greenhouse building/buying help please

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Mar 29, 2005 7:02 pm

So my little cheapie "greenhouse" on wheels fell over today with one light wind (my own fault) and busted into a few pieces. Now I have plants with no greenhouse and need something fast. I will not buy a cheapie one again, but I don't want to spend thousands of dollars either. Do you have any recommendations on where to look for a decent little lean-to type greenhouse? I am willing to build my own if I can find the wall stuff. Gonna run up and get a how-to book after dinner, but was hoping for some real life experiences.

You should have seen me finishing off the stupid little greenhouse....busting it up felt soooooooooo good.

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Mar 29, 2005 9:21 pm

Dee we just used PVC frame and 8 mil plastic to create our brug house last fall. We will be taking this down as soon as all is planted.

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Mar 29, 2005 10:28 pm

kHT, that looks HUGE!

so, talk to me...did you put rebar in the ground then slip the pvc pipe over it? i wonder how something like that would stand up to snowfall in the winter if i built it as a lean-to on the back of my shed.

or maybe it would work as a quickie fix until i built a more permanent structure. hmmmm...you may have just saved me a few hundred bucks! where did you get the plastic? is it special or just regular stuff that you find at lowe's and places like that?

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Mar 29, 2005 10:58 pm

Dee, my guys had more fun than I did on this one. You can even make a hoop frame. No rebar and it fit nicely up under the carport area. Would you like for me to design one for you? Home Depo is where we got the plastic, make sure it's a heavy plastic not the cheap stuff. We have this folded so that it's 3 plastic thickness thick. This is not a permanent GH for us as we will take it down as this is the area where we put our hanging baskets. PM me and give me an idea of what you are looking for.

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Mar 30, 2005 9:54 pm

Oh karma, you are such a sweetheart. Thank you for the offer!!!!

After chatting with my brother this evening, I decided to go ahead and purchase the ready-made lean-to that I saw. Ordered it tonight and should have it sometime next week. Even though my brother would have gladly helped me build something, he convinced me that the price of ready-made was worth saving the frustration/lack of time that I have to work on it. Heck, I only have Sundays off...and that is time better spent playing in my gardens instead of building a greenhouse. I just took the easy way out!

Besides, I should have about 8-9 yards of mulch to spread Sunday....who has time for building greenhouses?

I love what you created...and when I'm ready for a bigger one that I do take time to build, I'll be buggin' ya. Thanks again!!

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Mar 30, 2005 10:37 pm

I'll be waiting!

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 31, 2005 12:52 pm

So Karma dear? How did you attach it to the ground and house? Inquiring minds want to know?

We were thinking about ripping up the garden behind the garage and doing something similar to what you have. The roof would be lean-to type though as it's one story. Although I think we might do one more permanent, that might be a thought for this year if we did the roof and post and then next year finish it off, we could spread out the costs over 6 months that way.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 31, 2005 12:58 pm

Dee, here's my little one, but it's already in need of doubling and soon probably tripling the room! AAaaackkkkkk! I think I bit off more than I can chew, or at least thought I did. Well........just have to make more!

This was cheap, the only I'll adding is more lights to the top shelf and lining the shelves with some layered plastic so the wood stays dry

Look at mr. LM's set-up, you'll learn cheap and quick ways to compromise quickly!

Oh, the lights are not straight, b/c I was moving things around before this pic. They do hand straight! LOL

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 31, 2005 1:02 pm

Forgot to mention, I surround mine in plastic on 4 sides and the front and back have 1 by's stapled to them to hang down and keep it warm at night, b/c I like the heat at 65 at night, so the lights keep it about 75 in there all night

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Mar 31, 2005 10:43 pm

wishiwere, this is a carport area on the south side of the shed. It's just a box frame that slides into that area and I think it was around about a 10X10X12 high. It sits in the gravel area and we put pots around the base of it to cut down on the air. I wanted a different look but I way happy with this when we figured out the door.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 31, 2005 10:49 pm

Yeah, I liked it when you were asking about solutions for the door, just wasn't sure how you attached it to the ground, but I understand now

I think we are going for a more permanent structure, then again...........i'm thinking I'd like to be able to open it up in the summer time as it's south facing. Many thougths floating around in this cold mind this evening............brrrrrrrrrrrr...man it's windy and cold out again

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Mar 31, 2005 10:59 pm

You may want to order a shade cloth for it also if it's on the south side and not in a shady area. Our gets pretty hot out there and just leaving the door open isn't helping cool it down any. Another nice item to have is a Thermo-hygrometer so you don't have to keep going out to check out the temp. Then a heated starting bed or a mister!

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 31, 2005 11:08 pm

Well jeepers dear! Got move that garden first!

Then to get a door into the workshop (was supposed to be a 3 car garage, but......) from the back too. Was thinking a slider would be nice, as we are always out there working

Then for the water run, electric is already 220 to the workshop, so that's not a problem. Hmmmmm...lots to think about huh?

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Apr 03, 2005 8:58 pm

Just an update in case anyone is interested. The greenhouse I originally ordered is on backorder with no timetable for delivery, so that order has been cancelled. This morning I found another that I think will actually like better, and hopefully it will be shipped this week. This one even has an automatic vent thingie!

Once I get it and put it together I will take pics and show you. I'm so frickin' excited I can't stand it.

notmartha · Post by **notmartha** » Apr 03, 2005 9:16 pm

oh you are going to love that-I spend the day out in mine and i dont have any plants in it yet

This is the back view-Now there is a bed of daylilies where im taking the picture from

Im excited for you!

notmartha · Post by **notmartha** » Apr 03, 2005 9:19 pm

oh here is a look at the shelves we made for inside

I used upside down carpet for the flooring!

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Apr 03, 2005 11:16 pm

Wow! It's beautiful! I'm so jealous!

How long have you had that?

notmartha · Post by **notmartha** » Apr 04, 2005 8:21 am

Well i just looked and we built it in 2001
Im going to put new carpet in this yr as the first used one is getting pretty old!!

I have going out there during a winter day when temps are in the teens and if the sun is out it will get up into the 80s
but the nights sure do get cold without heat!

I can just sit in there and watch the garden grow all summer.
everyone should have one or two or three!

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Apr 04, 2005 9:32 am

Yes I think we should too

It looks so inviting! I bet is hard not to sit out there on winter days when it gets that warm!

Deb118 · Post by **Deb118** » Apr 04, 2005 9:33 pm

Or four... or one REALLY BIG one