 New Greenhouse |
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 Nov 4 2007, 04:30 PM
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#1
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Well it's time to start on the long awaited greenhouse. We are building it 12' x 24'. I have questions, I've read the post about ,old and stuff growing in the house with the plants. What can I do during the building process to help me minimize this? What type of floor is best? Would ceiling fans hanging from the rafters be enough to help with air circulation to keep out the sweating affect? Does the sweating happen only in summer or also in winter? I know nothing all the advice you can give will help me. It's starting to get cold and we've brought in most the plants, my house is a jungle again. Some of the plants outside are still doing alright. Have one rose that's really messed up, blooming more then it did in spring or all summer.
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Nov 4 2007, 10:31 PM
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#2
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I can help you out here, I've set up several greenhouses and cold frames around the valley here so let me ask you a few basic questions to get you set on this project;
What type of greenhouse are you building? is it a kit or a built it yourself?, If its a kit post a link if you can of the kit. Depending on the type of house most people place a weed barrier on the ground then sand over the weed barrier. you might like to use mortar sand then add a small amount of portland cement to it, not enough to turn it into concert but a little will firm up the sand and help it compact better. If you keep good air circulation you wont have a problem with sweating, on a house the size your talking about a floor fan will work or a fan on a stand. the calc's are for cubic footage (CFM = Length x Width x 12) then use a fan that can supply the CFM for the cubic feet you have.. just make sure you have exhaust vent to allow air flow. Sweating will happen all year around depending on the outside temps compared to the inside temps. Use a heater for the winters if you need to with a greenhouse plastic covering, during the spring/summer/fall I just use a shade cloth with no plastic cover.. I knew I should have taken pic's of mine when I built it.. I could have posted them here to show you   -------------------- Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.
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Nov 5 2007, 07:50 AM
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#3
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Turt, My GH will look like a glass house.We're planning on using clear siding. It will have a regular frame and a pitched roof. Windows to air out and a 4' door in the one end. I've also planned for extra space for a sitting area. Nice warm place outdoors to be among the plants I have to store away in the winter. We were even thinking of putting some type of cobblestone floor. I know it sounds like a bit much but i want it used for more then just the plants. Kind of garden room that's not attached to the house. That's why I was thinking about ceiling fans haging from the rafters. Look nice and still serve it's purpose. When you say exhaust vent do you mean just any opening to the outside or a vented opening that opens and closes? My concerns are of the bacterias that I've seen you guys post about.
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Nov 5 2007, 12:29 PM
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#4
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Ohhh.. So your going the first class Glass House huh!,, great!!, Use metal frame windows, there great..LOL, When I'm talking about vents I just mean a opening at or near the top of the house to allow heat out.
So an outdoor conservatory is in the future for you huh.., sand as I said before and paver's will make a great floor, vents or opening window in the roof will be great ventilation so a ceiling fan might be the trick to move the air around, but check the CFM to make sure it moves enough air through the house, give some thought about heat in the winter there in Texas! Now as far as fungi/bacteria that can grow in there.. I dont think your going to have any more of a problem with that as you will growing things indoors or that you have already in your garden.. What your doing in a greenhouse is providing a optimum climatic growing condition for the plants you have inside. If you have this "condition" then it stands to reason your going to have an optimum condition for pest and fungi/bacteria also. I'd say keep the same method to control these the same as you use or have now .. Keep in mind that most problems are referred to commercial greenhouses that are used in propagation where a sterile environment is proffered.. Your always best to insure that your house is "Clean" and your soils are sterile also, that will reduce any problems with unwanted fungi or bacteria. 
-------------------- Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.
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Nov 7 2007, 06:01 PM
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#5
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I have a greenhouse. It is a metal arched frame covered in plastic. I have a shade cloth I use in the summer.
Your conservatory sounds awesome. I love the idea of a cobblestone floor. I have a dirt floor. I don't like it. I would prefer a more solid surface, something that could be hosed off or swept. Once you are growing in it you will be able to determine how much water and air flow you need to grow plants and not bacteria. I find air flow all year round is the most important thing to pay attention to in my greenhouse. I spray the whole place with a product containing neem oil about once every 6 weeks and I have had no problems with bugs or bacteria. Have fun with it and keep us posted. --------------------  |
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Dec 17 2007, 08:32 PM
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#6
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The greenhouse is coming along, until then the house still looks like a jungle. The north wall is solid and there will be a seating area and the sides and front have 3 feet up of solid material and the rest will be the clear siding and windows. I hope to actually get a good picture to post soon. I've been so exhausted after work and kids that I haven't even thought about it until late night. It's going to be a very bright spot in the yard since we've painted the frame white. lots of work but I'm sure we'll have lots of time there. Not just the plants.
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Dec 27 2007, 06:31 PM
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#7
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Greenhouse_002.JPG ( 224.89K )
Number of downloads: 14
Greenhouse_005.JPG ( 205.2K )
Number of downloads: 8
Greenhouse_033.JPG ( 219.03K )
Number of downloads: 8
Greenhouse_031.JPG ( 228.16K )
Number of downloads: 12Here are 4 pics of the progress. First 2 were when we were painting the frame. We hope to have it finsihed by New Years eve. It'll be great to have a party in there before we set of plants
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Dec 27 2007, 06:57 PM
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#8
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Wow Ännie that looks great! Wish I had one of those. It would be a fantastic venue for party!
By the way, Happy New Year to you all! Annie --------------------  |
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Jan 20 2008, 06:47 PM
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#9
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Annie
 The project looks like its going along just Great! Sorry I've been off here for so long, as always I'm overloaded with to many things to do Keep us posted on the progress, I noticed in the pictures the two chairs located in just the right spot for what I'm guessing is the "Supervisor's" Location? LOL What have you come up with for heating and cooling? -------------------- Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.
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Feb 6 2008, 09:54 PM
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#10
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Well the outside is finished, but still needs a bit of paint and the inside still needs shelving and the work table and fans. I actually used it for potting today
It has a total of 3 plants inside now. As of this week there was a Tact room built on the back for the new horses We're getting there, I'll take a picture soon.
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Feb 6 2008, 09:59 PM
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#11
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I'm sorry Therm, I didn't answer your questions. We'll do 2 ceiling fans to circulate air in the summer, remember most these plants will come back out in the spring. And we have base board heaters for when weather is going to get below freezing which isn't very often around here. Usually about mid feb.
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Feb 7 2008, 06:27 AM
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#12
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Therm..???......... LMAO
I haven't seen or heard from him in a few years. I hope he's well Sounds like you have a handle on the heating and cooling, I'll take a guess and say before you know your going to want a larger greenhouse because of all the things you can grow in it.. 
-------------------- Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.
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Feb 7 2008, 07:30 AM
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#13
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QUOTE(turtleman @ Feb 7 2008, 07:27 AM)  Therm..???......... LMAO I haven't seen or heard from him in a few years. I hope he's well Sounds like you have a handle on the heating and cooling, I'll take a guess and say before you know your going to want a larger greenhouse because of all the things you can grow in it.. HA HA HA HA Oh that was a blunder! I shouldn't post when I'm tired.Well hopfully we can get what we have finished before we start building on. |
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Feb 13 2008, 03:01 AM
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#14
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QUOTE(Ännie @ Feb 7 2008, 02:30 PM) QUOTE(turtleman @ Feb 7 2008, 07:27 AM) Therm..???......... LMAO I haven't seen or heard from him in a few years. I hope he's well Sounds like you have a handle on the heating and cooling, I'll take a guess and say before you know your going to want a larger greenhouse because of all the things you can grow in it.. HA HA HA HA Oh that was a blunder! I shouldn't post when I'm tired.Well hopfully we can get what we have finished before we start building on. -------------------- |
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Mar 3 2008, 08:22 PM
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#15
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We still have some inside work to be done and some paint and the floor but we're just about there. Had to stop and build a tack room on for horse supplies
Attached File(s)
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Mar 3 2008, 09:10 PM
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#16
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Totally Cool Annie. You don't do anything half Azz thats for sure.. Looks Great and you already have a little kitty sneaking around the outside too.
-------------------- Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.
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Apr 29 2008, 06:26 PM
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#17
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You did a great job. I really like it. I didn't include seating in mine but find myself sitting on a pile of soil bags or whatever quit often. It is the best seat in the house when there is a storm.
I use my 20'x40' greenhouse for everything in the winter and only a few delicate things in the summer. Orchids, cactus and pointsettia mostly. The wind here can be too much for em sometimes. I get algae on the floor of my greenhouse because it is just good ole native texas soil. I never could decide what to do with it. We did put in floor drains. I have a large exhaust fan on one end and several circulating fans throughout. One of the best things I did was install an automatic watering system. It is hard to find someone to babysit your jungle if you ever need to leave. I wash down the whole darn thing twice a year. It has a plastic cover with shade cloth over it. I take everything out. This is great cause I find all the stuff I lost during the season. Then I use a tank sprayer and mild dish soap and spray the heck out of it. Walls, ceiling everything. I use a sponge mop to remove any stubborn debris and spider webs etc. Then take a hose and rinse the whole thing out. Turt is right about the size and he said the same thing to me. Get a big one! The good thing about not building another greenhouse is that I have to keep selling the plants I have. Then I get new ones and that makes for a good day. -------------------- |
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