My first modified Hoop greenhouse

This may be a bit long so you can skip this part and go to the next posting to see the actual progress of the greenhouse.

I have been wanting a greenhouse for several years and somehow it just never got started. DH was always to busy, then as you know life just happens. Well last year I bought the property ajoining my lot and had grand plans for FINALLY building the greenhouse.

Then In October, just as we were getting ready to build it, I was involved in a bad car accident. I was bedridden for over two months and lost 85% of my plants due to neglect and freezes. I am slowly getting my strengh up and am working on my new permanent garden and greenhouse.

Which leads us to now. DH is still to busy and wanted to do big fancy greenhouse, ( which I am sure most of you know by now, that means lots of plans and no real progress!!!) I got fed up, call my DD and had her come pick me up and off to Home DEpot we go!!
I bought 10 20 ft lengths of 1 inch thick pvc pipe and a roll of 6 mill plastic, I am determined to build this befor DH gets home from work and say HA, I did it. She gets me home an darn it all DH decided to for the first time in forever to take the day off!! So here I am with MR. planaholic and "it got to be built to last 1000 years" looking at my little pipes and plastic and wincing. He says I guess this means we ARE NOT going with my plan. My little brave self tells him " Look I love you!, But I want a greenhouse and I want it today!! So he bows down to the inevitable and we go with my plan,, Yeay!! I get to finally get my greenhouse.

So he asks me " Honey, how are you going to anchor this to the ground?" Huh?? you mean you have to anchor it?? So I think really hard and decidr to go shopping in my so called junk pile.. I pull out 12 pipes that used to go to something and I say" We can burry these half way in the ground and then we can put pipe in them and use screw to hold them in place!!" TaDa I knew he was trying to back out of this!!
First pic is below!!

This message was edited Apr 4, 2009 9:17 PM

Next is just series of pics showing progress.

pic 3

pic 4 This ends day one...lol planning changes and just general slowness lent to short work time......

This message was edited Apr 4, 2009 9:21 PM

Day two,, Boys are back to work,, now I can really get some work done.

First I lay the floor, then build first side of tray table, this takes all day and I am beat to death,, I crawl back to house take lots of meds. soak in tub and moan awhile.....I still have no endurance or strength from accident,,sigh,,,

second pic of day two

Day three,, Grandkids arrive to help,,(they are 10 and 8 years old) Lots of work gets done,
We finished back wall, altered the work tables for the plants..

Day 4: we build bench for the other side of greenhouse. We make some alterations and sit and admire our work...
below is a pic of 1 1/4 pipe cut to 3 inch with an opening, then sanded to round off sharp edges to help prevent tearing plastic.

This message was edited Apr 4, 2009 9:37 PM

Day 5 finish lots of alterations, hang plastic for back wall, clean uop our mess and call it a day.
Only thing left to do now is go to salvage yard and buy used screen door......

pic of front:

This is all for now will post more as we get the work done,
Oh yeah,, measurements are 9ft 6 inch wide x 9ft 10 inch long to 7 ft high at the center and 36 inched at the lowersides. Any suggestions would be welcome!!

Thanks

Well, I say that you are well on your way to a grhouse! Great job!! As you use it, you will always have or want to make adjustments, but come next winter-you are ready to go. Sorry to hear about your accident, but it sounds like you aren't letting it keep you down-good for you!

Thanks TigerLily, This winter I plan to use Bubblewrap for insulation. I hope it will work, our winters are usually mild.

Welcome to the group, and I LOVED your story!

Congratulations! What a neat greenhouse. Your determination sure paid off. Keep the pictures coming. Now I'm anxious to see it totaly done and full of plants!!
Pam

This message was edited Apr 6, 2009 10:49 AM

Welcome- loved your story and your greenhouse is cool! My husband is the same, will research things to death! Takes a lot to get major projects rolling around here.

Since you've used pine for the framing and the benches, you might want to think about staining/painting all of the wood surfaces. You're creating a high-humidity environment, that will also possibly be exposed to high temp swings. Untreated pine doesn't last long under those conditions.

Thanks for the advice. Hummm I am thinking I have a gallon of outdoor cobalt Blue paint I can use. I will look tomarrow. We went to the recycle place today and picked up a door with framing and hardware for &15.00 I am painting that tomarrow too!!
This will be a fancy greenhouse,,lol

Seems like you have regained a lot of your strength. Look at what you have accomplished with a bit of help and determination. I admire you for keeping that dream of your greenhouse in front of you. Despite the accident, this is therapy for the soul. I am quite sure that building the greenhouse was enjoyable even with the hard work. Hard work pays off, and look what you have. You did it!. You encourage me to complete my unfinished projects (which are many).
I will be watching for updates this summer and fall to see what is growing in there.
Ivy

Ivy, Nice to meet you. I used to live in Ellenville, NY. The one thing I miss the most is Jewish Hard rolls You just cannot get them here in the south, sigh.

I have learned to do a little, sit down for a little, do a little more and so on. We are hoping to get it finished today. Both DH and DB are off today! SO I have high hopes and high expectations!!! lol Will try to post pics tonight...

And a good morning to you and family from Manhattan. Ah, yes the bakeries. It would be something to look forward to when you take a break from the GH work. I will travel for good rolls and the boroughs has them. My Mom still live in Queens and some of my co-workers are from Brooklyn. Hmmmm breakfast is calling. Too bad you could not have them delivered frozen ( don't they turn moldy?). Will think of you and your lovely greenhouse today while I am at work.

Ivy

ok,, GH is 90 percent done.
We had a setback with the hail and wind damage, but altogether it held up rather well, just a couple of tears.. Better that my neighbors whose gh got tore up by hail and flying branches..
I still need to do the paint, put screen on door and then fill with plants,,
Very excited. Will post pics as soon as I get paint job done.

That is good news. Can hardly wait.

Thanks Ivy

Your dh and my dh have to be father and son . Congratulations on the gh ! digger

Hey Digger,, you could be right,, why do men feel they need to plan it to death. Me I just go out and measure once then cut and put it together,, If it fits fine if not I simply adjust design,,so simple,,,lol

Went and moved some plants in,, no it really is not ready for that but I just had to have some plants in it..

Careful, that's how I ended up with enough tomato plants for everyone I know and then some. They need to be planted outdoors now but the weather isn't cooperating.

I came from a family of carpenters .He worked for gen motors for thirty years . that will tell you something . If it doesn't work then use chicken band , bubble gum , or hairpins .If that doesn't hold it together , then baling wire or duct tape .LOL , I'm only kidding , but he really doesn't pay much attention to detail . digger

Ahh, what would life be without duct tape, but you forgot the hot glue gun.

He would absolutely try to change the temperature saying ," That's close enough for government work". Believe me ! digger

Well now see my dh isnot like that,, he has to
1. plan it to death
2. measure it 30 times
3 measure it again just to be sure.
4 finally cut something
5 measure it again just in case he was wrong the first 35 times
6 sit down and think about it
7 change his mind,,he just had a better idea

ROFLMAO

Several years ago we bought one of those shotgun house. What is a shot gun house you ask, well if you stand on the front porch and fire your gun though the front door you can tavel the whole house and bullet will go out back door without hitting a single thing. Essentially the house is one long hall with all the rooms off to one side.
Anyway. we decided to change things around. I wanted bigger kitchen, so one day while DH was at work I took a circular saw ( yes you read that right) and proceeded to cut down the wall Went up one side over next to ceiling and down the next. Now how I did not hit any elactricity just goes to show how truely blessed are the stupid folks in this world. So I got 3 sides done and start the side by the floor,, I get 95 percent done and the whole wall fell down,,,,good job huh??? Nope forgot that the stove was on the other side and the wall fell on the stove and Ruined my spagetti!! So I am mad,, not cause wall fell, but because I would have to go to the store to get more food for Dinner, So I takes my little self out the back and hops in DH truck, crank her up,, humm will not start,, maybe need to pump the gas some more, well it starts up alright, starts on fire!!!, I jump out of truck run to house, I am going to put out the fire,,,, I snatch the hose so hard I busted of the fauscet!!! Now have flood of water shooting out of house, truck on fire and wall in the spagetti, Sigh,, AFTER the fire department leaves,, DH gets home from work,, I meet him at the front door and says,,," Sweeety I had a baddddddd day....

Now that is baaaad. My husband believes that if a little nail is good, a really big one is better. He put up the woodwork with small railroad spikes. When they wouldn't go in any further, he just banged them over into the wood. I don't let him near the tools very often, and he knows that it isn't his best thing. Other than that, he's nearly perfect.

I know y'll think I am kidding,, but I really, really did do everything in the post,, my DH tells everyone who will listen about it,,,, and that was 20 years ago...

Elf, I love your greenhouse!

I understand about your hubby, i have one too. When I designed my hoophouse, he had to re-design it for me. LOL... but I will say, that once he's wrapped his mind around what he's going to do, he does it, so I'm lucky there. :)

I have figured out though that the easiest way to get him to do something for me is to start it myself--because of course I can't do it "right" so he takes over. :)

Well your windchime really helped the looks of my gh. I really need to get pics of it tomarrow so everyone can see all my updates and changes...

my Dh has kind of learned to stay out of the way when I get that look in my eye...roflmwo...

hmmm, Maybe I just haven't perfected that look yet. :)

too funny,, well off to bed,, need to get up early for doctor trip..sigh

Milissa, that's exactly how I do it . He takes over , but I stay right there to be sure he does it right because like I said , he will try to do it the easiest .
Elf , tou sound like me in my younger days .
Also, grandpa built a shotgun house and it's suprising how much room they can have. digger

Gee Digger how old are you? I am over 50,,lol