OT: anyone have a greenhouse?

[Karin Kirk]

Sorry for the way OT post, but I am wondering if anyone in forum-land has experience with a home greenhouse. I am about to pull the trigger on a Riga greenhouse kit. We are very excited for the possibilities, but no doubt there will be lots of surprises that we don't know about. If anyone has suggestions, we'd appreciate it!

thanks!

http://www.igcusa.com/Hobby/Riga/Riga4-guaranteed-425.jpg

[DarrenCT]

hmm

sounds like a good idea. i think they are very cool. martha stewart has an enormous green house that i see when i ride in bedford

its pretty sweet.

you should pull the trigger and get it.

[Ozz]

My Dad has a pretty high end one...not sure of the brand. It has some cool vents that automatically open/close based on temperature...they have fluid filled pistons that expand/contract for the mechanism.

He also set up a watering system using self-coiling hoses...

Other than that....I don't know much.

Have fun.

[Tom]

How do you plan to heat it?

My parents have one on the south side of the house up in Vermont, my dad added it back when I was a wee lad before my school years, so I have no idea who made it. Basically, an aluminum frame with single strength glass and vent windows along the top. He ended up adding extra stiles on the frame with plexiglass panes inside of the glass panes because even with a hot water heating element running along under the shelf it got quite cold in there when the temp dropped below zero.

They start the vegetables in there in the spring, but you ought to see the orchids my mom grows in there. Yow.

[Too Tall]

Yes :) I grew up with my bedroom window that opened into our family greenhouse..woo wooo. It was heaven to have gardenias, hybiscus wafting in. We raised several types of cool loving orchids and had many many shelves of succulents on glass shelves to block direct light. Give lots of thought to orientation and using some sort of thermal "sink" to hold and release heat / cool the old fashion way. The green houses can have many micro climates from direct sun shelves to moist humid under the bench environments. You will use them all. If you place the unit on a foundation / slab consider leaving a space to plant something neat directly in the ground..a vine or something intersting.

[Karin Kirk]

Right, TT, I am on the same wavelength.
The plan is to have an aisle down the middle and mini raised beds on either side so I can grow some things right in the ground (like tomatoes). One side will have shelving and one side won't, so I can grow tall stuff on that side (like tomatoes).
I have read about heating it using thermal mass like barrels of water painted black. That makes sense to me, although I have no idea how cold it will get in there when it's sub-zero outside.

I think summer cooling will be every bit as challenging as winter heating, but I do not intend to use electricity to heat or cool. That sort of defeats the purpose for me. I have found solar-power vents and fans that seem like a neat idea.

[dave thompson]

Karin:

I'll take a crate of your best tomatoes with weekly delivery. :)

I've always wanted a hothouse and almost bought one when I moved to Spokane 11 years ago.

[Louis]

Karin,

Have you spoken to any other serious gardeners up there who have a greenhouse? I'd guess that the biggest challenge for you will be the huge range of temperatures you get (especially on the cold end).

Without additional heating (read lots of electricity) I would think that the real benefit of the greenhouse will be to allow you to have a longer growing season at both ends, not to continue throughout the year. If that is true, I'd want to know going in how much additional time I would be gaining to help me figure out if it's worth it.

Sounds like a fun project. Good luck.

Louis

[sspielman]

Karin,

Have you spoken to any other serious gardeners up there who have a greenhouse? I'd guess that the biggest challenge for you will be the huge range of temperatures you get (especially on the cold end).

Without additional heating (read lots of electricity) I would think that the real benefit of the greenhouse will be to allow you to have a longer growing season at both ends, not to continue throughout the year. If that is true, I'd want to know going in how much additional time I would be gaining to help me figure out if it's worth it.

Sounds like a fun project. Good luck.

Louis



+1

It's a real management issue down here in the middle latitudes...forget about in that extreme environment. Even here, some kind of emergency heat is essential for the nights/cold periods that would otherwise frostbite the contents. It doesn't take long to lose everything. Your instincts are also right about things warming up in the spring. By the time the danger of frost has passed down here, it is mid april....and the sun has the same power as mid August!...so it is pretty easy to cook things as well.

[J.Greene]

I have one attached to my barn. You'll want the biggest one you can afford/build etc.

My roommate one semester in college had growing indoors down to a science. His bedroom was one big growlight. I eventually told him he was paying the whole electric bill. I moved out thinking that a felony on my record would not help me find a job after graduation. And I didn't consume the type of crop he planted.

JG

Sorry for the way OT post, but I am wondering if anyone in forum-land has experience with a home greenhouse. I am about to pull the trigger on a Riga greenhouse kit. We are very excited for the possibilities, but no doubt there will be lots of surprises that we don't know about. If anyone has suggestions, we'd appreciate it!

thanks!

http://www.igcusa.com/Hobby/Riga/Riga4-guaranteed-425.jpg

[Avispa]

Karin,

I have friends that grow orchids commercially in western Washington state. They have a lot of experience with green houses, etc. I'd be glad t put you in touch with them...

..A..

[Karin Kirk]

Without additional heating (read lots of electricity) I would think that the real benefit of the greenhouse will be to allow you to have a longer growing season at both ends, not to continue throughout the year. If that is true, I'd want to know going in how much additional time I would be gaining to help me figure out if it's worth it.



Yep, this is exactly what I'm thinking. I have no plans to grow anything in Jan-Feb because I imagine that it won't be possible to keep the place from freezing solid. However, our summer growing season is short and not very productive for certain vegetables because it goes from too cold to too hot in a matter of a few weeks. I am thinking I can stretch the productive time of year to be quite a bit longer than it would be otherwise.

For example, I think I can grow spinach, lettuce and other cool weather crops in March-May and again in Sept-Nov. For tomatoes, I think I can start them in April or May, rather than June, and give them the warmer nighttime temps that they lack here.

That's good advice to find other local gardeners here. I don't know anyone who has a personal greenhouse, although I used to work in a commercial greenhouse. But that was heated and cooled, which is a whole different story.

[93legendti]

I keep thinking of the greenhouse scene from "Hand That Rocks the Cradle"...

[neverraced]

That's it? In the picture? In the ad with the "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed" fake sticker in the corner? Run away from it. Run very fast and don't stop running until you find someone who owns a real greenhouse and can give you good advice.

[Karin Kirk]

Yes, that's it, but I think it's a lot less cheesy than it looks in that photo, which I agree does not instill confidence. It has the thickest walls of any of the kits and appears to be well designed, and this brand rates high with the garden forums that I read. It has a 15 year warranty. However, what do I really know? That's why I'm asking around! :)

Here is a less-cheesy photo:
http://www.exaco.com/Images/RIGA_Greenhouse/RIGAIIIinsidecolorful_LG.jpg

[Dekonick]

I have friends in Hoeilaart that grow grapes in traditional glass greenhouses. To help with residual heat, they used clay pipes burried under the ground and had a simple coal furnace that worked quite well. To control light, they used to splash whitewash on the glass and manually open the vents. It was a fairly labor intensive operation. Most of the growers are no longer in the business - unfortunately.

A co-worker has a small setup like you showed - he uses it only to grow flowers and get a head start on the neighbors...

I suppose in Montana, this would almost be essential to have produce for the late fall,winter, and early spring. Good luck!

Side note - the clay pipe thingie really works! I am sure you can find simple similar solutions that are more energy effecient -

:beer:

[Dekonick]

I'll bet you could grow killer hops for homebrewing ....

[Smiley]

Hey Karin, My frat brothers grew pleny of hooch in their closets using Black Lights. Is that the same thing? Also please put me on that Tomato list that Dave Thompson's on too. Will you take cash or credit :)

[Frankwurst]

Karin,
The greenhouse environment is a tough one to handle. Given where you live it's not only about temps but daylight. Short days play a huge roll in crop development as do long days. I would say the biggest problem you face is trying to decide what you want to grow, when you want to grow it and how many hours of sunlight do you have at any given period of time. Heating is an issue but if your looking at this as a hobby/learning experience it's easy to research and figure out where you want to go with it. It involves knowing alot about plants,lighting and tempratures. The clouds and sun can be your worst enemies or your best friends. I would say go cheap and figure out things over time (they do take time)and if you get into it buy better. Kinda like cycling. This is one of the few things I do know about as I do it for a living. :beer:
Frank

[Karin Kirk]

excellent info Frank! Follow-up sent in PM! :)