat,
i understand your concern about dry summers. i live in tucson, arizona. sometimes single digit humidity readings is the name of the game until the monsoon season arrives.
temps are reaching 100+ degrees in my gh now. i mostly don't vent it. i have found that my plants do fine with the heat as long as the humidity it high. the humidity stays above 75%. yesterday, the highest temp and humidity readings in the gh were 109 degrees and 83%, respectively. those reading did not occur simulataneously. today i decided to vent the gh and the humidity dropped to 47%! the temp reached 102 degrees. i should have just left it closed.
i have dendrobium and phal orchids blooming in the gh. i thought for sure that the flowers would suffer. they not only spiked in the gh but having been blooming in there for at least four weeks.
i have two fans circulating the air inside and a shade cloth covering the gh.
a friend in phoenix has a gh. she vents hers during the summer. she runs small fans and a evap cooler, too. temps still reach 100+ degrees. that's probably because her evap cooler run on the internal air and doesn't draw in dry air from outside.
just wanted to give another perspective.
dete
This message was edited Mar 8, 2007 8:14 PM
Thank you dete for sharing other concept of GH. I would think over and putting you and other peoeple's perspective into my project.
lat
