ThisOldCabin
Enjoys Recycling
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- Feb 23, 2011
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I really enjoyed reading the post,liz stevens posted about the hoop greenhouses.Ours is still a work in progress but it does work right now for starting early seeds for the veg garden and flowers for the yard.This is the third year we have used it.We made the mistake of using plastic from the hardware store and it only lasted about six months.It worked well while it lasted but it rotted away and fell apart too fast.We bought greenhouse film this year.It is only 3 mil but seems fairly strong.We were able to get a roll,21 feet by 110 feet for $118 shipping and all.It will cover ours 4 times single layed or 2 times if we double it.We used 20 foot pvc pipe for our hoops and just drove re-bar posts in the ground and stuck the pipe over them.We built a frame for the re-cycled door and used deck screws to fasten it to the front.We used that to figure out how tall we could place our pvc pipe.It measures 16 feet across at the bottom of the front and 13 feet down the sides at the bottom.After we put the plastic on we pulled it down at the bottom of the sides and used deck screws to fasten a 1x4 at each pvc pipe.We also fastened the top of the back to the gutter that was on the building.If the building had been taller we could have just screwed it to the wall.I can open the windows inside the building and let the greenhouse heat that if I need t
urs gets too hot to really use for most things in the heat of summer.We usually just move the plants we started to the garden before then.I will probably add a shade cloth this year and see if I can keep it cooler longer into summer.It was really easy to build and not too bad expensive.We have it facing south and attached to the front of a small out building.That blocks the north wind off it and really helps it be quite stable.Because the hoops are taller than the building,I have room to open the top at the back and place a fan up there for ventilation.I use a water bed heater to bottom heat flats to help start seeds.I also use glass panes to cover the flats to help hold in heat.I have large black plastic tubs I can filll with water that holds heat pretty good too.We get the tubs free from neighbors that raise cattle.They buy the tubs with supplements in them to keep out for the cows.When they run out they buy a new one.We have asked a few and they always save us some.I used a few to make the shelves that run down each side of the green house.I have room for another run of shelves down the middle.I put down weed barrier fabric to keep weeds and grass from growing under my shelves.The most we spent was for the plastic and it should last several years.Everything else we used we either already had or got for free for the asking.I hope to be able to add more fans,auto vents and a heater at some point so I can use it more year round.I hope some of this helps anybody thats thinking of building one.It is a lot of work to keep one going but I think its well worth it as I enjoy it so much.
urs gets too hot to really use for most things in the heat of summer.We usually just move the plants we started to the garden before then.I will probably add a shade cloth this year and see if I can keep it cooler longer into summer.It was really easy to build and not too bad expensive.We have it facing south and attached to the front of a small out building.That blocks the north wind off it and really helps it be quite stable.Because the hoops are taller than the building,I have room to open the top at the back and place a fan up there for ventilation.I use a water bed heater to bottom heat flats to help start seeds.I also use glass panes to cover the flats to help hold in heat.I have large black plastic tubs I can filll with water that holds heat pretty good too.We get the tubs free from neighbors that raise cattle.They buy the tubs with supplements in them to keep out for the cows.When they run out they buy a new one.We have asked a few and they always save us some.I used a few to make the shelves that run down each side of the green house.I have room for another run of shelves down the middle.I put down weed barrier fabric to keep weeds and grass from growing under my shelves.The most we spent was for the plastic and it should last several years.Everything else we used we either already had or got for free for the asking.I hope to be able to add more fans,auto vents and a heater at some point so I can use it more year round.I hope some of this helps anybody thats thinking of building one.It is a lot of work to keep one going but I think its well worth it as I enjoy it so much.
