Greenhouse

[skid]

I have just drawn up plans for a new greenhouse. It is modular in design and can be built in sections of 16 feet long x 24 feet wide that can be attached together to form one long 24 foot wide green house. The frame is all built with pressure treated 2x4's covered with an extra strong light dispersing woven plastic (see link - http://www.northerngreenhouse.com/products/polys/clear.htm ). The link also has some interesting green house designs and growing techniques...

I will post the design and material list soon, but want to build a trial section first to see whether any modifications are required. I've ordered 24 pounds of seeds and need to get it built by March, so I can get a jump on the growing season.

[MNeagle]

:'(

March is our snowiest month (typically).

Best of luck.

[skid]

:'(

March is our snowiest month (typically).

Best of luck.


We've got snow here too as well. but hopefully it will melt soon. I can build the trusses in my shop and when the snow melts I can level the ground and build the green house.

[Heimdhal]

skid,

have you thought about doing hydro/aqua-ponics? It would be perfect in a green house like that. Ive been helping my FIL get set up for one and its simply amazing the amount of food you can grow with it in a small space. If you use the vertical grow method, you're getting 16 to 20 grow areas(plants) per square foot of ground, basicaly.

Either way, love the green house idea, good way to go!

[skid]

Most of the greenhouse space will be devoted to seedlings, as I plan to sell most of them later. The only people around here that use hydropnics are grow ops ;D

[vacuum]

Thanks skid, I'm also planning on building a greenhouse. I'd be very interested in your building plan and methods. Are you building the A-frame greenhouse from the link?

I will also post a building plan and materials list of the greenhouse I'm building. So far it is a 10' x 48' greenhouse. My goal is low cost.

[skid]

Mine will be an wooden A frame style built on 5 foot tall wooden walls. It will be 24 wide by 64 long. I want the walls so I can use it right to the edges. I'm hoping I can build it for less than $1400, including the plastic which will be around $700-$800. Where I live the plastic should last 7+ years, as we have little wind and very little UV in the winter.

I'll post my plans next week once I scan them up at work (can't do 11x17 at home...)..

[StackerKen]

Mee Too! I want to build a Greenhouse!

looking foward to seeing both of yours :)

Yeah low cost would be good for mee too.

[Andy9999]

I wont one too ;D

[ximmy]

I want one too... it's on my dream list.

[bellevuebully]

Mine will be an wooden A frame style built on 5 foot tall wooden walls. It will be 24 wide by 64 long. I want the walls so I can use it right to the edges. I'm hoping I can build it for less than $1400, including the plastic which will be around $700-$800. Where I live the plastic should last 7+ years, as we have little wind and very little UV in the winter.

I'll post my plans next week once I scan them up at work (can't do 11x17 at home...)..


Do you know what type of plastic is used at commercial nurseries....it looks like 6mil building plastic. For some reason, I think I spoke to a greenhouse owner and they said it was, and was a very effective medium for allowing the proper light through. That stuff is pretty cheap. Maybe I'll look it up later today.


What are you doing for ventilation?

[vacuum]

Mine will be an wooden A frame style built on 5 foot tall wooden walls. It will be 24 wide by 64 long. I want the walls so I can use it right to the edges. I'm hoping I can build it for less than $1400, including the plastic which will be around $700-$800. Where I live the plastic should last 7+ years, as we have little wind and very little UV in the winter.

I'll post my plans next week once I scan them up at work (can't do 11x17 at home...)..


Do you know what type of plastic is used at commercial nurseries....it looks like 6mil building plastic. For some reason, I think I spoke to a greenhouse owner and they said it was, and was a very effective medium for allowing the proper light through. That stuff is pretty cheap. Maybe I'll look it up later today.


What are you doing for ventilation?

The only requirement you should be careful about is to make sure the plastic is UV protected. Construction plastic that is designed to go on the ground may not be UV protected.

[bellevuebully]

Vacuum.....that is a good point if one is looking for something semi-permanent. I guess I should have specified that because of the relatively low cost of general construction plastic (which I think let's through about 96% of light) that it may be a cost effective alternative if one is willing to replace it year by year. You can buy lot of that stuff for the prices skid was quoting.....but one would have to do the cost analysis.....I haven't, it was kind of of the top of my head. Good point you make though.

[milehi]

Since I'm trying to leave SO CA, I haven't decided if I'll frame my own green house or get this extruded aluminum one from Harbor Freight that I can take with me. I've checked it out in the store and it's well made. There are coupons that lower the cost too.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ft-x-8-ft-greenhouse-47712.html

I need something though. I received 6-8 inches of snow the week before June last year that destroyed everything.

[ximmy]

Since I'm trying to leave SO CA, I haven't decided if I'll frame my own green house or get this extruded aluminum one from Harbor Freight that I can take with me. I've checked it out in the store and it's well made. There are coupons that lower the cost too.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ft-x-8-ft-greenhouse-47712.html

I need something though. I received 6-8 inches of snow the week before June last year that destroyed everything.


There are some good you-tube videos that say you need to modify the harbor freight greenhouses, so they are more sturdy...

[milehi]

Since I'm trying to leave SO CA, I haven't decided if I'll frame my own green house or get this extruded aluminum one from Harbor Freight that I can take with me. I've checked it out in the store and it's well made. There are coupons that lower the cost too.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ft-x-8-ft-greenhouse-47712.html

I need something though. I received 6-8 inches of snow the week before June last year that destroyed everything.


There are some good you-tube videos that say you need to modify the harbor freight greenhouses, so they are more sturdy...


Thanks for the heads up. I was a carpenter in my former life, so I'll frame something up. My yard is shaped like a pie piece and on a downslope with several ponderosa pines and cedars, so something custom would be less complicated.

[Road Runner]

How are any of you coming with your green houses? Spring fever is starting to hit here so am anxious for updates....Thinking of putting something small for a green house on the end of the garden. My garden is 60ft x 200ft. I am anxious to see some ideas first from all or any of you.

[skid]

The snow has melted here, and pretty soon the ground will thaw. I do have my greenhouse frame plans completed, but I haven't decided to go with woven poly or solid polycarbonate/lexan. I will probably start the green house build near the end of the month. I know I mentioned I'd load up the plans and will do so this week.

I've got so many other projects on the go already, but want to finish up wiring/plumbing my 2800 sq/ft shop right now and get the garage doors /windows/siding on it. I'll try to fit the greenhouse build in between that :P

[skid]

I tried to upload my greenhouse plans, but the forum software won't let me do it. It is a pdf file that is also over 300kb. I don't know how to make the document smaller, but if someone does know how let me know.

I found a good deal on greenhouses made in China. I can get a new one for $3500 that is 20 wide by 100 long and 11 tall. Comes with ends, plastic, doors cutouts ,everything. Designed for the snow load in my area. I just may go that route anyways as it will take up less of my time to assemble vs building from scratch.

[Road Runner]

I tried to upload my greenhouse plans, but the forum software won't let me do it. It is a pdf file that is also over 300kb. I don't know how to make the document smaller, but if someone does know how let me know.

I found a good deal on greenhouses made in China. I can get a new one for $3500 that is 20 wide by 100 long and 11 tall. Comes with ends, plastic, doors cutouts ,everything. Designed for the snow load in my area. I just may go that route anyways as it will take up less of my time to assemble vs building from scratch.


Sounds pretty good, thanks for trying. I would like the challenge of building one, but will see how it goes. I might check into a package deal also.

[skid]

Roadrunner,

If you are interested, I could email the plans to you. It would be cheaper than a steel and plastic package; I still may go the homebuilt pressure treated wood route. I haven't priced everything out but I estimate it would be 2/3 the cost depending on what plastic you use

PM me your email if interested.