Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I just did a quick count of Tomato plants
I have around 173 growing...out of maybe 180+ that I moved
Some are small & may not amount to much
Others are too close together & I need to move them

I just need to find places to move them to !!

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Summer squash are starting to grow
Cukes are a few inches long now
Peas are flowering
No tomatoes growing but look like they are about to flower
Peppers a long way off I think

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Send some here!!! I have no 'maters this year, and the squash & peppers is way behind. The green beans are only thing doing well.
The yearly grapes & raspberrys are doing great too.

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I picked some peas today...they never made it to the house
Shelled them & ate them outside
Also picked 2 cukes & they went with supper

No tomatoes yet, they are flowering....do not see any growing
No peppers yet either, not flowering yet
I had to transplant (3) Tomato plants as I'm building a support structure for a screenhouse for the back patio

We have been picking & eating red & black raspberries for a while now

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I am gonna try the passive solar route this year and see how they do. putting black plastic drums in the corners and filling them with water to release heat at night, also have a brick floor to absorb heat as well.

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

The cukes were labeled as 55 days to harvest
I just checked & that's ~100 days since the cucumber seeds were planted inside
And only 68 days since the 1st seedlings were moved to the greenhouse
And only about 36 days since they were planted in the garden

I've sent an E-mail off to Burpee & Ferry Morse asking them how they figure the harvest time

I want to get some growing in the greenhouse early next year

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

1st Tomato is on the vine - only about the size of a marble

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I received a response from Ferry Morse:

So 100 days from the time the seed was planted....instead of the 55 on the package
Next year I guess I will start earlier & move them to the greenhouse sooner

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Well...not really a greenhouse....but a green screenhouse
The poles to this broke
So I built a framework & setup the screenhouse over the new patio
There is a garden at each end, have to see how they do now that they will be partially shaded

The Patio



Building it



Done, need to adjust the material



Inside, I am adding rope light

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Getting a head start this year
I made storms for the door & the last panel on the West side
Still have one jalousie window on the south side without a storm window
Its a big window....so that will take some doing
I lost one roof panel due to ice this winter
My fault maybe as I was cleaning off the roof
Put one of my spare panels in & good to go
It did take a while for the snow that fell in to melt

Today is the 1st day the GH has topped 70
I already have peas & cuke seedlings growing
Tomatoes & everything else are in the sunroom
I'll be planting more in the GH shortly
Getting a head start this year!!

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I also turned over soil & added some peat moss
I'll add some ashes from the fire too
I need to do the same for the garden in front of the greenhouse
Plan is to build some cold frames in that garden w/more sliding glass doors

I put down some pavers as a walkway in the middle
Wife will like that as it will keep my feet clean
She kinda hates me tracking dirt in

Now I just need to build some shelving along the back of the greenhouse
My neighbor took apart his pool deck
So I have plenty of PT wood for a shelf or two

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

The peas in the greenhouse are growing
The cukes haven't really done much growing

I started building a compost bin today
Its 4'wx56" tall x 10' 6" long
Its up against a fence, so it will only have 2 sides+ fence
The 4th side will be open to the new garden area
So I'll be able to just shovel compost out

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Looks short in the pictures
The far short side will be open to the garden
I have enough wood to build another one
Just need to figure out where to put it
It will hold about 200 cu ft once its full

That little tree is being moved to the near side in the pic
I have another small tree I removed, they will be planted to cover "hide" the bin
They are Rose of sharons, I have more that I will plant along the sides to hide this
Its located behind the pool cabana, so its already out of sight
The chain link fence faces the stream

All the wood was free......

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Looks like it was still really good wood.

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Yeah, I put the good side facing out
That side was "under" the deck, facing down
The other side took a beating & they had stained the deck
I cut the ends off where the nails were
So that removed most of the "bad" wood
The wood could have been used for a deck if they were flipped over
But I don't need any more decks......

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Almost finished...then came up with another idea
I'm going to put lattice up on the side & grown veggies there too
The 2 Rose of Sharon's were in the area now enclosed by the bin
I'll be adding 2 more pieces ( I think) to this side
They will be removable to allow easy dumping of lawn debris/leaves etc over the top

I also have enough boards to build another one about 5' wide x 10.5' long by 4' tall
It will be located about 6-8' to the left of this one
It will also only have 2 sides, 3rd side will be the chain link fence that encloses the new garden
The 4th side will be open to the sloped ground of the pool cabana
This will allow me to level this area off as the compost bin fills up

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

It's less then 1/2 full with about a full years yard waste
Not counting grass clippings as that gets spread as mulch in the veggie gardens
I just have a little more to clear out of the gardens
The new veggie garden area is about 15'x30', not counting the compost bin & lattice growing area

That tall wall will soak up the sun & help heat up the compost pile

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Looks great- that's a big bin!

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

2nd bin finished, even bigger at 5' 8" wide x 56" tall x 10' 6" long
This one is about 9' to the left of the 1st one
Now I might as well remove that fence & gate
I'm going to move them to the front of the compost bins
Before the gate goes back up I need to move the 2nd 300g water storage out of the new garden area that you see behind the fence on the left

I also have my Jetski in the back corner that I need to move out

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

This is inside the new bin
The 1st bin will be for kitchen waste to compost
Since this one is closer to the pool area, & will be able to see into it from the hot tub; it will be for yard debris only

I left the cuts on one side "rough", then added a 2x6 trim on the outside
I still have enough PT wood to build shelves in the greenhouse

The shorter upright 2x's keep the top 2 boards on
Each bin the top 2 boards on the short front side can be removed


Inside the 1st bin
The 2x's you see on the far wall keep the top 2 boards on
That way I can remove the top 2 boards

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Man Dave, your going to have compost galore!

Makes my little wire compost bins look like nothing.:ha:

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Well my old compost boat fell apart
This is located at the back of the new garden area
The new bins are at the front of the new garden area
I filled it up in the spring of 2009 with horse poop - free
I spread a lot out into the garden last year
I'm going to spread the rest out this year then scrap the boat
I need to find someone getting rid of cow manure, usually they charge for that poop

If I see the horse poop advertised again I'll pick some up just to fill part of the bigger bin

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

great pics scubadave!!
im big on composting too..
do ya think this says something about our personalities? LOL :)
i have a great source on rabbit manure.. as soon as it
gets a bit drier here..i'll go get a truck load..
i water it down some then add to my compost pile..
the pile is mowed down leaves (last fall i got over 150 bags)
manure, straw.. cooks down nice and is super soil additive..
nanners love it too..
i also make rabbit manure tea.. last yr my nanners responded great to it
they got really big!!! :08:

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Thanks, prior to this my garden area was my compost pile
But it was getting too crowded in there
One bonus is that I can back the truck in between the 2 bins
Then shovel manure into either bin from the truck
I haven't seen an ad for manure horse locally yet
Cow manure they want $$ for...$5 50 lb bag

Actually worked cleaning out a house where we took 88 bags of leaves
I didn't have any place to put them, so they went over an embankment at the boss' house

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

And that store bought cow manure has lots of sand or soil in it too.

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Actually this stuff is straight from the farm
There are quite a few places around that sell it direct from the farm

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Yeah, your lucky then. The big box stores sell that stuff that has the sand mixed w/ feed lot manure. The fresher stuff is better for your compost piles anyway. It'll provide more heat for the leaves, etc..:bananas_b

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

The greenhouse hasn't been down close to freezing since March 4th
I'm pretty sure the only reason it was close to freezing then is due to the roof panel that broke around Feb 16th
Its actually has not been below freezing since Fen 24th
At that point there was still ice & snow in the greenhouse
I'm hoping next year it will be sometime in Jan as the last date it dips below freezing

In the greenhouse: Peas are growing, cukes have not done much
The ones I left in the sunroom are doing much better

Expecting to move more out to the greenhouse this weekend
It's been about a week since it dipped below 40

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

We finally have some warm weather that has moved in
The greenhouse is going up to 75-80 most days
But still dipping down to low 40's at nite
I still need to seal the front door better
And seal the roof panels to the framing with something that will still allow the roof panels to slide open in the summer

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Its been a while since I have been on, busy year
I'm starting to check the temp of the greenhouse now that its been colder
So far it has not dipped below 40, still need to seal it better
I built a shelf along the back wall...that's about it
I was still getting some Tomatoes out of the GH in October

I've been working on setting up my Christmas display for about a week now
Finishing most of it up today, then all the lights go on Dec 1st

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I've started my seedlings for this year
I'm using a small 52" tall greenhouse in my sunroom to start the seeds
I put a 50w bulb at the bottom for heat on a timer
It's working better then I had hoped, everything is sprouting !
Maybe too good, Reg greenhouse is going up close to 70 already, but still dipping down near freezing
So the 1st batch of seedlings might be a little too early, but I've started slow - just some seeds out of different packs

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

way to go scuba dave!! :) im anxious too.. still to
early to start tomatoes.. end of march for me..
i did buy 3 new "higher end" fluorescent fixtures.. T8 bulbs..
i have set up done.. its a fun time of yr isnt it.. :)

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Yeah I decided to start slow this year, just get some seedlings started
Usually the peppers germinate a lot slower then everything else
Even they are coming up already !
Of course now we have a Winter storm that has moved in
I'm not sure when I will plant the next batch of seeds

My little greenhouse is in a corner of the sunroom
So it gets the AM light from the East window, then sun until late afternoon from 2 South facing windows

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Great thread, i just finished reading through it all. I'm envious of the outside greenhouse and the solar heaters. How exactly do those work i'm not familiar?

With the lenght of the compost bins, how will you get in there to turn the piles over?

I have to little indoor greenhouses like the one you posted up. I'll have to find a photo, i recently installed a new 4 light 4' flourescent setup in there for sprouting seeds.

-Luke

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

The solar heaters just have water pumped thru them. The ones for the pool are black PVC & soak up the sun
The ones for the hot tub are Alum & work the same way
You buy a pump that puts a certain gallons per minute thru the pipe
That maximizes the amount of heat transfer

I won't be turning over the compost bins, I'll just let the stuff compost & shovel it out in a few years. We had a large pile of grass near the back fence from the neighbor behind us. Their landscaping company would throw it over the fence -before I cleaned out the area. It was never turned & the stuff was black gold

I just use natural sunlight to start my seeds
There is a 50w bulb in there to keep it warmer partially thru the nite
This year I also used the big greenhouse to start seeds - 1st time
Much easier & more room to spread things out
Plus I planted seeds in single pots instead of a big tray -where I then had to thin out & transplant them to single pots
Saves me a step & LOTS of time

I did buy 4 large tomato plants from HD, moved them to really big pots
I'm going to leave then in the big greenhouse & see if I can get some early tomatoes
Its been 90+ the past 2 days in the greenhouse

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

So much for going slow, I planted almost all the rest of my seeds in the big greenhouse & I have a ton of seedlings now
I spent 2 hours out there thinning to single pots & transplanting bigger seedlings to bigger pots
Still more to transplant to bigger pots, I may run out
I have well over 100 tomato seedlings & many more to thin/separate to single pots
I have dozens of most of the rest: peppers, zucchini, cukes, summer squash

I've also started a bunch of perennial seeds in the sm indoor greenhouse
One from the neighbors: Cleome - Spider flower
Its supposed to be an annual, but they come back every year -much like my morning glories that I planted around the pool fence - much to the wife's chagrin
I've since weeded out the morning glories & moved them to a fence by the woods, where they continue to come back every year
Makes me wonder what else I can grow that is an annual but will come back every year - from prolific seeds

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

The big greenhouse hit 101.3 yesterday.....:eek:
I had just transplanted some tomato plants to single pots
I put them on an alum tray on the top shelf & filled the tray with water
The temp monitor is on the ground in a white PVC pipe

I figured the seedlings would be toast.....Nope !!
Everything in the greenhouse looks great
Its a cheapo monitor, could be off by a few degrees.....but still
I need to add an automatic vent at some point

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I added another 6' shelf & a 4' shelf in the greenhouse
I'm running out of room....I have 300+ tomato seedlings, way more then normal
I have cuke plants that are already flowering, as are the 5 big tomato plants from HD
So hopefully some early veggies this year
We've had 2 nites down near freezing, tonite will be the same
I've lost 2 of the 12 cuke seedlings I planted in the big garden
The 6 tomato seedlings I planted have been unaffected by the cold nites
With sunny days the big greenhouse is going up to 80+

I've ordered a bunch of perennial flower seeds & I'm starting those in the small greenhouse

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I plan on making my greenhouse out of this.....very cheap, strong and light and easy to take down in the spring

Shop Tuftex 96" Clear Corrugated Plastic Roof Panel at Lowes.com

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I used to have a greenhouse made out of that stuff. I believe they even sale the foam to insulate the ends.

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

1st cocktail tomato is the size of a marble -from store bought plant
That's pretty good considering its been cold & rainy for a week now
Next week we are expecting more rain, but we need it
I need to get some fertilizer into the bigger plants

The clear panels are nice, but why build something you need to take down every year ?

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

for everyone that lives south of Virgina. In new Orleans I would only need it up Jan and feb. Any greenhouse imo is ugly and prevents you from enjoying the stuff you have inside. I would also think you would fry stuff in there in July and Aug no matter how many vents/windows you have.

My greenhouse wont have to be taken totally apart panel, by panel but i think in 4 or 6 pieces.

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I'd hardly consider "any" greenhouse ugly
The main use for my greenhouse is germination & grow out
Then they are transplanted to other gardens
All the windows in my greenhouse are jalousie windows & they open
In addition all 3 roof panels can slide open & I leave the door open
I've yet to have anything fry in my greenhouse
Proper temp monitoring & adjustment will prevent that in most greenhouses

I just don't have the time to take things apart & put them back together every year
Nor would I want to even if I had the time

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Finally added a dual grow light over the small indoor greenhouse
Once it gets to May the angle of the sun changes & plants get less sun
So I've added the grow light until weather changes & I can plant stuff outdoors

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I'm actually going to use this stuff over the bar "roof" that extends off the pool cabana
I won't have to buy roof sheathing, tar paper or roofing shingles
Its going to save me about $400 & will be much faster, let light thru etc
I'm going with 12' panels, they are translucent - light blue color
Plus I won't have to paint the ceiling either...win win

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

We've had some rainy weather, still need to turn over part of the main garden
The small inside greenhouse is no longer in use
Once the sun gets higher in the sky the corner where I had it located does not get enough sun
I planted the rest of the flower seedlings from there out to the gardens

At least 3 of the 5 big tomato plants in the big greenhouse have tomatoes growing
And some of the cucumber plants have cukes growing, so far so good

Now the bad.....a woodchuck I thought I chased off last year has returned & is chewing on plants
So his days are numbered, I have 2 traps out so its only a matter of time
After that I'm going to continue trapping squirrels -they chewed up all of my pumpkins last year
I killed 3 squirrels last year, but still a few around

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

With starting the tomatoes in the greenhouse I'm getting some ripe ones a month ahead of time
I used to grow them in the greenhouse, then transplant them out in the bigger gardens
This year I bought 5 larger plants to grow in the greenhouse, and let some other tomato plants continue to grow in the greenhouse as well
I have cuke & tomato plants growing all over -all bearing, just a matter of time now
Last year it was around July 18th when I started to pick a lot of cukes

I'm still "behind" on the gardens - due to the ground hog -now dead
Yesterday I saw another ground hog, he seemed to be running thru the yard....especially after he saw me
Traps are still out, so if he gets caught he will join his friend - swimmin wid da fishes

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

Haven't been on in a while
I started some seeds early this year - 3 weeks ahead of last year
I added a 45w heat matt to the indoor greenhouse
Hoping to get some plants larger sooner, 33 Tomato plants, 8 pepper plants
I've turned the heat matt off for the next 3 weeks to let cooler weather force the tomato plant stems to thicken up
Last day of Feb has been the last day the large greenhouse dips below freezing in past years

I'm building a solar heater on the back of the house 6x8'
Plan is to use it to heat the hot tub & heat the greenhouse
Anything to get an earlier start

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

LOL, I'm sure it's more than a few more squirrels around.

What bait did you use in the traps?

Re: DIY greenhouse - $30 maybe
 

I actually did not wind up trapping any, found lead is a much better way to get rid of them :nanertank: