My New Greenhouse

[MattyB]

Here's the front door.  The structure is 6 feet wide by 12 feet long with a sloping roof that's 6 foot tall on one side and 8 feet tall on the other.  It's all framed with 2' x 4' doug fir, with 4" x 4" pressure treated footings sitting on a crushed rock bed, and skinned with professional grade greehouse polyfilm.  The roof has shade cloth on it.  I don't know what percentage it is.  I'd esitmate about 50%.  I still need to put some shade cloth on the front which is the south side.

[MattyB]

So here's a shot from a ladder.  You can see the shade cloth and my roof vent.

[MattyB]

A view looking inside the front door.  Check out the nice benches.  A big thanks to my Uncle Dean (Dypsis Dean) for supplying the polyfilm, shade cloth, and greenhouse benches.  This was most generous and saved me lots of time and money.

[MattyB]

Bench detail.  They are 2 feet by 8 feet.

[MattyB]

Here's a shot of the roof vent with automatic vent opener.

[MattyB]

Here's my top hinged window vent to allow cross ventillaton.

[MattyB]

Vent opener detail.

[MattyB]

You can see the window vent section on the lower right.

[Matt in SD]

That looks great Matt.  Where'd you get those benches?  And what are the dimensions of the benches.

Thanks,

Matt

[MattyB]

And lastly, a view looking back out the front door.  Once again I need to thank Dean for the materials.  Paul (Pohonkelapa) and Bob (Groverpalms) for helping me pick them up.  My parents and my wife for helping to stretch and hold the polyfilm while I stapled the retainer boards on.  I needed every hand I could get.  Now I have my temp guage sitting in there and I'll just watch to see how hot it gets.  I'm gonna try and see if the vent system will be efficient enough to allow me to keep the door closed in summer time but I doubt it.  I also need to run some power in from the garage and some water, but that's secondary.  For now I just have some finishing touches and then I can stock with plants.  Yippee!  I'm excited.  I wonder how long it will take for me to fill it up.  I want to use it to grow landscaping   stock for my next house.

[deezpalms]

Niiice Matty! Looks like ya did a killer job my friend! Very clean and I love those benches!!

[paulgila]

that looks great!i bet you've already got it filled up!

the benches worked out perfectly,too!

[SubTropicRay]

Nice conservatory Matt.  That word sounds more eloquent doesn't it?  Now you can buy the ultra tropicals that would be killed by the wrath of winter.

Ray

[redant]

 ERRRR, must build me one of these! Looks great Matt. Now one more item to put on my own honey do list.

[Stan]

Looks great.But your going to need a greenhouse fan. That will do more to cool on a hot day.It also prevents mold and stagnant air(spider mites love that stale air)prevents air from forming zones and sweating of the polyfilm.They are well worth the money.

[Dypsisdean]

Matt,

You are going to love that thing. Unreal job. Be sure to show us when it's all green inside.

You're missing one important item. A chair. You don't know how nice it is going to be in there in the dead of winter. High 70s and humid. You're going to want to hang out for a little while.

BTW---I'm pretty sure that shade cloth is 40% shade.

[MattyB]

Now you can buy the ultra tropicals that would be killed by the wrath of winter.

Ray, I don't think I'll be trying those ultra-tropicals because I won't be heating it.  I expect only a couple of degrees of extra warmth on those frosty winter mornings.

Looks great.But your going to need a greenhouse fan.

Thanks for the reminder Stan.  I have an ocillating fan I'm gonna salvage and mount to the wall in the upper corner.  I'll hook it to a timer to run in the afternoons.  Matt in SD, when does your fan run?  How long?

BTW---I'm pretty sure that shade cloth is 40% shade.

Cool.  I've found that the 75% shade cloth that Home Depot carries is nice for people but plants won't really acclimate under it.  It's just too much shade for any long term coverings of plants.  I hope that the added humidity will aid in keeping my seedlings from frying under a more intense light....ya know like in the tropics.  It just seems to me that it's better to get it as bright as possible without burning.

Thanks everyone. :cool: I feel so cool!

[DoomsDave]

Great greenhouse, Matty!

Hope the ole lady's cool with it.

Such a guy thing . . .. . (Maybe sneak in some orchids?)

Hmm, at the rate I'm going, might as well put my whole backyard under poly.

dave

[Matt in SD]

Hi Matt,

I posted while you were in the middle of the postings and I think you missed it...where did you get the benches?  What are the dimensions?

I try to run my fans when it's light out, but I probably only adjust them two or three times a year.  At night it's best to turn them off or else you won't even get that 2-3 degree boost from outside.  I think they have the waterproof 6-outlet timer at Lowe's.

Matt

[STEVE IN SO CAL]

Better start your next one...when that one's full you'll need more space. Kinda like the pioneers...when they got to California they went as far as the ocean, and could go no further...so they built piers.

Go buy yourself some cheapo office type trash cans and put the legs of your tables in them. Fill them with water and no snails or ants or mice...magic. I got mine at Big Lots...well done, matt

[Tad]

i salute you and your ultra swank digs sir!!!!

Better start on 2 more right now because once the crop of seeds comes off you will have to move them off because the new seed order will be here any day and by the time round three is done you will be bumping those up to 3 gallon size and they take up more room!!!!!

there is no end to it now!!!

[BigWaveDave]

Hey Matt, the greenhouse looks awsome.  Where did you get that automatic opener?

David

[SubTropicRay]

Matt,

All you need is to keep the nightime temp above 50F for the equatorial palms to survive (except mybe Manicaria).  During the day, it well get pretty toasty in there.  The trapped daytime heating will radiate back at night and warm it more than you realize.

Ray

[Surf Guy]

Wow Matt! The pix of your Greenhouse has everyone in a frenzy. I built one two years ago and it does good. It is not as fancy as yours though. Seedlings do really good in there. Are you planning on trying something that you can't grow here. I have a two dypsis florencei in mine for two years and they are doibg really good. I have read these won't survive in So Cal. That would be a question for your Uncle. Oh yeah, where did you get those benches.? I could use a couple of those.  MIke

[paulgila]

i bet it has cable & a beer fridge!

[Zac in NC]

(STEVE IN SO CAL @ Jul. 25 2006,18:07)

QUOTE

Better start your next one...when that one's full you'll need more space. Kinda like the pioneers...when they got to California they went as far as the ocean, and could go no further...so they built piers.

Go buy yourself some cheapo office type trash cans and put the legs of your tables in them. Fill them with water and no snails or ants or mice...magic. I got mine at Big Lots...well done, matt

Cool suggestion Steve. Never heard of doing that before, but it sounds great.  That is now filed away in the back of the brain for future reference.

Zac

[MattyB]

Thanks all for your encouragement and enthusiasm.  

Matt, the benches are 2' x 8' x 3'tall.  The legs are just schedule 80, 3" diameter ABS sewer pipe.  I'll have to defer to Dean on where he originally got them.  I wonder if they come with the legs or did he cut them himself?

Dave, I ordered the vent openers online.  I forget which place.  I just searched for them and did some quick shopping and choose some middle of the road ones.  They were about $50.00 each.  There's only a few places that carry them and they are all about the same price for the same models.

Mike, I probably won't be trying anything that's a proven "no go" here in my area.  Ya know, like coconuts or bottles or Carpoxylon....well maybe I'll try a Carpoxylon.   I will try those new things that are unknowns and among them I'm sure that some of them will be "no go's".  Trial and error.

Steve, that is a good idea.  Thanks.

[Dypsisdean]

Matt in SD,

Can't remember where I got the benches. There is a name stamped on the bottom (or top). Maybe Matty can get it and then google it. I got the lead from Jungle Music, he has some. Legs came with.

[MattyB]

The benches have stamped on them: SPC pat pend

1-800-523-6899.  I don't know if SPC is the company name or if it's just part of the patent pending stuff.  Maybe the number will be a lead.

[Kris]

Dear MattyB,

I love your greenhouse man,every inch of space has been fully utilised and the pictures are very illustrative & clear for others to follow-suit. Nice work !  

those tables with proper drain system is lovely,i wish to suggest you install a power ventilation fan which can be fitted by making a hole of just 7 to 8 inches on the side.this fan assembly should be of plastic and the rotation controlled either way.i.e air flow into the green house or air flowing out of that green house,this product we here in india use in our toilets which do not have proper ventilation,when i get details of this site i will inform you.

this product is very common in all sanitary stores which specilizes in ventilation. you will understand what i say only after seeing that product.Based on the inner temperature of your green house you can change the air flow.this will helps to close your top roof lid during frost and severe rains.and while using pestisides the stink will be removed from the area quickly.

Rest of you work is terrefic.

One family one tree..

[jam99]

Yes, those benches are neat. Here's a link to the manufacturer/seller: Benchmaster

Matt, well done! You're on the right path.

Steve, that's a 20 dollar tip with those cans. Keeps away slugs and increases humidity.

Cheers, Jan

[Kamipalms]

Looks gggrrrrreat Matty, I was going to suggest those vent openers but you've already got them...great idea.

Steve's suggestion with the cans full of water is a good one with the added bonus of increasing humidity as the water evaporates with summer heat.....

My greenhouse is very simmilar with half of one side opening ,the whole roof opens like a gull wing plus a shade cloth entry door all for ventilation but this is the problem I found mid summer....

so I installed an evaporative AC to help combat the summer heat.....works a treat

Jason.

[Kamipalms]

Ooops...forgot this bit....

Heres my latest creation...

I call it the "hotbox" and it lives inside the shed.

In one side there is a heat mat for seed germination and so far this winter it hasn't dropped below 18C inside and humidity stays around 98%...untill my temp meter packed it in due to the humidity  

Here's my 2 poor Carpoxy's inside...

Jason.

[Dave Butler]

Here is one for you

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=93358

[STEVE IN SO CAL]

(Dave Butler @ Jul. 26 2006,09:32)

QUOTE

Here is one for you

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=93358

WOW...cheapo...might need to get one of those

[Kris]

hai Kami Palms,

your green house appears to  be fully loaded and appears like laboratory to carry out scientific research on plants_Way to go pal !

i have seen such structures in some german sites way back.those guys there are also plants fenatics.they love to excell in things they create or lay their hands on.In your work i see the pains you have taken_GOOD WORK.

And now to Dave Butler,your link on greenhouse structures and ventilation fans was really worth while.and i also insist other members to go and have a look at it.but green house will be of no use to me since iam from the tropics(S.India).

one family one tree..

[MattyB]

Dang, that Harbor Freight greenhouse is cheap!

Kris and Jay, thanks for some more good ideas.  I'll try and put them to use.

I did some finishing touches last night.  Here's the shade cloth installed on the south side for the low angle winter sun.  The door, which will be closed, has it too.

[MattyB]

I also put shade cloth under my roof vent so it can operate and not let direct sun in.  I used up every inch of shade cloth.  I actually could have used about 2 more inches.

[MattyB]

Here's a pretty lame picture, but it's some weather striping for the door.  This will keep the winter air from seeping through the 1/4" to 1/2" gap between the door and frame.

[MattyB]

And, this is my plant stock.  Pretty sad, I know.  I now have 4 times the space I previously had under my old shade cloth area (which was full).  Gotta get more plants now!