greenhouse covering

[Tabitha]

I am so disgusted. we have friends who covered their greenhouse with clear 6 mil plastic two years ago and it is still intact. we covered ours this spring and it is hanging in shreds, I have to cover it again if I want to use it this fall for late veggies. what do you use to cover your greenhouses? are there alternatives to 6 mil plastic? I asked around and the nurseries around here use it.

[sisterpine]

I used some special plastic I got from a greenhouse site, it has been up two years, is uv protected and is looking good still.

[whiterabbit]

Check a store that sells construction grade visquine(sp).. I can't remember the exact name, but it is thicker that grade 6... and here in SLC Utah, it covers building in the winter, summer, spring and fall and in wind, rain, snow and hail and keeps on hanging.. if I remember the name, I will post it otherwise, ask someone in construction if it is called something special..

[anniew]

I use 6 mil greenhouse plastic and it lasts for 4-6 years. It is a double layer with air blown between the layers with an inflation kit. This helps keep the layers from flapping in the breeze which causes more friction against the supporting structure.
Most construction grade plastic isn't made to last a real long time, as the sunlight breaks it down.
Order greenhouse plastic from a greenhouse supply place and get an idea of the life expectancy of whatever you purchase.
Good luck with your winter crops.
Ann

[MaineFarmMom]

Re: http://www.growerssolution.com/page/GS/CTGY/gc

This is what I use. Four year lasts me four to six years.

[huisjen]

Do not use visquene (sp?). Even if they somehow claim it's "construction grade", walk away. You need UV stabilized greenhouse plastic, as many here have said. Construction grade, to me, means it's meant as a vapor barrier between the insulation and the sheetrock.

By the way, why is it that there are so many things that say "contractor grade" or "professional grade" or even just "Pro" (software especially), but you never see anything labeled "Rank Amature"?

Dan

[jnap31]

Originally Posted by huisjen

By the way, why is it that there are so many things that say "contractor grade" or "professional grade" or even just "Pro" (software especially), but you never see anything labeled "Rank Amature"?

Dan

Perhaps that would be the cheaper Chineese imports that fall apart the first time you use them.

[jnap31]

Thanks Mainefarmmom,
Do you think the more expensive one that is suppos eto allow more sunlight in and preserve heat better may be worth the extra $?

[goatlady]

I used this stuff in SD - it had been up 10 years and still going strong when I sold and left. Lets in 80% light, NOTHING makes holes in it and being UV treated it soes NOT yellow or deteriorate. EXCELLENT stuff. and not that expensive. http://www.northerngreenhouse.com/index.htm

[MaineFarmMom]

Originally Posted by jnap31

Thanks Mainefarmmom,
Do you think the more expensive one that is suppos eto allow more sunlight in and preserve heat better may be worth the extra $?

Yes. It's made for greenhouse growing. I used cheap plastic on a new hoop house last summer. By November it had ripped in the wind and I lost most of the growing time in November and into December. We had a warm winter. I could have been growing again in early February but the cheap plastic ruined that. It was an expensive lesson.

[sisterpine]

what a great site, i am building a new green house in the spring and am definately using that woven poly! many thanks, sis

[jnap31]

Mainefarmhave you ever tried the stuff at Goatlady's site? 10 years worth of use sounds awfully nice.

[MaineFarmMom]

Yes, but probably not the same quality. During a heavy wind storm an apple tree branch broke and went right through it instead of bouncing off. It was harder to tape than regular plastic. That was 10 years ago so there's been plenty of time for improvement in quality. I wouldn't mind trying it again on one of the portable mini hoops.