Greenhouses?

[kate23]

Does anyone on here have a greenhouse? Have you got any pictures? I plan on getting a greenhouse at some point, my parents always meant to have one and then when I got really into gardening I wanted to get one to protect tropical plants on cold days but I still haven't managed it yet!

Seeing as I plan on getting many tropical/subtropical fruiting trees/shrubs/vines, I really want to get one soon and am trying to figure out what size I want it to be and what materials I want it to be made from, etc. I might even just get some pop up ones for the time being so they can be put up and taken down when necessary. Being in Florida, we don't get many freezes.

 

[Jed]

I have a plastic tunnel/hot house that I built 20 odd years ago. It's 66 foot long and about 10 feet wide.I used 1/2" steel rod inside 1"poly pipe for the hoops but if I was to rebuild, I would use 2" irrigation poly pipe without the rod inside as that would be strong enough for most conditions.You cut the 2"poly into lengths, depending on the height you want and width of the tunnel.On either side of the tunnel you would knock in short star pickets with 2 foot above the ground and place each end of the length of poly over the protruding pickets to form the hoop.You space each hoop about 6 feet apart. An 18 foot tunnel would have 4 of these hoops. The hoops are joined with lengths of fencing wire threaded through holes that are drilled through the poly. One wire is at the top of the hoops and the others down the sides. I built wooden frames for the ends which have a door in each. The whole thing is covered with hothouse plastic and a covering of peach coloured shade cloth stitched together with electric fencing twine. The shade cloth runs across the tunnel. The hot house plastic has lasted the distance because of the shade cloth which stops the plastic breaking down by UV light. We had intended to pull back the shade cloth in winter but found there was no need to.
The height of the tunnel is only 6 foot so we have only a dwarfed lemon tree in it.We grow an assortment of vegetables, herbs, a grapevine and a lemon verbena bush.Unfortunately I have no photo on the computer to share with you. I hope this was of some help.

 

[lovinglife]

My sweet hubby built me one out of mostly recycled materials, it is a "GREEN" green house.

 

[lovinglife]

Wow! didn't expect double posting!

 

[jubbly]

I have limited space so I am looking at getting a small greenhouse that goes against a wall. Something just say 4 feet by 2ft by 4ft would do the job. It is to start my tomatoes and strawberries. But does anyone have any experience with these small greenhouses?

I have seen plastic ones but I imagine they are fragile in the wind.

 

[Jed]

I have limited space so I am looking at getting a small greenhouse that goes against a wall. Something just say 4 feet by 2ft by 4ft would do the job. It is to start my tomatoes and strawberries. But does anyone have any experience with these small greenhouses?

I have seen plastic ones but I imagine they are fragile in the wind.

Tunnels handle the wind fine. I use to build small hot houses and sold a couple. You buy 4 pieces of pine, treated if you prefer the durability, of size 100mm x 50mm x 2.4 metes in length or the next size down. Cut one in half and make a square base with the edges upward. Drill 5x 8mm holes on either side of the long sides, 10 in all.Buy some 6mm steel rod, it comes in 6 metre lengths and cut in half making 3 metres. Hoop them over from one side to the other on the frame. Then cover with plastic using beading nailed to the sides to hold it in place. The ends of the 3 metre plastic hangs over the ends of the frame and you tie it off. Hope that description helps you out. You can alter the size of the frame to what you need. I found it a good size and it could be lifted off the plants by tipping sideways.

 

[jubbly]

That sounds ideal actually. I hadn't thought of doing tunnels but they might be just what I am looking for.

 

[taskeinc]

My sweet hubby built me one out of mostly recycled materials, it is a "GREEN" green house.

That is a nice looking Green House your hubby put together. Is it finished? If so, have you filled it up with plants yet? I'd love to see the finished product. I'm about to purchase a plastic, portable green house (pictured below).

If I were as gifted as your husband I'd try to put one together but believe me, mine would look nothing like what your better half put together.

 

[lovinglife]

Thank you! It was funny, he started with the corner posts and pretty much designed it as he went, I am lucky it turned out so good. It was not finished in this photo, and now that winter is almost here, it has become a nice storage shed. In the spring I will fill it up with plants, I just love it in the spring. You will love having a greenhouse, and I wouldn't mind one like you are getting as a second greenhouse, yes they are that awesome!

 

[ChanellG]

I have been trying to come up with a temporary greenhouse solution for winter to protect my plants since I can't really bring them indoors when temperatures start dripping. Wind and freezing temperatures are usually only an issue overnight, and there aren't that many days of that kind of cold, but when it does happen, you never know how long it will stick around.

It gets so hot in summer I would have to either have a mesh-only growing house (protection from birds and bugs) or something I could completely dismantle. Of course hurricane season presents other potential problems...

 

[Jed]

I have been trying to come up with a temporary greenhouse solution for winter to protect my plants since I can't really bring them indoors when temperatures start dripping. Wind and freezing temperatures are usually only an issue overnight, and there aren't that many days of that kind of cold, but when it does happen, you never know how long it will stick around.

It gets so hot in summer I would have to either have a mesh-only growing house (protection from birds and bugs) or something I could completely dismantle. Of course hurricane season presents other potential problems...

I guess it depends on a few tings to find a solution. Are your plants in the ground? What are they and how big are they? Are there any structures near by to attach a sheet of plastic too? Do you have access to bales of straw?

 

[ChanellG]

I guess it depends on a few tings to find a solution. Are your plants in the ground? What are they and how big are they? Are there any structures near by to attach a sheet of plastic too? Do you have access to bales of straw?

My plants are all in pots. I have a little deck porch outside my door and I usually push them all together and cover them with plastic during the winter. The taller ones like my hibiscus I cover with cloth laundry bags. So far, so good, but I would like to create a simple structure that I could use year round.

Right now I have herbs, flowers, aloe, a blueberry bush, and a very young lemon tree outdoors. No structures, but was thinking of putting together a simple frame with 2 x 4s; no bales of straw, wouldn't know where to look for those, and would worry about the hay fever potential.

Don't really have a budget or yard space for the real deal, but want to explore my options for growing food during the colder months.

 

[taskeinc]

Thank you! It was funny, he started with the corner posts and pretty much designed it as he went, I am lucky it turned out so good. It was not finished in this photo, and now that winter is almost here, it has become a nice storage shed. In the spring I will fill it up with plants, I just love it in the spring. You will love having a greenhouse, and I wouldn't mind one like you are getting as a second greenhouse, yes they are that awesome!

A "storage shed" ??? You're going to lose your horticulture card .. LOL .. that's one of the main purposes of the greenhouse, to shelter the plants from the cold, especially a nice one like your husband built.. If that was my greenhouse, I'd already have it filled with plants, or at least half filled. And you might want to consider, the longer your hubby uses it as a storage shed, the harder it's going to be to get him to convert it back to it's actual purpose ..

Just teasing ..

 

[ChanellG]

Just found the coolest thing! Greenhouses made from plastic bottles! Talk about cheap materials!

Also found a how-to link to a greenhouse that supposedly you can build for about $50. Here's a pic:

 

[taskeinc]

Just found the coolest thing! Greenhouses made from plastic bottles! Talk about cheap materials!

Also found a how-to link to a greenhouse that supposedly you can build for about $50. Here's a pic:

The bottles are a novel idea, very unique, although it might look a little on the tacky side and not make your back yard, or side of the house look too good, but I suppose it would depend on how creative you are. The bottom picture of the $50 greenhouse looks OK.

I have greenhouse fever now and can't wait until mine arrives in the mail ... Amazon ..