shading for the greenhouse

What is the best way to shade my greenhouse...the last few days it has been between 100 -120 in there and there is still snow on the ground here in WI! What is the scoop on shade cloth? What do the percentages represent? I have a combination of seeding trays: annuals and some vegies plus a number of houseplants and such. My semi tropics love it but I am afraid that it might be getting too hot for the seedlings. Any help would help. Thanks anyone who can assist.

How is your greenhouse ventilated? Do you have roof vents, or anything that could pull in some outside air? From what I've seen, it would be better to start with ventilation then shade.

I agree totally with the ventilation before shading, how big is yr grhouse? Do you have any openings in it beside the door?

good grief yes , ventilate. if you don't have openings in the top , then open the door and set a fan to blow towards the highest spot . it is a little trouble,to regulate it ,but it will work

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. My house is about 12x14 with max. southern exposure. I do have a roof vent running along the top peak. Plus most of my wall windows will open. Personally I don't want to shade my house but being new to gh-ing, I thought it was a necessity. This summer I would like to use it as a hot house for vegies. I don't yet have an exhaust fan but will be installing that in a week or two. So, maybe I don't need to shade it if I just open her up on the hot days....here is a snap of her last fall as we were finishing up. I have already fallen in love with her and want to do my best so your helpful advice is much appreciated.

were the windows and door open when it was 120 degrees?

Fairywinkle, that is beautiful!

i'd give my eye teeth for one like that . who built it ? do you have plans? please,please let us know !!!!!! sally

good morning folks: well, no, at first I didn't have the windows open but I caught on after a few days. Plus I was out of town for four days when the weather finally warmed up here so that didn't help. that's when I found it 120. I was under the impression, though, that the ventilation needed to be roof level. Maybe not with all the windows...

I did most of the work on her. My husband helped me with the lower windows and our neighbor helped my husband with the ceiling panes. I dug and the foundation, framed most of the walls and did the exterior rocking. I will do a bit more pretty-ing up inside this summer...

I bought the wall windows one at a time when they showed up on sale at Menards. The ceiling panes are all recycled, mostly from the local dump, plus a couple of the longs ones are from my best friend when she replaced her patio doors. The glass bricks are very special in that I have had them stored for about 15 years knowing sometime I would be able to use them. They originally came from a property my husband and I owned many years ago which was a turn of the century built YMCA building.

She did quite well this winter. I dug up several annuals last fall and they kept blooming, as did my porch geraniums. I brought back some bouganivillia from Texas over Christmas and they are thriving beautifully as is a little lemon tree. I tried my hand at seeding and have done OK. I do think I lost a couple of flats when it was so hot. But for as lingering as this winter is, I might replant some this weekend and keep closer tabs with the temps.

Nothing is mechanicalized, I open and close, turn on and off, each day so given that I am in and out of town a lot it will be tricky to keep her regulated. I guess she justs wants pampered. I will post a picture of her from the other side and you can have a better look at her.

I would be very interested in seeing your houses, please.

where did you go in tex?i spend the winter just north of rockport .been back 2 weeks .i'm going to put up a small gh. nothing so lavish as yours ,of course ,i would fill it up and then what to do with all my plants come dec 1st ? i carry a van load of plants back and forth anyway . mostly tropicals sally

just a quick week away at South Padre. No winter bird here, just a random visit. My greenhouse is my winter get away.

fairywrinkle,

Well you sure did a beautiful job. i love to see projects that women have done! I'll have to share your pictures with my wife and daughter:-) Maybe you could add a couple af power fans and vents. That way you wont have to worry when you not around. I think you will have to find some solution this summer.

http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_productdetails&productid=3471&cid1=842&cid2=253&cid3=-99

Keith,

Thanks for the suggestion and link. I know having something automated would sure help given I am gone a lot...I know it will be a cook house this summer! I will check out my options. Might have to just put a couple of widow fans in until I get something more permanent.

Fairywinkle, Love your GH, love the way you and your hubby made the GH yourself.
The one I have came with this home I bought last year. The GH was stripped, I have done a lot of work getting it into working order and more to do...
My exhaust fas, see pic, is an old paddle fan with the blades cut down. It does not work as great as the $100 + models but I can move the air in or out, with the reverse switch.
Just an idea you may think about. Check my other post for other homemade items in the GH.

Love Compost Tea ^_^

Hey Rentman and Fairy what a great thread! Love both of your pictures. The green house Fairy is wonderful looking..Just the type for my 100+ yr. old house. I'll have to keep it in mind!
Rentman your ingenuity is to be applauded..great idea with the fan and all!! You are very resourceful.
I love that in a person. You both have given me some ideas to ponder..THANK YOU!
Julie

Have you thought about whitewash?

It's good because it lasts just long enough and is gone when you want to capture the winter sun's rays. Very cheap solution, that doesn't look nasty, imheo.

I think my grandmother used to water the wash down, too. Even with fans to cool, the summer sun rays are scorching through south facing glass.

I have also used a canvas "awning" made to fit out of cheap painter's drop cloths sewn together (BIG roof). I liked it because I could cover on bright days and uncover on cloudy days just by rolling it back. That really kept things cool.

Willy are you saying to paint the GH with whitewash ?? roof and sides ?
We are getting into the 90 here,
and with the fan running, door open and roof open (check this link)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/762475/
I have foam on the north roof, and 2 layers of bubble wrap on all other glass, and it still is very warm inside. I may try the canvas awning...

Yes, paint the glass the sun hits during the day with the whitewash. Do not need to paint windows not hit by sun. Grandma's sunporch had glass on two sides, and she would have us paint the one side, and then only two columns of panes of the other side.

She would water it down, I think, so when it was on the glass, you could still kind of see out.

I am currently looking into a greenhouse shade cloth called aluminet. Seems affordable, long lasting and works to keep heat out in the summer and in through the winter. While still letting enough good light in.

If you have the time to wait, you could grow something climbing up over the top, or some kind of vine like clematis, or roses, etc. In the winter the leaves would die back when you want more light and heat in there.


I am guessing your greenhouse door faces west. We hit 90º here in Buffalo, yesterday.

We get a shade cloth through Poly-tex. You can get cheaper cloth that doesn't have the sturdy banding and grommets on the sides but I don't think it holds up very well. A shade cloth will make a world of difference, you can pull it off in the fall to let the weaker sun in.
I haven't tried the aluminet, too $$$
:)

Fairywinkle your greenhouse is amazing! What a talented person you are!! Your style with the glassblocks and rocks is what I'm dreaming of when my DH builds my gh one day.

:) Donna

That greenhouse is GORGEOUS! I would almost kill for one like that!

Kudos to you!