The greenhouse

[david_anderson]

I've given up on any hope of a real summer, and put the last side on the greenhouse. I left one side off, to help vent it through the heat of summer that never really arrived. I still have to trim some of the plastic, and attach some more cinch strap, but it is basically done.

Comments

[mshrmit]

The windstorms were my question as well. We did something similar with our inherited canopy, except we turned ours into a woodshed/bikes & lawnmower shed. Unfortunately, it still got fairly wet last winter, because the first windstorm ripped the entrance tarp off. The sides didn't come all the way off, but they ripped out of their ties everywhere but the top. After a few windstorms, we gave up and just left them.

This year (just decided last night), we're going to bolt a 2x4 across the top of the entrance, and fill up the peak with plywood. Then we'll put posts and plywood down the sides of the entrance as well. There will still be a wide doorway, but we'll attach a heavy CANVAS (plastic didn't do so well) tarp and see what happens. Hopefully, with a smaller entranceway, it will withstand the storms better. Plus, that's the side that gets the heaviest wind gusts, so if it works we can tackle the sides next year. They don't let much moisture in anyway, most of the moisture is from the entrance. They just annoy us by blowing around and flapping in the wind.

[david_anderson]

Out where you are, it's usually good for an extra 20-30 knots more than what we have here, but it still blows well enough to do a number on plastic that is allowed to flap around. We'll see how it works out.

[mshrmit]

Oh, we definitely get more wind than you do. 60/70 mph is normal here in the winter. We get a storm that strong about every week for months.

I would love to have a greenhouse that actually used glass. It might not be as efficient as all the new stuff, but it looks a lot nicer. That still counts in my boat, but hey, I'm a girl. :)

[mshrmit]

That's not saying yours doesn't look nice, by the way. I've just been dreaming about greenhouses again lately, since we might be checking for water on our property soon.

[david_anderson]

Yeah, we hit 60 about twice a year, and 70 when you hit 90-100.

There are some glass greenhouses that use double or triple-paned glass, but they are even more pricey. I would love to have one of those attached to my house, though I would still have the cheaper stuff out in the garden.

And don't worry, I don't think for a minute that my "cheap" greenhouse can compare with the nice ones on anything but price per square foot. Next year, my plan is to enclose the other canopy frame, which will give me 400 sq. ft. enclosed, then I'll start working on both my more expensive, and my less expensive options. I just don't want another year of no hot weather crops.

[mshrmit]

Our big goal is to actually have the coldframe up by the end of winter. Lol! We actually got the wood last year (Alan gave it to the neighbor. Grrr.), but we had to transplant a rose out of the way first. That is done, so we don't really have an excuse now.

I'm sure we'll come up with something, though. :)

[david_anderson]

lol. We've had the same problem with this greenhouse. It's taken us years to get this far. My theory right now is that we've learned a lot, and the next one will be easier and quicker.