Does anyone have experience building a rebar/plastic greenhouse? We have had a smaller greenhouse for years and been able to start all our garden plants but would like to be able to grow greens,etc. thur the winter...think we might get really tired of beans and rice!! Sometimes you just need a salad. Any help would be appreciated. My teenage son says he is storing Pringles ...vacumn packed and better than nothing to go with his favorite salsa. Treats are important in a storage plan,too. As for trolls on this forum...my husband always says to ignore the ignorant...nuf said!!

-- Diana R. Smith (windance @train.missouri.prg), February 05, 1999

Answers

Diana,

I have built the greenhouse that this link will take you to. The total cost was around $220.00 and is very easy to build in about 4 hours. The link: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/bae/programs/extension/publicat/postharv/green /green.html

Mike

-- flierdude (mkessler0101@sprynet.com), February 05, 1999.

Diana, I have build one and given up on it because its flimsy. I have instead made framed of 2x2 and 2x4 and covered them with haevy duty plastic. it works well now for the second year in a row. I have build a small solar heater that is heating a water/clycol solution in pipes hardsoldered to a copper sheet and paited black. this sits next to it> I have bought on sale for 15 bucks a heater core frm a car and a small 12v pump and 2 small 6w/12v fans. This runs of a batterie that is charget with a cheap 12watt solarpanel. the system produces enugh heat to keep it from frezing even here in northern NY. In addition I have installed a piece of 4inch conduit between the basement and the greenhouse with a fan inside the basement. As long as there is heat in the house some of it will be blown into the greenhouse. Adequate insulation around the pipes and ducts is a must. If you want to build rebar go ahead but I had nothing but bad luck in the past.

rickjohn

-- rickjohn (rickjohn@yahoo.com), February 05, 1999.

We built one like this....haven't had the March Winds yet, and I suspect it might be flimsy....probably needs to be bungie corded.

We took 6 x 6's....they happened to be 14 feet long. Should use redwood but we treated some fir. Drilled 5/8 inch holes (or so) every two feet. Took some pieces of r bar and cut them about 18 inches. One piece of re bar in each hold. Then took grey plastic electrical pipe....($1.24 per length) They have a flange on one end that accepts a second pipe. We positined the two 6 x 6's about 12 feet apart. One end of the doubled pipe over each piece of re bar stuck into the 6 x6. Additional runs of grey pipe for the purloins. I used a curved needle and fishing line to sew the plastic cover for the ends....with a curtain like overlap for a door. then the 20 foot wide plastic over the top. Held down by bricks...(This is the part that I think needs to be tied.with bungee cords.)

We have had freezing temperatures outside the greenhouse, and it is about 34 inside. It would be better to have a heating system, I know.

The thing about this greenhouse is that it SLIDES.....when it is OK for the cool season crops to be outside, I can move the whole contraption forward and provide early summer heat for tomatoes and peppers.

I got the idea from Eliot Coleman's FourSeason Harvest....I think Amazon.com has it. His idea is to have the fall vegies all grown, and then they spend the winter (in Maine) in the greenhouse, and you can just go out and harvest as you need

Hope this helps. Greens are good

Mary P..

-- Mary P. (CAgdma@AOL.com), February 05, 1999.

Diana, Rickjohn is on the ball. Some source of heat is critical.

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), February 05, 1999.

I used schedule 80 instead of schedule 40 that the plan called for. This made all the difference in stregth.

Mike

-- flierdude (mkessler0101@sprynet.com), February 05, 1999.

Diana,

Sprouts are a great alternative way to provide fresh greens. Check your local natural foods store for seed.

BTW, don't bother ordering from Sherry's Storehouse. I waited 9 weeks for an order & now I'm told it'll be another six months! Can you say "cancel"!

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), February 06, 1999.

Diana-Building a greenhouse out of poly pipe is quite feasible-just make sure that you use a big enough diameter pipe. One inch or maybe even one and a quarter-depends on how much snow you get. The twenty foot lengths are good because you can bend them to make a 12-13 foot wide house with one piece. Joining lengths means using connectors which means another seam where the plastic film can rub and tear. Get the best UV treated plastic that you can-Northern Greenhouse Sales, Neche,ND(sorry I don't have the zip)has an awesome woven plastic,very reasonably priced. Strength is a priority to me esp if the systems are down and we can't just order up a replacement. Some people use rebar instead of plastic pipe in which case you would have to use tough plastic film. Hope this helps.

-- howie (dryfarmer@hotmail.com), February 06, 1999.

Diane; here's my 2 cents worth concerning building a green house. Should you sue PVC pipe, yes i would use at least 1" diameter SCH 80 for strengh and then get a bag of play sand and put the sand in the pipe. Why? so you can bend it easier and it will also store heat when needed. you will need to cap off the ends so the sand will not come out. Set up your green house in a good location(which you already know) and get a drip watering system and tie wrap it to the PVC pipe. Have the drip pipe come out of the greenhouse and set up on a pole with an attchment for a garden hose. This fitting will be the same as the fitting for a waterline to a ice maker.HD has these in their brass fitting section of the plumbing dept.Comes in a plastic bag # 800 something? I forgot already (I worked there) but it will help. And there are spray heads for the drip watering system so it can drip or like a irriagation system pop up and spray. Good luck... Furie...

-- Furie (furieart@dnet.net), February 07, 1999.

Diana : We built our green house last summer for about $700- Its 10"X16' ,greenhouse grade fiberglass over a 2''x4'' & 1''x4'' frame. I beefed it up a little over the basic plans due to our location, in Alaska. We've had more than normal snowfall this winter and its come through fine. We got the plans through the U. of ILLINOIS/extention service. Good Luck & Happy Gardening .... Dennis

-- Dennis Souza (souza@ptialaska.net), February 09, 1999.