Greenhouse Project

[wbpdeer]

When you put a cover on a structure list this you have to manage the plastic where it hits the ground down each long side PLUS you have to manage the plastic where it hits the round plywood end walls.

For the end walls, we rolled the plastic up and we plastic clamps to hold the plastic in the tight roll. We use wiggle wire on the top of the plywood walls. The aluminum channel will take two pieces of wiggle wire - the first one was put in for the black shade cloth and today the second one was put in the hole the white cover.



The photo below shows one of the clamps in its final location.

 

[wbpdeer]

Regarding the plastic that hits the ground down the long side, we have extra left on the ground which is a very good thing. The white cover is attached at the hip rail which is 24 inches above the base board.

I purchase 1/2 emt conduit and 1 inch Electrical Gray PVC. I put the emt inside the PVC to add weight and stiffness. I taped the edge of the plastic to this PVC down the long side. At the end of the long section of PVC I glued an 90 degree elbow onto the PVC so we can crank the plastic up and raise the skirt to add ventilation on each side.

Here is a photo of the crank end of the PVC - it is simply a long 90 degree section of pipe.

 

[wbpdeer]

I got my lovely wife to help me test the raising of the skirt. It worked fine and I will make a couple of modification. I will attach a rope at each end of the PVC right next to the elbow. That will help roll the plastic up. In the middle of the greenhouse I will drive a fence post and attach a rope on the hip board. When we raise the skirt I will use that rope to support the middle of the PVC and plastic.

Here is photo of the skirt raised. We will be able to add 100 square feet of ventilation in hot weather. With the exhaust fan in the front wall, we will be able to bring the fresh air to our plants.



Notice the sag in the left edge of the photo. With the right modification, this will be eliminated.

 

[wbpdeer]

I purchased 7 straw bales to hold the plastic and PVC pipe down and firmly to the wood base board. This worked well.



The photo has been modified. The red arrow is pointing down the PVC Elbow and Crank Handle. The blue arrow is pointing to what I call a pinch plank. The pinch plank holds the rolled up plastic firmly in place. No screw were placed thru the plastic - only in the lower end of that plank.

The green arrow is pointed at the Wiggle Wire. Under the plastic is the black shade cloth. The aluminum channel is attached to the 2 by 4 hip board. Look in the photo and you can see the straight line created by this structural member.

 

[wbpdeer]

Friends, I am a very lucky man. I am retired and so fortunate to have both my son and daughter living in my home town. I have three grandchild and all three live in Portland. What a blessing this is and I know others don't have their family close.

Brook Campbell is my youngest grandchild and his mother Tara and he came by to visit. We got a 3 Generation Photo. I promised Brooks I would put his photo on the internet. This young man is 7 years old and will soon be hunting.



My daughter is a high school teacher at Portland High School. My mother taught at Portland High for 30 years.

 

[wbpdeer]

Now I will learn how to manage the greenhouse during cold weather. My initial plans are to heat in emergency situation with propane.

That will start Saturday night November 19th. Wish me luck.

 

[lakngolf]

Continued good job....with the greenhouse and the family. Brooks will enjoy that time with grandpa

 

[wbpdeer]

Thanks Lak. I have to build a shooting house for Brook next spring. We have built one for the older two grandkids.

Recon we can get some tomatoes to grow in that greenhouse?

 

[lakngolf]

Thanks Lak. I have to build a shooting house for Brook next spring. We have built one for the older two grandkids.

Recon we can get some tomatoes to grow in that greenhouse?

Yessir!

 

[catscratch]

That's one heck of a green house! Looks good, you'll put it to good use. Enjoy!

 

[buckdeer1]

Thats the first one I have seen with white plastic,my buddies that built them for tomatoes used clear

 

[TreeDaddy]

great thread,wayne

thanks for the updates

the 7 year old should make for a great fellow "tree guy!"

bill

 

[wbpdeer]

Buckdeer1,

I wanted clear but my Garden Center guy got me white. That is what he uses. Around this areas, we see both. I will take the white plastic off in the spring when the chance of frost becomes low. I have the shade cloth still underneath it. The white cover is 3 mil but extremely tough.

Next time I will make sure I have two or three tennis balls to throw over the house when pulling the cover over. I will have three guys where there was only two of us yesterday. The man that helped me does it all of the time. After the cover was in position then the wind got up but we were in good shape and had no issues.

I like the wiggle wire concept and I think the straw bales are a good choice. Raising the skirt will be a great option when temperatures get hot.

My biggest surprise with this cover is cost. It was less than half what I had been quoted. I will get three covers out of that box and I hope to get at least two years out of each cover.

Three of the coming five nights has a forecast below freezing by 2 to 4 degrees each. So I will be studying the temperature situation. It is air tight but I will be identifying locations where I can reduce losing warm air.

 

[wbpdeer]

great thread,wayne

thanks for the updates

the 7 year old should make for a great fellow "tree guy!"

bill

Thanks TreeDaddy.

I hope to see this young man make a dedicated hunter. He sure wants to see his name plaque inside his own shooting house. I will get that done next summer. I know that mind set increases the chance that we will share the outdoor experience.

 

[Turkey Creek]

If it was me I think I would reconsider the straw bales. They would become rodent homes here. I am afraid you will see an upswing in your mouse population. :How about a 2 x 10 for the same purpose? Awesome job on the greenhouse.

 

[wbpdeer]

Turkey Creek,

You make a good point. Right now I already own these so I will monitor that possibility. I am moving a dozen mouse traps from my garage to the greenhouse today because of temperature drop. I have some 4 by 4s on the north side. I have to add some aluminum channel to that side to complete the wiggle wire. I got a brain freeze and forget to compute both end walls when I figured my materials.

I like being able to raise the skirt on the side. Regarding clear covers or white covers what are your experiences. This is my first rodeo so I have no experience to compare this process to.

Thanks

 

[Turkey Creek]

I dont have any experience or written comparison of the clear vs white. I could see how the white might be beneficial in the summer to possibly help reduce extreme heat inside the greenhouse, but might not be as good in the winter months with less light transmission. Just my random thought.

 

[wbpdeer]

Updated November 24th

I checked the greenhouse at 2:45 PM on Thanksgiving day and the inside temp is 8 degrees higher than the outside temp. This is a cloudy day and without any significant wind. If the sun was out it would increase the temperature inside the greenhouse. Wind would lower the temperature inside the greenhouse.

At this point I am very pleased with how well it holds it's temperature. 62 degrees inside and 54 degrees outside.

My gravel floor in the greenhouse is a heat sink. My plants are placed on the gravel floor.

 

[dogdoc]

What an awesome project you took on. I am so impressed. The greenhouse is just amazing. There are a couple homemade green houses around my farm and they all have white covers.

Great job
Todd

 

[wbpdeer]

Thanks Todd.

I am pleased with how it turned out. Got to learn how to manage it in bitter cold weather. The straw bales are working well. Had the most wind the day after the cover went on it. Most people say 6 to 7 degrees difference between inside and outside where daily temperatures vary at least 15 or degrees between highs and lows.

My lowest night time temperature was 22 degrees and I ran one little electric heat and a propane buddy heater. I had a 2 gallon bucket with water that had the top lightly freeze but I had a bottle of drinking water 7 feet away inside a small cardboard box with open top and it didn't freeze. I have bunched my plants together and put boards around them that are 18 to 24 inches tall. This helps keep air off them.

About to purchase a propane heater that will generate more BTUs.