greenhouse question

Dawn your greenhouse is wonderful!

I have a few questions:
Where did you purchase the clear panels and how did DH attach, especially on the roof to prevent leaking?

Living in Indiana, I would definately need something better in the winter so I'm wondering if using the clear panels on both inside and outside walls with bubble wrap between would work?

For those that use bubble wrap, does it diffuse the light?

I also am thinking of a concrete floor with drains to help with clean up, etc.

Thanks,
Bonnie from IN

Hi Bonnie,
I bought the cheap clear panels from Home Depot. I want to say they were around $7 per panel I really don't remember. DH used a roofing nail that has a rubber gromet on it. It works pretty good. There are a few little leaks but nothing I worry about. It has to rain really hard for it to leak. I do have to wrap it for the winter. This year I will be wrapping it double. GH worked great with one layer of plastic until the weather dipped in the 20's and stayed there long enough for the inside to get that cold. I lost a few things. This year I will be putting the things VERY cold sensitive in my sunroom(attached to the house). I might end up condensing the GH to half it's size(just during the winter) so I will only have to heat part of it. I must say I have throughly enjoyed it. it has been worth every penny. I have a wood floor (like a deck). Only problem with that is that grass grows in between. Other than that I like it.

Screws (or, aluminum screw nails) holding down the corrugated greenhouse panels will hold them more securely. Nails will eventually wiggle loose and not only create leaks, but weaken further with every windstorm / rainstorm.

Also, pre-drilling small pilot holes will prevent the fiberglass panel from micro-fracturing which can also create leaks, which weaken the wood and ultimately loosen the panel's anchor points.

Diagrammed Directions:
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infcorroofpanels.html

I am probably going to break down and build myself another cold-frame off the garage. My neighbor gave me several HUGE windows (louvered sets, see my previous post above showing my original coldframe) I can use for the front and sides.

BUBBLE WRAP will diffuse the light, but not enough to matter, plus, the sun is lower in the sky, no leaves on trees in the winter, etc. I know several who insulate with bubble wrap their GHs and sing praises about it.

I have a CONCRETE FLOOR with a drain that almost didn't get installed. I am grateful everyday that I asked the construction guy (just before he poured the first drop of crete!!) if they install the drain BEFORE or after they poured the concrete. You should have seen the embarrassed scramble that immediately ensued.

Also, building a small, insulated "coldframe within the coldframe," as Dawn noted, helps a lot! I usually build a well insultated Clear-POLY "box tent" over one of the tables and put those seedling heating mats over the table for bottom heat. Make sure there is as much air space as possible between the walls of the box tent and the walls/roof of the actual coldframe which surrounds it. I read somewhere that one layer of poly is equivalent to about one temperate zone south!

Depending on what you put in it and how tall it has to be, they can be easily heated any number of ways as long as it is well constructed to insulate and keep the heat in. Remember, heat rises.

I haven't had to heat a coldframe for years, as I have the connected GH now, but when I did, I only had to use small electric heaters, which might not be as cost effective today. I would have to research that more.

You are correct Willie. After the first piece of panel, we did indeed predrill the holes. Time consuming but a must. I have a sunroom connected to the house and I do not heat that one. Well, if the temps dip too low I will open a vent or 2 but everything does pretty well in there. Good circulation is key. the GH is not connected & in the "back 40" so I have to heat it somehow. I wrap it inside with plastic AND cut it in half when the temps really dip (last year it was mid Jan & feb) Last year I used 2 elec oil heaters. With the rising costs of everything ... I dont' know. I should check in to solar power, hmmm

I heard somewhere that a 12-year-old, in Beaverton, Oregon, William Yuan, just developed some awesome 3D solar cell that can harness 500 times the power!!

Something technical like that ... but sounds revolutionary. Can't wait to see what they do with it.

12 year old, geeze

He won first prize, I believe, in the School's Science Fair .... of all things!!

Well. The temps were 9.8* this morning when I got up. I have never seen them that low before. DH walked out to check on the pond, I had him check on the GH as I couldn't do it. I was afraid of what I might see. I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it.
We doubled the plastic this year. Left a 3 to 4 inch gap and I only heated half of it using a oil electric heater set to 52. 42* has been the lowest so far. DH reported that the low temp last night was 35*. That's not bad I think. I would love to have it warmer but with 9* temps, I think 35 is pretty good. I don't have any very sensitive plants out there b/c I was afraid of how it would do. I thinks it's done great!

I haven't run mine at all this winter as a greenhouse. I have my chickens, ducks and geese in there right now. Up to this week I was able to keep it above freezing using just an 85 watt red spotlight. This past week I had to switch to a 250 watt brooder light and run a small electric heater set on low at 800 watts. It's kept it above freezing this horribly cold nights when we've had wind chills of -30F.
I've been wanting a new greenhouse so I may just keep this one as a coop and build myself a new one this spring.

MollyD