Greenhouses????

We have one of the Garden Way plastic dome type greenhouses and it works well for us. Now we live in the mountains of PA and do not start our seeds in the greenhouse because of our weather. So I still do have seed trays started on our stand with lights anyways. I would think in SC at this time of year you could put your seed trays directly into the greenhouse. (my daughter just moved from SC yesterday...very sorry to leave the south...she just loved SC!)...anyways..Ours was inexpensive to buy and easy for the 2 of us to construct. I could use a portable heater...but the expensive and fuss...I wait until my seedlings are started and the weather warmer before actually using my greenhouse. We don't have windows...but have 2 doors..front and back...to allow the heat to leave when it gets too hot..which it will for sure in SC...Also plan on putting your greenhouse near a tree that will give you shade in the summer but allow for sun in the spring. You will appreciate it in the hotter weather and so will your plants. Good Luck !!

 

I believe this is the same as the one sold at Harbor Freight ($329 + 5.95 processing, shipping is free).
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47712
If you are going to attempt this project I highly recommend doing a search on gardenweb.com Several people have put these together & have posted their trails & tribulations & pictures!
I'm still trying to make up my mind!
Best regards!
KAT

 

Ooppss! Forgot to log in, the above is from me!

KAT

 

I have wanted a greenhouse forever and just can't afford the prices so I made my own it would cost about $80 to build but we had most of the supplies around. It's not beautifull but I don't care it works great! I got hog panels and folded them over and staked the ends to hold them erect and used plywood for the ends and to make a door and I ran Plastic sheeting over the top ( you can roll up the sides for ventelation) I built it myself save for a little help from my husband to cut the plywood, it took about 7 hrs and can come down easily when I need to move it. I think I would be happier with this one in case a huge wind storm came and ruined it I wouldn't be out much and I would only have about $15 in plastic to replace and it would be fixed. the only draw back I know about so far is that every year I will have to replace the plastic.

 

Here is a website that shows how to make the panel/plastic greenhouse. I'm gonna try to get one up this spring. stuck... http://www2.moment.net/~wingnut/hoophouse.htm

 

Hey, thanks for the pictures and instructions. Our hoophouse has always been made of 2x4's and pvc pipe. Now I can show hubby exactly what I want starting this year. We have a major deer problem and were talking about fencing in the hoophouse this year since those 4 legged rats go into the hoophouse when the plastic is taken down. This is much easier and less permanent in case we decide to move where the tomatoes and peppers are. The rest of the garden is out in the field with a 7 ft fence around it so we can use the old pvc out there to keep the melons warm.

LisaBug

 

I, too, have one like Moe. It's not the prettiest, but it does the job. It has survived 2 snowstorms that left around 12" on the top. I just had to knock off the snow toward the end of the storm. I have a storm door at each end (both recycled) so I can keep it from getting too hot later in the spring. We put bubble wrap under our plastic this year and it has been a little easier to keep heated.

Kathy

 

I made a small cold frame using a half cattle panel, 3/8" rebar, and tie wire. Total cost was about $30.

I bent 8' pieces rebar to fit inside my garden boxes - shaped like a staple, but sloped. I made 3 of these - one for each end and one for the middle. Along to the top edge I wired a straight piece of rebar. I wrapped the half-cattle panel in plastic. I laid the half-cattle panel on top of the slope and used tie wire to tie it to the rebar cross piece. This made a cheap hinge. Then I wrapped the back and sides in plastic.

Crude, but it worked fine. It's easy to take apart, and it can be used on any of my boxes.

 

Where do you get big sheets of bubble wrap? The only ones I see are about 10 inches square-that would take alot! stuck

 

We have a starplate greenhouse....cute but a real pain with all those angles to cut. Covering with plastic required us to build a form to cut the triangles if we wanted it to look nice. And putting benches in...oh, don't go there!! It is unique but rather have the old hoop house we had...so will build a big hoophouse this summer and use this one for a starting house with double plastic to enable us to keep it really warm in there. DEE

 

We got our bubble wrap at a local industrial supply, but you can get them at Farmtek? although it's a little higher or you can check on ebay. Anyway ours was the 4' wide stuff and although it is perforated every foot, (the only kind we could find reasonable) it doesn't come apart easily like I thought it would. I want to say it was about a 200' roll and cost about $70--this will supply us for several years. Our hoop greenhouse is 3 wire panels (overlapped) in length (about 12' long) and we fit this stuff on there in three rows just perfectly. And this is the 1" bubbles.

Kathy

 

What kind of plastic are you guys using that lasts so well? I've considered visqueen even though it's the more expensive. We don't intend to use it when it's too cold out but I'd like to put it up early enough to get the ground warming for an early May planting. What are your best recommendations?

LisaBug

 

6 mil plastic sheeting for the greenhouse. As a cover to warm the ground or under mulch to keep the weeds out I buy the stuff that you put over the silage pile. Very heavy duty and doesn't rip easily.

 

FarmTek has a pretty good selection of ground covering and film. Check them out.

 

The best greenhouse for cheep I have seen had 2 big box windows from a salvage yard. They were put together with 2 hinges and placed on bricks... You can muscle it open and it makes a great/petite seed starter!

 

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