Tables in GH

Okay i have a few questions here about tables.
First off what is a manageable depth for the tables?
If i build multi tiered tables, will i have a shading of plants issue?

I have the white wire shelving above (I would guess 2-3') likeand then wood panel shelves at regular waist height. I do have a few below the wood benches but not for true growing area. I have used those shelves tho if I am going to be away for a few days to keep the sun off of them from drying out. I haven't had any trouble with the wire and wood shading tho.
Carol

First off what is a manageable depth for the tables? I'd say 3' max. You could go with 4' if you approach the table from either side.

If i build multi tiered tables, will i have a shading of plants issue? Yes

If you make tables one level, make them lower than standard counter level. Remember that your work in the GH takes place several inches above table level, at the level of the tops of the plants or even higher, in the foliage.

Oh SB your breaking my heart LOL.
I was planning on building the tables at 40" thinking i can get 2 layers of 1020 trays on each table. I'm not sure how long or wide the 50 and 75 plug trays i plan on using are.
I was thinking i could do 2 tiered tables on each side of the GH and one down the middle for max growing space. The pot sizes i plan on using at this point are 6 packs ( still pondering over this one) 4", 1 QT, 1 gallon, 5 gallon. I'm thinking and could be wrong but by the time the plants are ready to go into 1 gallon pots they can me moved outside the GH.
But if shading is going to be a problem then i'm not going to have the room in the GH for as many plants as i was hopping for.

Hey, just trying to help!

You probably should ask someone who has moved stock up through a nursery about this, but I would say that you would not want to jump plants from 1 to 5 gallon sized pots.

I'm sure you have seen this link: http://www.middlecity.com/backyard/hoophouse.shtml

He uses 16' panels to get a GH 8' wide. A 20' panel is only going to get you maybe a 10-11' wide hoophouse.

Now I can get by with 2' rows in my GH because I remember to turn and slide by the plants that stick out. I wouldn't think of 2' rows in a commercial operation. Maybe 3' minimum, maybe four would be better. Ask a commercial grower about this to confirm. But a 4' row using 16' panels gives you 2' on either side. 4' row in a 10' wide house gives 3' on either side...no center bench.

Also, the sides of these hoophouses curve in and I've never seen tiered benches in one. Around here, I always see the plants at ground level.

Speaking of plants at ground level, here's a thought...capillary sandbed irrigation. There is a nursery near me that uses this system and he consistently has superior product. You can walk through the hoophouse in which he has installed this system (one center aisle). You have to do it on the front end, you can't retrofit. Links: http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/plant_culture/irrigate_nursery_stock.html http://www.ruralni.gov.uk/index/crops/nursery_stock/nursery_ornamentals_technical_information/capillary_sandbeds/capillary_sandbeds_site.htm http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5036619-description.html

Edited to add that with this sandbed capillary system, you never get a perched water table in your containers.

This message was edited Jun 23, 2007 5:11 PM

Okay i have got it threw my thick skull the cattle panels are not going to work.
the way i had it in my head was i could build a wood frame from 2 x 4's at 4' or 5' tall and i could get the width from them that i was needing.
I got this horrible head and chest cold yesterday, one min i was fine then next i felt like a truck had ran into my chest. Once i started to explain the GH plan its was like someone smacked me in the back on the head that there is no way the cattle panels are going to work LOL.

Now SB would you stop throwing stones at my glass GH your putting tun's of holes in all my ideas LOL.
J/K hun, I do see your points and they are helping a lot. I did find in the growers supply i have, a cold from made from some sort of round pipes. It was 19 x 24 and cost about $700 i'm going to look at lowes and see if i can do it cheaper. I also was thinking if i was going to do a 2 tiered table i would need to make the sides high do to the curving of the roof right? But there is the shading issue.

On the tables if i got 4' i can get 3 tables in there with a lil over 3' walking space around the middle table.
Man this is a tinny GH for what i'm wanting to do. I will be doing a bunch of buying ready to sell plants.
If i stick with zone hardy plants a lot of them can be grown in pots outside of the GH.

I will look into the bumping up pot size in plants cause i was thinking it was okay on things like vines to go from plugs to 1 QT or gallon. I don't know, i'm so sick right now i'm not thinking good and i have to keep pushing on if i'm going to get this done on time.

TXSWETIE.. have you checked out Farmtek's greenhouses.. they cost a bit more but you get a lot for your money and you would have more options on tables
this one has free shipping.. not a small thing

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft1_greenhouses_accessories_2-Copy+of+free_ship_greenhouses;BackyardPro.html

Not sure how many plugs you're speaking about, but something to think about is:

While that many plugs will fit nicely into the greenhouse, they won't stay "plugs" very long. With that many flats, and you seem to be planning on using 1# pots as your target size to moving them outside, you may have a space problem. Figure out the square footage of your shelf space, and then determine how many pots (not seedlings) will fit.

I'm guess I'm just saying that there never seems to be enough space, in a greenhouse. What seems huge, when empty, seems quickly far too small. It would be a shame to have 500 seedlings, but only space for 100 in their larger pots, and a severe cold front in route. =(

Plan towards the end result, rather than focusing too much on the beginning. At the time of the year (usually very early spring) when the greenhouse will be at it's max capacity, how many plants will be in there? Focus on that, rather than on "how many seeds can I get started?".

Just my $.02 and some food for thought. =)
Eggs

Eggs,
I under stand what your saying and i'm trying to work threw that. The max size of my GH that will fit in my back yard is 19 x 24 and i'm fully aware that its tinny for this business. That is why i was wanting to do the double tier tables, but then there is the shading issue. Our spring weather is great early on but we always get hit with that late frost right before Easter, then the next day it can be 80 again like it never happened. I'm thinking that most of my perennials can weather a frost under a cold frame for that short period of time. Then you cram the GH full from top to bottom with your tender plants and hope it passes sooner than later. I know that everyone in this industry has been there done that and i'm just looking for the tips from those that has. Its not a question of if and when, its a WILL and i want to know now and be prepared with what i'm going to do when it happens.

I'm thinking PVC cold frames covered in plastic that can be taken apart for storage will do the trick. I will be open for business at that time do to the gift shop and it may be an eyesore for a few days but its better than the loss of that many plants.

I'm just pulling this % out of thin air but because of the size of my GH i'm going to say 60% of my plants will be bought as ready to sell plants. And with me being the only nursery within 100 miles i can up my prices to make a good enough profit for that as long as my product is very good and healthy.
My first year is going to be testing the waters, that's the way most business start out anyway right. taking lots of notes, and making the changes needed to grow and keep my doors open.