My New Greenhouse

Some may know that my DS and I built an orchid house last June. It butts up to the house but is not attached. Post and beam structure with 1/3 of the roof having clear plastic. Screens up for the walls. I also put some patio furniture in there so it ends up being multi-purpose.

Well, since we do get some temps for short periods in the 20's and 30's, we needed a greenhouse. I bought 4 ml plastic on a 100 foot roll, lattice strips and screen moulding. We started off by just securing each plastic panel to the top of the outer walls. The plan was to staple a piece of moulding to the bottom edge so the plastic could be rolled up during the day when it was too warm.

The idea was pretty good but not realistic. We did the plastic on Wednesday expecting cold weather last night and tonight.

This is what we did on Wed. Frankly, I didn't expect the wind that we had last night.

This message was edited Dec 8, 2006 10:58 AM

Well, the wind did blow like crazy. It ripped some of the ends off that we had stapled just until we could get the wood strip stapled to the bottoms. The sensored light kept coming on all night waking me up reminding me my green house was blowing in the wind.

I wasn't getting up in 35 degree weather in the middle of the night to fix that. In spite of my errors and the wind, the greenhouse still stayed 5 degrees warmer than outside of it.

So once the sun came up and I found some adequate clothes to wear for working in 39 degree weather, I went out, got the wood strips, nails, hammer and fingers ready for bashing. I ran out of the original strips and started using paint stir stick and shims.

I managed to secure much of the plastic before it got ripped to shreds. I still need to get some more strips of wood to finish. I don't know how long the plastic will last with 15 mph winds. Hopefully they won't last all winter.

Anyway, I tied my door plastic up to preserve it until I re-engineer that aspect. The side door out to the right seems fine with the overlapping plastic and letting it go as is. That's the east side and the winter winds generally come in from the North and Northwest.

My rain buckets are holding down the bottom edges until I get more wood stripping.

Although it's still 39 outside, here inside the temp is 53, even with the doorway open. The greenhouse is facing south so we are getting the full benefit of the southern winter sun. This also should help the house stay warmer during the day time hours.

I did tell you I made a garden in the floor, didn't I?

My orchids, bromiliads and banana and one trop. hibiscus and my stephanotis are lined by the house to gain as much heat from that as possible. And I kept the floor dirt so the earth lends some warmth from below.

I can't for the life of me figure out how that castor bean got in there.

Okay, aside from the fact that getting a couple doors might help (can't afford that right now), any suggestions or hope for me?

I have to maintain some mobility on the walls, because it usually isn't cold all day long, all winter long. I will have to keep an eye out to see how much heat is generated in here. So I may have to roll the walls up on some days.

Molly
:^)))

Good job, Molly ! Congratulations.
Hope it works the way you dreamed it would.

Thanks Mahnot, still tweaking it some more today. On my way to town for more supplies now.

:^))))

Pretty cool, Molly! You're gonna love it!

As for easier venting... can you make some wooden frames (might just need two) that fit into the upper squares (between the 4x4 posts and the 2x4 cross pieces), put plastic on each frame, put them on hinges and voila!, you have windows that can be opened or closed as needed. Will be much easier than having to roll the plastic up and down, don't ya think?

Have fun!

Shoe.

Looks nice, you are going to have great fun with it.

Wind is the bane of greenhouses from my point of view. I had one utterly destroyed by wind, in spite of parking my van in front of it before the storm hit. 15 mph is a normal breeze here, unfortunately.

I now have a similar set up to yours except it is inside my 20' x 40' hoop house, just to protect it from the wind. It is 8' x 16' roughly, and has insulated back (north) wall and west wall, but with a window in the west. The top is double pane glass panels, so it does not cost a fortune to heat. The other two sides are roll up 8 mil uv treated plastic. Works great. I did not fasten slats to the bottom, but instead have short ropes hanging down at intervals both inside and outside. I can then just roll up, and tie at whatever height I need to ventilate. In the summer after planting out the seedlings I tie it all the way up, remove the two 8" benches and grow in the ground in there.

Looks great Molly! With the temps up there, you're gonna be glad you have that for your tenders inside. Hope the winter fares well for them! As for the winter months for keeping the temps from not getting too high, you could make one panel on each wall openable for air circulation & open the door to the outside. All the rest of the walls can be more permanent with the secured plastic.

Those strips of wood work wonders for holding down the edges of plastic! I used to have neighbors with wood workshops & I could get strips of odd wood lengths anytime. I had chickens in ARkansas & learned to use the strips to hold down the edges of plastic for their windows on the chicken house against the wind. BTW, having chicken wire behind the plastic give more substance against the winds.

I had thought of making a small walk-in greenhouse down here for my plants to overwinter them but decided I probably didn't need it. I didn't want to use treated wood cause I don't like handling the chemicals or being around it. I had thought of using PVC pipes or maybe plastic "wood". I sure didn't want regular wood cause I didn't want to be digging up trenches for pouring concrete footings to keep the wood off the ground from termites. They'd have it eaten up in 2 years! LOL

Enjoying this COOL WEATHER!

~*~ Suenell

Great Idea. You might try installing an automatic attic fan when you get the money. That way when you are gone you won't have to worry about the plastic not being rooled up and fry your plants like I did in our greenhouse before we installed it. You might look for some old storm doors at a glass place. They sell them cheep. We used our old storm doors at either end of my 10 X 20 greenhouse.

Tami

lath strips or such along the bottom to assist the neatness of rolling up AND a rope to wrap it and hold it at desired level --yep sounds and looks good. And I'm with you, by the time I hear the wind tearing at it in the night, I'm better off not going out in the dark and wind to attempt battle with that witch mother nature. LOL

As I have said before Molyy, you're the cat's meow!!

Hap

Good job Molly! Let's hope the cold and wind doesn't do us toooo bad! Brrrr it's already 41 here.

This year feels more like an ice age than a global warming. We are NEVER this cold this early in the winter. Waaah I don't like it one little bit. And the temps down your way bode ill for us folks that love our oranges.

I got home from work today at 6. That's called dusk, twilight, dark thirty. I still had some more wood strips to nail the plastic down. I closed up the big door in front and just left the side door open.

Good thing no one lives close by that isn't an x-con, so they didn't have to listen to my mouth. Do you know how hard it is hammering finishing nails in, in the dark? And the staple gun kept popping the back end open unless I held it shut. Then the wind kicked up when I started working. It's 38 out now, and 42 in the greenhouse. We are predicted to get high 20's.

Well the whole thing is just making me nervous and I guess maybe I don't have the confidence in my plan, but I brought in my orchids, stephanotis and a special burgundy big leaf philodendron. I left one tiny little orchid in the greenhouse, on the ground by the house. A test, it is.

Today the temps never got above the 50's so heat in there wasn't a worry......today. It will be later.

Shoe, those vent things would be a great idea and certainly would even do good in the summer. Specially up near the top, oh, I forgot, it's all screen in the summer. :^)))

I'm still learning on all this stuff. May need to get a heat lamp and see how that works. Tonight should be a good example of how things work then I'll take what steps I need to make it work better.

Screen doors at the big box stores are pretty cheap. Plastic over the screen would work. But I'd have to build and entire frame, for whatever kind of door I put in.

Last winter Darius and I looked for construction/demolition salvage places. The one they had here in Gainesville was a real rip off. You could buy new for the same price or cheaper.

Thanks, Nancy, that means a lot to me.

Elaine, a few years ago I saw somewhere, a yard sale or something......flannel sheets. I thought that was the stupidest thing ever (remember me, 30 years in Ft Lauderdale).......Last night I actually wished I had some. Snowy won't sleep with me anymore since she got her own bed, and even as skinny as she is, she still lent me some warmth.

Dinner, hm,mmmm....what?

Later yall, thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate your thoughs and encouragement.

Suenell, I don't really think you need a greenhouse. It only frosts down there once every 15 years. My orchids have been okay here even at 33, with a roof to keep the dew off.

Molly

Oh no!!! Blooms, my citrus..............Well, it survived 17 last winter so, should be okay this winter, I hope.

Molly

Molly I didn't realize how much room you had inside that GH.
Excellent!

How about venting into the house.
A simple fan w/ a themostat in that window.........
Save on the heating bills.........
In any case you will need a fan in there anway.
The plants will need airflow or mites, fungus and aphids will have a field day.

GREAT Job!
Ric

Ric,

You didn't happen to notice the two ceiling fans did you? Remember, this is also a patio.

Woke up this morning, luckily, the temps did not get to the 20's but a steady 30 for the past 4 hours. In the greenhouse though, it's a balmy 36. Still above freezing so I am happy.

I still will need to see how we do when the temps get in the 20's. I think since we are talking a 6 degree difference, a heat source would do, for those exceptionally cold nights.

I wonder how my maters, outside the GH are doing. I did cover them with blankeys.

Molly
:^))))

Molly,
Although We don't get quite as cold here, I did the same thing with my unused 8 x 16 ft aviary. I wrapped it in heavy plastic and stapled it down. You do need wood strips over the ends unless you want to continuously nail it back down when wind tears it up. Down the road, you could probably devise removable fiberglass panels and leave the permanent fasterners in like they use now for the new hurricane shutters. I haven't done my this year and may just garage the more tenders ones. The roof was deteriorating and we tore it off this year but have not replaced it yet so no sense in putting up plastic with no roof. LOL

No Molly I certainly didn't notice them.
Hey we're up north. Ceiling fans on a porch are rare here. LOL!

We bought a Craftsman Easy-fire stapler last year.
I think you'd really like it.
Reversing the mechanics really takes a load off your hands and wrist.
Plus it fires Brads also.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Portable+Power+Tools&pid=00968515000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Staplers+%26+Accessories&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Ric

Hey Ric, do you have to press down on the handle every time that you want to shoot a staple into the wood? I am always looking for a better tool to put the plastic on my grhouses. One is 100' long and I put two layers of plastic on it ( the other two are 65' long) at the base. Right now, I use a hammer stapler, and usually I put about 30 staples per foot -esp on the top layer. Which one would be easier to use-assuming that you have used a hammer stapler? Don't know if it would affect the use of it, but you are usually on your hands and knees crawling along the base, holding the plastic in place with one hand and swinging the stapler with the other.

You betcha a better staple gun to make things easier is always good. We had one that was a little easier, but it broke long before I thought it should. Took it back and got one of the old standards, you know the one I'm talking about, it's silver/chrome, heavy.

Craftsman, Sears right? Too bad that I am boycotting them for automotive warrantys gone bad. A boycott is a boycatt, can't pick and choose the products to be a true boycott.

Yep, got 2 ceiling fans up there. When I decided to do an "orchid house" I took my plans to the building department to see about a permit. They could not categorize an "Orchid House" into the building code, so they let me pass on the permit. But I told them it was not connected to the house and I did not have any electricity in the plan. So, the fans are set up with a plug at the end of the wiring. I plug it in to a GFI on the outside wall of the house that runs on a switch in side the house.

Works great for my patio/Christmas lights I have up in there too.

Molly
:^)))

henry10/Ric, Thanks for that link, I've never seen a stapler like that one. Sure would be better on my weakening hands than the one like I have.

Tigerlilly, I staple the plastic on our greenhouse, too. That's a lot of stapling, eh? Several years ago I bought an electric staple gun and loved it. (Unfortunately is disappeared somewhere along the line.) However, just did a search and found this one (link below). It may do you justice much better than your hammer stapler.

http://tinyurl.com/ykpevt

Shoe.

Molly ,
I purchased a Powershot Pro stapler that works on the same principle as Sears' does .

Got it about 3 years ago at HD ;-))

Came with a handy case that keeps it clean and also stores extra staples .

http://www.powershot-tool.com/tools/staple_guns/tool.php3

LOVE IT ! ! ! !

This message was edited Dec 9, 2006 1:43 PM

Yes you have to press the handle each time it fires.
We also have an older model Electric Stapler it works just fine.
I do though hate dragging a cord around.
I heard today about a Cordless Electric.
Makita makes one that is VERY good but pricey. BUT it does industrial sizes staples also.

Makita T220D Cordless Stapler

http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-Shop_Tools-All-Makita_Cordless_Stapler_T220D

I'm sure there are others out there.

Ric

I have 4 mil clear gh plastic over my patio screens, and have had it there for over 4 years. I love it. I used a 'screen tight' system to install it. It has held up quite well.

H. Ivan destroyed my temporary lean to, so my brother built a make do porch for me out of wood and regular roofing. Before winter, he helped me install 6 mil gh plastic similar to the way that you did, except that I did not try to make it so that it would roll up. The east side was split down the middle and another layer placed over it so that it would cover the split opening on cold nights. I roll up that end to enter.

Each side has about a foot or more extra length which lays on the ground. I place bags of floatless cypress mulch to hold it down. Works great!

Last year, we used lath (spell) over the edges to keep the plastic from ripping off the staples. That worked okay, but was hard to remove for the spring, summer and fall, so this year, I decided to try something different. It was easier and holds up better. I used duct tape, 6-10" strips on the plastic and stapled again over that.

So far, so good! It has held up better than the laths, and I think it will be easier to remove than the nails used to hold the laths were.

BTW, our temps dropped down to close to 24 Friday morning. I use a kerosene heater on the porch and a small electric heater in the patio which opens to the porch (door left open). It works.

In the small, old greenhouse, I use floodlights on light freeze nights and a small propane tank with one of those heater attachments on nights below 28. It kept the coleus from melting, despite the leaks from the fiberglass being so old and cracked from many hurricanes.

Enjoy your greenhouse! I do! No matter how big they are, they always seem to need more room! Still, it's nice to have them.

heeee,
First thing that popped into my mind when I first saw Molly's most excellent creation was "Free Heat" for the house ;-))

You're the photo of the day! Congrats on the greenhouse!

We've been away from here for the past month. Seems like the whole country has been on a warm binge. Made me forget we had moved up to zone 8b.

Well, we may actually be getting back to winter, instead of this "false spring". I have been tweaking this thing for the past month. It's been hot and definately the inside got hot. I set it up to roll up 2 panels of plastic only halfway. I only have one door opening now, the one on the east side. I tucked the door plastic open. The plants actually have done quite well in there. They think it's summer!!!!! I went up to that castor bean tree yesterday and discovered it is towering over me now. I think I better cut those blooms off before they go to seed though.

Scooter, you were talking about free house heat. On the warmer days, I cannot open those windows because it lets the heat into the house. But on a day like today, I just turned the heat off and opened the windows into the greenhouse and it is warming things in the house nicely. But I need to get that lawnmower out of there. It stinks.

Here's what's growing in there today.

48 Outside
71 In the greenhouse
66 In the house

I transplanted all the rest of my tomatoes in the greenhouse yesterday for fear of them freezing.

Molly
:^)))

O0000oooooooooo yum!

Vine ripened 'maters *sigh*

Ah, Molly, tomatoes!!! How cool in January! Looks good with all your plants.
Carol

I just got in from dinner and I forgot to turn the heat back on in the main house before I left. Luckily it was only 62. But it's 38 outside and 45 in the greenhouse with no heat source in there.

Those maters do taste yummy.

I have a salad spinner I keep my garden lettuces and leaf spinach in for salads in the frdge. It has kept them fresh for 6-8 weeks. Pleasant surprise for a "gadget".

Molly
:^)))

hmmmm, good to know ;-)))

I'm loving your pictures.. But thinking I might need to send you some longjohns so you can get up and outside in 35 degree weather.. I think I'm just showing some zone envy

KathyJo,

Thanks for the tip, but according to the front that just slammed through your neck of the woods.....I have some pink long johns, ya wanna borry them?

You're gonna hate me, but the temp now is 67. Was 73 an hour ago. I raised the flaps on the GH on Thursday to let some air in, it was getting hot. Talk about hot house tomatoes!!!!!

Hope you are doing okay up there. My most recent squeeze had to make a trip carrying a corvette up to St Louey and he got caught in that front.

Molly
:^)))

Okay girl,
Who's the recent squeeze? Ya holding out on us?????

Jan,

If there is still something to chat about, we'll cover it at the next roundup ok? :^)))

So...................??????????????? A guy???????????? Really???????????? Tell us all, Molly! I am jealous, LOL