Greenhouse done NOW WHAT??

Well Its been a long time in coming, but its up.. furnace not connected yet.. but sides on and its UP!! Now what.. I dont know.. So afraid of everything.. what temperature should it be at.. is there different things to do when you start seeds.. winter over other plants... use as a hospital when the house plants look yuck...Height of tables for all of the babies.. shelves? space for dirt and pots.. I have books.. but not all have answers to my silly rambling questions.. any advice I would appreciate.. thanks..Bon

Hmmm..lots of questions! And good ones!
Is it wired for electricity? If not, do that. Have plumbing in there yet? If not, do that. And when you get the heat source going (soon I hope) you can sit in there and figger out your layout...where you want tables, or no tables; where you may want to hang baskets; where you might want a propagating mat, etc, and if you're like me, where to hang the speakers for your radio...a very important item!

scratching my head, trying to figure out what kind of music you'd be listening to.....

Thanks for response.. Heat stuff ran today.. no elec. yet-
water on the outside of greenhouse, but thats ok can use short hose for now. I sing to myself.lol Hubby figuring out what to build for me.. as far as shelves and tables, etc. I looked in all the searches and I guess 60degrees F. is about what temp.should be?? Boy I sure hope I don't mess this up and my stuff dies . would I ever be upset. thanks again. definetly need a good book or good site. I mean beyond this one.. this is the BEST.. bon

How's it going Bon? What else is new in there? Have you planted any seeds yet? My gh is still in the wishing and planning stages but looking like it will be a reality.

Congrats Mary on your greenhouse thats coming!!! Its fun, now I'm just afraid of failing or something.. stupid I know, my hubby is a good guy and just wants me to enjoy it and have fun.. I'm still worried.. we got the elec. done and the furnace is now working.. I put in all the plants I have been trying to overwinter, and some brugs I started that MaVie Rose sent to me. There doing ok.. hope they like the greenhouse.. they were doing good in the laundry room.. I thought I would start seeds in Feb. I thought that would be good timing.??? /we built the benches Sunday for the North side.. Seeing what I like and if height is good before we build more. Its been quite a challage. Looking so forward to Spring..Greenhouse should be good for the doldrums.. thanks for asking!!!! Bon

Bon, when is your average last freeze? I am starting seeds and cuttings here now, but we warm up alot quicker than you do up there. Also for the greenhouse, do you have your lights yet? I have found that the plastic sheeting if not perfectly clear doesn't let in enough light sometiems without help from artificial light (example=my walking iris were full of buds when I moved them into the greenhouse and now the buds won't open!) I am currently working on a greenhouse for the nursery that I am planning to open in spring it is approx 28x18, how big is yours? I am putting shelves all the way around mine and going to figure out some sort of system to do hanging baskets from the ceiling. For my shelves I am using 2x4's for the fram and the utility rolls of wire mesh for the tops of my tables :) Ummm what else.... I am not familiar with colder weather sooo.. Have you thought of doing a small tub for some aquatic plants in there???

Katrina

here is the shelf dh and I made last spring for plants above and below. You can see a hanging basket also., im the only one that can walk under them!
I CANT WAIT FOR SPRING!!! Its been 3 degrees with the windchill
the high is 22 before the windchill!!!

Thats exactly how I was talking about!~

Katrina

Our newest house came with some benches, 2x4 frames with 1x1 wire mesh. We added 2x4's under them,(they were spaced to far. The sections are 4' x 8'. We bolted them all together. Nice and sturdy. Made legs to get a height of 32".
We found this to be easiest on the back when watering or moving things around.
Bernie

Exactly my thoughts Bernie, and also for retail since we'll eventually have customers in, will be much easier for them to see and pick things out :) For us easier trimming, fertilizing weeding etc :)

Katrina

Good Morning, I love all the ideas!!! We did the benches and they are like you described and the picture-- But the screening is on the bottom of the 2x6's so my pots,etc. wouldn't fall off. Plus I'm a naturally born klutz and that will help from them losing all there dirt every time I bump into them.. We have a 12x18 and yep its the hard plastic with 2 layers you cant see through to good. Quite a project. I have some hanging baskets, but as time goes on well put up more I think conduit is what my John is thinking about using. I'd love to do aquatic plants, we just had a pond put in last year, and this spring will have all kinds of things to do. Would love more ideas and suggestions as I have soooo much to learn.thanks Bon

Bon, Good luck on your new greenhouse. You will love it. mine is 10 x 14ft. It was built when I moved here 7 years ago as an extension-addition to the garage on the north east end. It is maybe 30 feet from my back door. Here is zone 5 zone 6 in a warm winter. I use an electric heater, 2 heats and I only use the lowest one. i try to keep the temp. in the greenhouse at 50 degrees. Any plants that need warmer temp. are here in the plant room of my house in back at north west corner. My electric bill for last 2 months was $382.46. It will probably go up another 75.00 or more for next 2 months then start down. My 2600 sq. ft. house is entirely electrically heated. In cold weather I leave a heat bulb on in my 8 x 8 chicken house for warmth for the chickens and so their self waterer won't freeze. If it is too cold i plug in the water trough heater that is in my large lily pool so the water won't freeze too deeply. I bought a second hand fairly large kitchen sink and had my fellow install it in a counter he built. It is so handy, and I wouldn't want to be without the water supply in the greenhouse. i have one of those coil hoses that I use to mist the plants. Also have two small fans that run all the time to prevent mildew. If I had it to do over again, instead of a cement floor I would have a gravel floor. I have planted 3 varieties of pansy seeds, soaked before planting. Donna

Thanks for all the info.. the temp was a hard one as just was overwintering for the beginning.. now I put out some brug starts that did start in my laundry room.. now to start some seeds and hope... we have a gravel floor and a propane heater.. the vent "thing" is not done yet as the greenhouse supplier didn't send the right piece for the assembly.. so many pieces and things to build in there.. one side is plants.. the other is tools and equipment so can finish when part arrives.. put in the bulbs I had outside in pots trying to force them.. wonder if it will work.. I hope 1st try for doing that.. this is fun and I hope lots will grow.. Bon

Bon, this is my first winter with a greenhouse. It is the double walled polycarbonate paneling. We are keeping the temp at 58 at night. Of course, during the day if the sun shines, the heater doesn't run. Spouse went in there the other day when it was sunny out (about 10:30 in the morning) and it was already over 70. I'm almost ashamed to tell you that my greenhouse is 30x64. I overwinter tropical plants for other people. Of course, I have my almost 100 pots in there too!!!! Here is a photo of the inside taken about a month ago. I called it Jungle Room. It is so nice to go up in there and see all the green things and blooming plants when it's yucky out. Cheaper than anti-depressents. Hmmm........considering what it cost to remodel this building, antidepressants might have been cheaper!!!!! LOL

Duh!!!!! Having a senior moment and forgot to attach the photo.

Oh Anna, They are just beautiful!!!! Mavie rose sent me some starts on the brugs. pink mostly and they did take-- while in the laundry room and now in the greenhouse. I can't wait!!We worked on the vent thing yesterday and will have to hook up that elec. soon.. quite a project too..I think I didn't do the tulips and daffodils correctly and they are rotting.. Wanted to have spring flowers in the winter. I think they froze in the pots before I knew-- and 2 weeks in the greenhouse and nothing. . why do I always learn the hard way?? I should do research before I do anything.. but me I just jump in--- DUMB Its still so cold and dreary here.. but even the little bit of green we have out there helps these doldrums..Hope to learn how to scan and can show you my little green house .. thanks Bon