Hello everyone! Well I just signed up a few day's ago. And thought what better way to say hi then in the Greenhouse forum. This pic was taken last week! I have other pictures that are posted in my diary but not sure yet how to put that link to my diary in here or even if you can do that here.
But rest assured, my plant's are nice and warm inside !!
Welcome Polyacre! Looks like a really nice GH. More pictures would be great. So what do you grow there in SD? How do you keep it heated, and what where the costs this winter???
Welcome Polyacre! Love your greenhouse! What plants are you growing now?
I'll try to explain how to imbed pics in your message, the way I understand it....Start your message, then go to the page where your pic is, copy the address, come back to your message, paste the address in the message box. click the "preview" your message, that sets up the link properly. Finish your message, then send. If that isn't right, someone else will tell you the correct way.
Robin
Thank you for the welcome and msrobin for the directions... going to give it a try!! Sure hope it works..
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/Polyacre/8258/
fourks-- Where we live we run of electric, I use 2 construction heaters. I have also used a propane heater on occasion.
Right now I have a cucumber plant and 1 cherry and 1 beefsteak tomato growing. I did get off to a late start for winter harvesting, but we did not even have the greenhouse complete till mid to late November. But at this point I am still very excited that I do have some veggies in there.
Other then that I have moved several of my house plants in there. This week I plan on starting allot of seedlings. My goal is to supply not only my needs but those of friends and family.
Way to go Polyacre! Both on doing the link and your beautiful greenhouse. I'm green with envy!
What's it cost you to heat your GH, if I may ask? Is that an electric salamander heater that you use? My husband is familar with both the electric and kerosene salamanders.
Thanks msrobin......... And by the way love the name!!
I talked with DH last night to find out exactly what it is costing for heat, we sat down and went over bill. The cost is an additional $13.00 monthly. We are on an electric co-op and because we are all electric heat in the house we get a cost reduction with our heating watts. So I am not complaining. I have spent that just going to Mcdonalds... The heater's that I use are Utility heater's, I thought they were called construction heater's... Here is a link of what they look like, however we did purchase them here in our town.
http://www.builderdepot.com/seo/DeLonghi_PS/216514_DeLonghi_SafeHeat_Utility_Heater.ihtml
The propane heater that you see in one of my pictures we took in there because our co-op had a scheduled outage, new construction or something. But power was out for 2 hrs and we used that.
So you are pretty happy with this heater?
I've got a little 6' x 8' greenhouse frame that's ready for plastic. Nothing fancy, just homemade. Then I ordered a 10' x 10' portable greenhouse from Walmart. com, which will be here in a couple of weeks. It's really simple to put up and the cover is all one piece with a zippered door and window. I hated to spend much money on one till I knew I was really going to be able utilize it well.
I showed the picture of yours to Al and he thinks we can build one similar to yours that is attached to the house. I'm hoping that since our furnace is way too big for our place that we can tie into the ductwork to heat the greenhouse.
Oh yes very satisfied with it. I am sure that there is probebly something or someone out there that has a better set up then I do. But this has been working for me. You have to realize though that most of my gh is completely insulated with R13 insulation and my polycarbonate is 8mm twin wall. We have had temps this year to -23 with wind chill that is unbearable. I have kept my gh no lower then 55 during the night time hours. So yesh... I do like the heaters. Your set up sounds like it is going to work great for you, I am excited for you. I have something like you have mentioned above that I am going to us as a cold frame.
Today was a nice day to spend time in there, I planted lots more seedlings and transplanted my tomatoes. I harvested 2 cucumbers and had them during lunch today. They were very tasty !! I have heard that some people have gh vegies that have little or no taste so was excited that these had flavor. My tomatoes are just about 1 foot tall at this time but looking forward to their continued growth.
What are you going to plant in your gh?
Tell Al that if you know basic construction that I am sure that the 2 of you would be able to build the same kind of gh. It is a very satisfying feeling to know that you did it yourself.
LOL...I hope we have the skills...we are building a bedroom addition this spring! We started small, building a lean-to shed, a rabbit hutch and chicken coop. I think we are ready to move on to bigger projects.
These 2 little, temporary greenhouses will be used more for early seed starting and holding plants already started in the house till outdoor planting time. We do have a 4' W x 20' L x 4' H tunnel already in place in the garden and can add more of those if need be. We're going to sell plants and vegetables for sale.
Well you did a very nice job on your GH. I enjoy the pictures of construction.
I put up a more traditonal GH so there is no way I could afford to heat it this time of year. Think I'm going to be needing a setup like yours one day so I can enjoy some green all year round. For some reason my wife just rolled her eyes when I told her. What's her problem?;-)
Keith,
Luckily we've been dragging our feet quite a bit (thanks to the cold, wet weather) so we haven't got around to a making a decision on a permanent one. That and I hated putting out the money for one. But we found the portable one that will work for this spring.
Interesting thought...why is it that rarely do both husband and wife love gardening?
msrobin, Sound's like you are going to be busy with lot's of construction this summer !! Make sure you save some time for gardening.... I know that when we started ours in Sept, it took allot of our time, the weed's got the better of the flower beds and veggie garden.... So have some catch up work this spring....... Drat's... !!!! Sounds like your temp gh are going to work great !! I did that for years!!!!!
fourks ** Thank you !! It was allot of work !! But we had to do it ourselves because we would have never been able to afford for someone to build it for us !!! I knew that we had to build it well insulated and not your traditional gh for the area we live in.
My husband helps me with some things in the yard and is always there when I need him for something... And that sure is allot !!! But most offten he will head to the hills for some hikeing or ATV.
Had the day off yesterday, so spent most of it in the greenhouse. Planted up lots of seeds. This should give me about 8-10 weeks of nice growth for spring planting and hopefully selling !!!
Just wanted to show you my Snap Dragon's... Up and lookin good !!!
Looking Good!
We just finished up the little temporary greenhouse yesterday. I'm anxious to get started with playing with it. Not planning on heating it, so not sure what I am going to grow in it. Need to keep track of temps first for a few days.
Good luck !! Try some of those cool crops.. Please post pics I would love to see !!
We've had some pretty wide spans in temps lately. Today it got up to 72 outside, so was much warmer in the greenhouse. A few days ago and then later this week, only in the 30's. Not sure how any plants would do in there.
We're going out of town for a several days in a couple of weeks, so will wait till we get back to decide what plants to put out there. Should I just start seeds, or move some of these plants in the house to the greenhouse?
I guess I wouldnt put or start anything out there untill you can keep the temp up. I wouldnt let it get below 65, day or night.. We too have had just a few warm day's but only up in the mid to high 50's so far. But day time temp with my fan turns itself on is 78. And it has turned on a couple of day's already. But night time the heaters are still running!
Man I can't wait till spring !!
I just went through and looked at your diary pictures! Love them, what a great job you guys did on your greenhouse!
Welcome to daves btw. :)
I've been reading your post , Poly , looks like you have things coming along.
Here is Snow on my Green House
Jan 22 08
Feb 12 08
Mar 3 08
Not as much snow as you have but I moved here from South Florida last year
See my post 'What to do with all there Tomatoes' ( coming soon )
This message was edited Mar 16, 2008 9:32 AM
I am still amazed at what a difference a greenhouse can make. We've been having night temps in the upper 30's or low 40's and I am running an electric heater in my cheap little greenhouse. Barely warms it 10 degrees above outside temps. Don't run it during the day. Day temps 50's and no sunshine, but the plants are growing, as much as doubled in size in a week's time.
Hi Robin, sounds like you have it right, if plants are growing.
I have 1" foam on the north side and north half of the roof and two layers of bubble wrap on all other sides. Two 1500 watt heaters on thermostats set at 65...I don't know how much elect they use but they say KY has the cheapest elect.
I have to open the roof vent ( half of the roof opens 7 " ) when the sun comes out for more than 2 hours.
Yep, sure can't complain about our electric bills and although our place is small, we are totally electric. So, if the plants are growing, I've got it right? Yeah!
Rentman... Love your GH. I would never have thought that you would get as much snow as you do there!! Surprise for me... How are your plants doing in there? I sold some tomato plants that I had growing, they had gotten about 16" tall. Sold them to co-workers for 5 bucks each... YepEeeee.... Now more money for me to buy more seeds..
Msrobin... Sounds to me like you are doing some great winter sowing !! I am all electric too. My bill did go up this past month but we had temp's that were way below 0 for a couple of weeks. Hubby say's he doesnt mind because he knows how much I love it!!
Polyacre, just learning, but am pretty pleased with myself! I'm working on seed trays today to start vegetables. Most of the previous seedings were for ornamental plants and flowers, with some herbs. I've had decent success with the vegetable garden in the past, but really want to get the landscaping started/done this year, as well as raise some plants to sell.
I'll be a planting fool in a few weeks! Can't wait!
Polyacre , check this page for the tomatoes in my GH , I will have to dig the holes for them with a post hole digger.
Wished I could sell some for $4.98 ..........:)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/815089/
Dwight
Just finished reading about all your tomatoes, what a busy boy you have been... And by the way ********** Happy Birthday !! **** Belated as it may be but all the same, full of warm wishes for you !!
Loved the bunny's too.. How are they doing?
Sorry about your hoop house blowing apart, that too is just a growing pain **in the rear** but I bet your next try at keeping it held down will be even better !! Right !!! I am going to give that idea of yours a try myself.
How many tomatoes do you have left? Hope you are not giving them all away. It is a very nice gesture but that will not help you out in the long run. I was worried about selling mine too and was just going to give them away. Then I thought that that would just be defeating my purpose of selling at least some of the plants that I am growing and instead creating allot of "give me free monsters"... LOL ...... So maybe try your hand at selling some so you dont have many monsters around you !!!
Poly
Hello Poly, today the wonderful sun came out, (reminds me of my old home South Florida) I must get outside, been hanging in the house all morning. I have a plan to keep the hoop house in place and will do it today, must get those matters out, they are crying for Dirt.
I have little less than 60 left, I will be canning, drying, freezing (the ones I roast) and giving them away, there is a farmers market here in the summer but I have too much to do.
Plans for small vineyard to make, water pond with stream, small fruit orchard, blueberry patch, asparagus...ect...ect... Bunnys are eating on their own, hay and feed. Also I must build more cages for the rabbits, have to get them out of the garage.
And on and on it goes. So take care and watch for more updates.
Dwight
