Bought a home in North KY with a 6'x8' Green house with a Cellar under.
I know nothing about operating a green house, but I'm reading a lot.
Replaced the roof and designed it for one side to open, with will be for cooling.
Question...Do I need screens on the windows when I open them ?
OK will make screens for this summer, but will have a problem when I open the roof
This message was edited Feb 3, 2008 9:39 AM
that is so cool! Hope you do really well and grow lots and lots of stuff!
Screens will slightly restrict air flow, but they are helpful in keeping out critters.
I'm interested in hearing more about the cellar. Potentially this could be useful for moderating your temperatures.
Tres nifty little GH!
Reply to stressbaby:
Bought the house 4 months ago, it has no basement. The story of the GH cellar goes like this.
The lady of the house, who has passed away was frightened of tornados, which happen around here, and she would go to the cellar ???
Both the GH and cellar have AC and when I went down into it I found the floor is dirt (which I have put 2" of crushed rock on, there are two 4" vent pipes (for air?). I found old shelfs lined with 'homemade wine' the old man made. Sooo that's the story.
Maybe he grew some of that WEED people smoke :) It is nice and cool there maybe I could vent air through the cellar into the GH ??
This message was edited Feb 3, 2008 9:34 AM
Boy, I wish I had a source of cool air under my greenhouse! What a pretty little structure. How interesting to have a cellar underneath!
We're just putting a greenhouse up. If I could, I'd definately go without screens, but we have one type of bird here (Thrashers) that love to poke holes in my cacti and succulents. So, we'll be adding screens to openings. I guess it might depend on what critters you have in your area, and how much of a nuisance they are to you.
So...did you try any of the homemade wine? :-)
Sheri
Rely nice setup! If you go hydroponics, the cellar is like finding a gold mine as per keeping the nutrient solution at a temperature below 80 degrees. Also unique is the way the roof is hinged to open.
Oldude
Opened a couple bottles of the wine, 1 was labeld Blackberry/Strawberry, none of the others had labels, very dry, I have made wine, in FL and like a sweeter one.
The roof was originally painted BLACK, so I had to do something and as I needed some vent of some kind I made the whole north side to open aprox 1 foot. Still hot with our 90 to 100 weather.
In the process of building a ladder down into the cellar. I have to carry in a 9' aluminum and be careful of the Glass. Also benches have to be built so I always have something to do.
"I have Nothing to do But all day to do it"
My AC to my home went down, Called the repair man, soon he asked where the braker for the AC was located...we found out that the GH also supplies the AC, I had the GH turned off, so now I know :)
I do enjoy Dave's Gardening
I have finished the ladder and cover to the cellar.
ummm .. should that be "gate waY"?
LOL, that oughta keep the neighbors out! :-)
Thanks for the correction pdoyle.
I don't have a spell checker on my paint brush :)
I guess the devil made me spell that way :)
Gets your attention!
Love your greenhouse and cellar! You oughta have lots of fun with that!
Temp in the cellar ... I went to the GH yesterday 8 AM temp was 78 ...
I put the termometer on the cellar floor , after 1/2 hour it read 71 ...
I expected more of a difference between the two.
I have a small fan I will install in the cellar to move some air into the GH, when I get around to it. :)
I am really impressed with this. I cant' wait to see this in full operation!
Rentman, did you insulate the underside of the cover for the opening to the cellar?
Wow Robin , you have good eyes...
Yes there is 'some type of insulation on the top of the cellar.
It looks to be nailed into the ceiling.
Remember I lived over 59 years in South Florida so I learning every day.
I was just thinking if there wasn't insulation on the underside of the cellar door, that might account for the small temperature difference between the cellar and the greenhouse. Thinking the floor of the cellar should be closer to 55 or 60 degrees.
No insulation on the cover to the cellar, there is insulation on the ceiling of the cellar, (on the underside of the GH floor).
Just checked the temperature of cellar for 1/2 hour .. 71 , GH 69 ??? Sounds odd to me.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert! :) I'm guessing the GH 69 was proabaly close to your outdoor temps this morning, and there isn't enough insulatation or mass in the roof of cellar to maintain cooler temps in cellar. If the GH has a cement floor, it's soaking up heat and storing it and releasing it at night. How are you thinking of using this setup? At this point, the cellar is really too warm for food or wine storage, right?
Again, I love your GH/cellar, so am not trying to dash your enthusiasm. I would continue monitoring it daily...
Until some of the experts come along soon. :)
Yes the GH door was closed and the cover to the cellar , no fan running.
Everything is in the early planning stage. I have a small fan which I may install in the cellar to move air ??
No, at this time the roof is a single layer of clear roofing, some of the glass sides are double glass, looks like in the past there was plastic covering stapled over the inside, which I may do this winter. I plan to use the GH to start vegs and flowers and put a mist system on one side to start cuttings.
I have tons of plans, an 80'x4' herb garden down the side of the driveway, some Espalier Femces, a Crab apple on the South side of GH for shade in summer and more sun in winter...and on and on.
This morning I'm building shelfs for plants. Using 1x3 (yes PT) for frame, plan to cover top with wire. Need to get some plants in so it looks like a GH, so I must get to it.
Dwight from North Kentucky
Dwight, there's so much great info at Dave's Garden, as I'm sure you already know! I have gone through, as time permitted, and read every single thread in most of the forums. I have learned so much! You've got some great plans on the agenda. You'll have to keep posting pics to show your progress.
So, are you experiencing any culture shock?
I will post more pic, of my shelfs . I have a 9ft sunflower with a 10" flower on it, also 4 other large ones, just waiting for them to dry a little more before cutting.
I tell everyone my sunflowers are crying now, the heads are looking straight to the grown. :)
I've read some other thread, posted a seed pic and got a reply...Yes I Love Dave's Garden, gets a lot (too much) of my time. More pic to come.
You know, "I used to have a Photography memory but as I get older I'm running out of Film."
"So, are you experiencing any culture shock?" ... YES, our daugther lives here that's why we moved. I'm in the capital of KY but this place is lacking in many ways. But here I am and here I'll stay, unless my wife says to move again. :)
Oh, Yeah..on all points! :)
Rentman,this is the first one I've seen that runs on a watch type batterey.let me know how long the battery life really is on it.
I have 3 different types I'm using the remotes use the triple a's and the base uses double A's,by the way,how are you heating your greenhouse and cellar?
Tropicman the info says one year on the batteries. I only had it for 2 months.
The main receiver used 2 AAA , the 3 transmitters use the button battery , a CR2032 3 V , batteries came with the units.
I now have foam and bubble wrap on the inside, all around now, just put foam on the inside of the door this AM
Here is my GH this AM
..............the GH has 220 V service (the owner had an RV he parked by the GH) so the GH has 2 , 120 V service and two HonneyWell controlers for heat and one for the fan.... I have 2 small elect heaters set at 62 or so , it reads 33 outside and 63 in the GH
Love Compost Tea
This message was edited Jan 22, 2008 1:25 PM
This message was edited Jan 22, 2008 1:33 PM
I see you have had a snow dusting,if you were to lose power,have you a source of back up heat?
No back-up for heat. I've been thinking of a back-up generator for elect, Being from Florida I can remember when a hurricane hit, the power my be out for a week.
This message was edited Feb 3, 2008 12:10 AM
Screens are a necessity, rentman, because if you get into the greenhouse thing you'll find that one of your biggest problems is bugs. Most (BUT NOT ALL!) can be kept out by simple screens. So in order to not be overwhelmed by bugs early on, I'd strongly recommend installing screens. You'll still have to deal with the buggers that can get through the screens, (eg, spider mites), but it becomes a manageable problem...
wow rentman Im enjoying reading this thread, I always daydream about greenhouses, but am afraid nevada winds will just tear it up. pretty cool reading about yours though keep posting if you are mind too, am enjoying this. good luck.
Nice, oh what fun you will have with your greenhouse.Get prepared to lose track of time when you put it to use.
Oh yes , a lot of time can be lost in the GH. Mine is only 6'x8' and when I water in the AM I'm always looking for new modification's I can make in the shelving, lighting, heating, ect.
But I do enjoy watching the seeds sprout when the soil is frozen outside.
In another post...
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/807864/
I was asking what to do with a 4' vine in a 6' GH (and it is still growing) well this AM after sharpening my knife, I cut her back to 2' , now what to do with the extra, almost 5'.
So I cut the 5' in half, applied a little 'root tone' and stuck them into the same pot.
If they live , Great and if not well I have more seeds.
Love Compost Tea...Dwight
i have panels from an older gh .want to clean old bubble wrap off and glue new on. what kind of glue do i use ? sally
Sally, I did not glue it on...I used 2" wide clear tape, I don't know if I should remove it for the summer.
Hope this helps
the guy i got it from says it's glued because it't permanent.you replace it every 4or 5 years when it wears out. it helps insulate in the heat.but he didn't know what kind of adhesive to use.he got it new from the gh mfg that way. i'll use your method rather than mess up with something i don't know about sally
