sandy0225

They have those high-low thermometers at farmtek.com and lots of other goodies too.
Go to menards and get some anchors that you drive down into the ground to hold that sucker down. If the frame is heavy duty enough to stand wind when tied down and not break. When I started out, I had a little tent thing like that and I put strapping over the top of it and drove anchors on each side. It eventually did blow away anyway though, but at least it waited until summer when I didn't really need it anyway. We get too much wind here, everything has to be pretty much hurricane rated. I couldn't get anything to stay over my veggie stand until I finally bought a metal carport, heavy duty and anchored it down to the ground with those anchors. We routinely get 45-50 mph winds from oct-june. Also cement blocks on those "skirts" of plastic will help, but the wind will rub holes in your plastic, so wrap them in old blankets, towels, or t-shirts first so that they're not so abrasive. I found a picture of it on webshots, I used this little sucker for a couple of years when I ran out of space, until the zipper quit working in the door. It was tight quarters when a customer wanted in there with me though!

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Sandy Burrell



Northern Tropics Greenhouse
1501 East Fuson Road
Muncie, IN 47302
www.northerntropics.com


specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~
check out our new online store at our website!

Bob

So far there's been no trouble at all from wind. If anything you're right sandy the frame would break before it blows away. The blocks on the "skirts are just to keep wind out a bit. I discovered yesterday that during torrential rain that the seam on top leaks a bit no big deal though. not even going to bother with patching. I did end up buying a remote Hi/lo thermometer from Home Depot though. I set the remote sensor on a post close to the ground. During the day this can be up to 20* difference from the thermometer on the ceiling but that's to be expected. It's nice to be able to read it from the house in the middle of the night. Its not the best GH but if I get a couple of years out of it I'd be satisfied. I now have all palms a few basjoo and sikkimensis in pots and some cardoon seedlings along with a perenial herb pot in there and all are happy.

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Chironex

I took mine down last weekend, just before we had massive winds. The gusts had to have been over 50 mph. Glad I had taken it down or I would have been up all night keeping an eye on it. If my landlord would have let me put it on the grass, I could have staked it down fine, but it had to me on the concrete. She didn't want any dead spots in the yard from my containers. I can see her point.
It did its job though, getting my bananas through the winter. So I am happy about that. The one that was broken off by the sides flapping in the wind was my K'auala'u, not the Musella as previously thought. Major bummer!!!

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Scot

LilRaverBoi

I've been looking into long-term ideas for greenhouses I want to own in the future. It seems that if I want anything tall enough for banana cultivation that I'll need to delve into the commercial-grade options. Otherwise, the smaller-more recreational versions are all under 8 feet tall or so. And that's just not gonna work. I'm sure once I get my own place that I'll start off with something smaller, but hopefully I can eventually afford to get something tall enough to support my banana addiction! What I really want will cost about $20k....OUCH! Might not ever achieve that, though...LOL and I feel a bit insane for even looking at those models. Guess it's alright to dream big, though, right? Too bad money doesn't grow on banana trees, huh?

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BANANA RAVE!
Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

Bob

Bryan, I haven't posted it yet but search Charleys Greenhouses. They sell all sizes of clips that can go on the lightest to heaviest plastic or metal pipe that secure plastic sheeting. The tallest commercial greenhouses are way over my head financially but , I think something could be designed with these that was especially tall for at least some "dwarf" bananas. At least it would not cost thousands. The heating bill is another story.
I will try and put up some pics this weekend of how I'm using them.

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LilRaverBoi

Yeah, isn't that the truth!

__________________
BANANA RAVE!
Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!