Greenhouse Plans for the Financially Challenged Gardener

Greetings,
It was suggested to me by a friend on my home forum, Midsouth Gardening, that my greenhouse plans might be something folks over here would want to see. These plans were developed by myself and DH. Building this GH is fairly simple but you should be able to operate at least a circular saw and basic power tools unless you don't mind using hand tools.

The 4" x 4" posts are the main supports and set in concrete or if someone wants to they can bolt together railroad ties as a base and sit the GH on a solid surface like a patio. The floor can be dirt or you can install several french drains for drainage, cover with landscape fabric and then a layer of river rocks. Dark rocks would asborb heat during the day and help with heating costs. I live in 7b so just one layer of plastic is adequate. Cooler climates might want to add an inner layer of bubble wrap and an inner layer of plastic over that is even possible. These plans do not include any instructions regarding electrical sources for lighting, fans or heat.

The site of your greenhouse is important for several reasons:
1. The GH is fairly sturdy but protection from wind is something to consider and saves on heating costs.
2. My GH is located at the same end of the house with my natural gas HVAC unit. The unit vents hot exhaust when the heat is running that warms the air in the area the GH is sitting and creates a micro-climate. My new GH will be in the same area so running a gas line for heat will be easy and inexpensive.
3. On those cold winter nights it is easy to access with a sidewalk to it and plenty of light.
4. Having water close is a concideration for obvious reasons.

The picture is of my present structure. It was meant to be for just one winter but so far this winter is its third. The GH plans provided are for a more permanent structure. But this picture gives an idea on the site and how the GH it looks.

Loretta

The GH my picture is just covered with 6mil plastic from Home Depot so it is looking pretty pitiful after three years. This first drawing is from above looking down and shows post placement and the two cross supports at the top. They can either be 2" x 4"s or 4" x 4". You can hang plants from them or lights, too.

The link below has an excellent price on 4 year GH plastic.

http://btgrowersupply.stores.yahoo.net/index.html

Materials-If I knew the average price it is listed.

4 / 10’x 4”x 4” posts @ 14.00 each
4 / 12’x 4”x 4” posts @ 16.00 each
6 / 10’x 2”x 4” @ 3.50 each
8 / 12’x 2”x 4” @ 4.50 each
7 / ¾” pcs. of PVC
Trim Wood
6 mil Plastic-The plastic avail. on the link is per linear foot. The width is 24' wide so one linear foot is 24 square feet.
1 / Screen Door Frame
8 / Metal Angle Brackets (Optional Vent)
6 / Hinges (4 for Optional Vent)
Construction Glue
Quikcrete
Screws

Loretta

Your drawings are amazing. Are you still talking to me. :-(

Jeri

Thanks so much for putting this in this forum, shadowgirl! I need a GH and balk at how much they are. I've put up stock panel arches, and between those and your plans I may have one this winter. Great inspiration -- and how smart to put it where you can use the heat that would otherwise be wasted. Great ideas!

You are welcome, brigidlily! That's all inspiration is, an idea here or there and then a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Hope you can make it work for you.

Jeri, I could never be angry at you. Got a lot weighing on my mind and not feeling to chipper. This too shall pass though!

Loretta

Loretta

I've missed you!!! D-mail me if you feel up to it.

Jeri

Loretta, May your load get lighter and your health recover. You are an inspiration to us all. Bless you.

Loretta I'm saving these plans so my dh can take a look. He and I together should be able to build a nice greenhouse by your plans. Thanks so much! ;)

Lin

wow, how cool is that............................. may have a go at that one myself!!!!!!!
thank you

Mark

Hey, Mark! Where have you been?

Hey Ann.......................... been around sweetie!!! Been sorting out my crocosmia ready for the winter............ hundreds of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How are you doing???????????????????????????

All's fine here, just cold as a welldigger's butt. The garden is keeping me busy still.

Don't I recall a picture of yours with a greenhouse? Or am I hallucinating? I think the above plan is great. I wish I could buy one of the super glass ones, but for a while, plastic over cattle panels will have to do.

Mark what are you doing with your crocosmia? Are you lifting to separate.? You don't have to lift them for winter in your zone do you? I got some in trade this year and can't wait to see them bloom. I love them and would love to get all the different varieties offered. All I have ever had before was some orange that came with some Liriope that I had dug up where the lot was being paved for parking. I didn't know what they were for years. I don't live there anymore so I am starting over from scatch on several acres.

You are all very welcome! When the new GH gets built we will fix it so the panels on one side can lift up to have easy access. That way I can lift it to water and take care of the plants. Also when loading for the winter, I could hook the wagon to the 4 wheeler and drive right up and unload them right into the GH. Besides being financially challenged it is getting a little harder every year to haul the pots in and out. A fan is nice to have for circulating the heat., too.

RL-Your place is awesome and a wonderful blank canvas for you to transform into a paradise.

Loretta

Riverland.............................. No not lifting at all..................... all mine are in pots, so i just put them in the greenhouse for the winter to keep them frost free as possible................ and while i am doing that if any need splitting then i do that too....
Oh cool, which ones did you get in trade??????????????????
There arent that many available in the US for some strange reason........................... But you have some there that we cannot get here such as Little Redhead, Bright Eyes, Woodside Select etc...................
There is a good site in the US called Plantdelights.................... he has a few nice ones!!!
Mark

thanks Loretta. I am supposed to get a small greenhouse for Christmas. After seeing your plans we are now trying to decide ready made or build it ourselves.
Mark I don't know the name of them but here is the picture she sent

That is pretty, is it variegated? I like building my own GH because it can be much larger than we can afford to buy.

This morning the temperature was 17F and the plants in the GH were nice and warm. Some of the brugmansia were bloomimg. Usually the heater I use is a electric radiator style but last nite I added an extra small space heater. Mainly as a back up in case one failed. When the new is built it will have a gas heater made for a GH so a back up will not be needed.

Loretta

It is not variegated I think that my be liriope in the background. Are you using the oil filled electric radiator ? That is what we planned to use for heat. I would have to put in a propane tank for gas. My SIL found a greenhouse at harbor freight tools for $300 and she really likes it. It is a 6x8 kinda small but it will do for a starter. It has the a metal frame with solid panels for walls roof and door with no floor. I think I may try it to see if I will really use it as I should. I also have a 10x10 dog pen that has a metal roof. I think if I put the 6 mil Plastic on the cyclone walls I could also use it. It would not get light from above but plenty from the sides. Do you have a misting system of any kind set up? I really want to propagate cuttings. I have a bubbler going. I haven't seen much in the way of roots there but they are not your usual water root plants. I have the same plants in soil in lightly tied clear plastic bags . These are all inside my workshop right now. I only have one window out there though. I guess for rooting though you really don't need much light. I am learning as I go here. Some success some complete failures.

A misting system would be real simple to put in a GH. I've mad them where they attach to the front of a fan that works well. I don't know about propagating cuttings in these types of greenhouses. The heat fluctuates a lot but I guess you could use a propagation mat. I use the oil filled electrical heater and it works very well. Does not add too much on the electric bill either. On your bubbler system I have had better results having several 150 watt grow lights on 24 / 7 than without light.
You could probably build the greenhouse in these plans for 300.00. The place to buy the GH plastic is in your area so if you picked it up that would be awesome. Are you coming to the MSRU? If so, would you want to split a roll of 6 mil GH covering? It would cost about us about 100.00 each and would be enough to cover four GH. Or I know someone that would probably be interested so we could split three ways.

Loretta

Yes I plan to come. The place that has the plastic is next to the town I would get the green house from. Let me get back to you about the plastic when we decide what we are going to do. I will more than likely want to split it if it comes in such large rolls. Hold that thought. there are a few things I want on the RU list when is our last day to tell you about it? I have been so busy with two co-ops and secret Santa that I have nearly forgotten about the list. I am going to have surgery on my hand and wrist Wed the sixth so I won't be posting a lot after tomorrow for awhile. I'll have to peck out my post left handed. That's not so bad as trying to maneuver the mouse left-handed. I will be going near Foresthill in the next month to the Dr.in Alexandria so maybe I can check growers Supply out. I drove by there a couple weeks ago on my way to Lake Charles. How long did it take to build your Green house? We have real high winds here so that's why I was leaning toward the harder panels. Of course for 300 dollars this thing is not made like something you would constuct yourself. I will try to find the link. Also what lights did you buy? I can't afford to go hog wild with all this. Too much money and I could have just bought the plants.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47712 Loretta this is the green house I am looking at.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94210 if this bench is any good thats a good price. I can check i out too if the y have it in stock. Shipping wouldn't get us if I could bring it with me to the RU with the plastic. Anyway we 've got time to figure that out between now and then.

This message was edited Dec 4, 2006 2:53 PM

Dear Loretta, Thanks for going to so much trouble to help people get a GH for a reasonable amount. I hope your GH has at least another three winters to go. I am in zone 9a and I am still covering winter cassia seedlings with an old sheet during frosts.

Thanks again,

Chuck

Chuck-You are welcome, it was my pleasure. If I could get away with sheets that would be lovely. lol

This winter so far has been very mild. Tonight will be the first night in several weeks the heat needs to be on in the GH. A low of 38F is predicted.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday and Santa is good to you and your family.

Loretta

My hubby made my GH out of corrolux? It is stuff that is used to cover patios, etc. Can be purchased at big box hardware stores. Covered it with a shade cloth. Ran a water line from our well. Use a kerosene burning heater and my hubby lights it off when the temps get in the mid-30's. Have a fan blowing at all times to circulate air. Built benches out of 2x4's and hog wire. Covered ground with garden cloth and over that a layer of rocks. Put stepping stones down the middle and have a potting bench and table and light at the far end. Everything works like a charm. Move all my plants inside just before cold weather and take them out when it starts warming up and put them back under the trees on another bench. Some of them go on the deck and some on the porch and on hangers.

Loretta - if you ever get over to Bolivar, stop by and see me. Just take 64 towards Hornsby, cross over the Hatchie River, turn left onto River Rd. and we are 1.3 miles on the right hand side. Have grape vines and bee hives in the front field. Turn right into our driveway and come on down to the house. We are back in the woods a piece. If you get to Walnut Grove Rd. turn around the come back a couple of blocks because you have gone too far. Hope you can come by sometime. LIZ

Liz-Sorry I have'nt replied sooner. I was on vacation and just got back a few days ago. So the corrolux works well? I wondered about that before. Might have to check it out but would like to see what you have done. I have been keeping my greenhpouse warmer than before this year but it really has been so mild it is'nt hard.

I would love to come by and meet you. It's great to meet local people and see what they grow. Do you ever get over to the Mid-South forum. We have a great group of nice people and several live in Bolivar and quite a few in the area. We have get togethers, go to lunch, visit, and just generally have a good time. If you decide to check it out I will make sure you get a good welcome and feel at home. Do you keep bees?

Loretta

here is a link to the one we made out of window-total cost about 300.00 for wood and nails!
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/572295/

Sorry to get into this so late but here's my suggestion. Take a look at shedtopia.com They have a wonderful assortment of sheds at great prices. I got one of the small pop up sheds for my patio plants and it's great. The materials are first rate and they make larger ones as well. Very sturdy and well made. I was longing after some of the larger ones but will wait until my garden is all planned out.

Thanks for the link!

Edited after looking at the link -- any complaints about the company? Because I'm about to order the 9x9 "conservatory" from them unless someone hollers "NO DON'T DO IT!!!" for some reason.

This message was edited Jan 22, 2007 11:53 AM

brigidlily, I've never dealt with them but just noticed that they are in Garden Watchdog.

Although there is only one report (so far) it is a positive one.

http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/5891/

Shoe

100/100 does mean more when it's based on more than one report, but still, no negatives!

I'm just having second thoughts about getting that lightweight a structure. I know I could take it down before a hurricane, but then I'd be left figuring out what to do with all the stuff in there! I'm thinking I should bite the bullet and buy a more solid one, or build something like the one above. I just need to get on the stick either way. Thanks for the input, shoe!

I don't blame ya, brigidlily...those appear to me to be "fair weather" constructions. Probably good in some situations but not others.

I tend to go for the strongest structures I can find/build (most likely from being in a tornado once!).

Shoe.

Yeah, a tornado once in a lifetime will do it. I think I'll hold out for something with a foundation and a chance of surviving what we get down here (hurricanes...)

I'm under the impression these are about as strong as a tent. Fine for a little while, but in the long run the money would be better spent doing something permanent.

Some free plans and some commercial source and some tips here: http://www.mysheds.com

Hi Ann,

I don't know if you've seen this thread. My sister Connie is building a greenhouse as a leanto. What started out as just a place to put plants in the winter, has turned into a beautiful cedar "conservatory". She built 95% of it herself.

Here's the thread. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/671593/

Janet

WOW. Thanks!