So...dear husband is building me a greenhouse from scratch...

11 years ago

My wonderfully talented dh is a collector or sorts. He always accepts "stuff" whether he has something already planned for it or not. Quite some time ago, he worked for our local public school and they went through a HUGE renovation. He was at the right place at the right time to collect a lot of "good stuff". They took out all the large alum. windows and replaced them with newer higher tech/effic. windows. DH collected 30+ large alum. windows. They took down the heavy duty galvanized chainlink fencing. He got to collect that also. They tore down many buildings with r-panel siding, he collected the old stuff before they crunched it up, and when they told him they wanted to clean out the bus barn, he did. He was to discard some 3ft pieces of new white r-panel sheet metal that they cut off from the roofing of the bus barn. So he thought he'd build me a greenhouse with all the good stuff. Going by the materials we had and trying to be reasonable also, he is building me a 21'x14'1" greenhouse. Why that weird size? because mostly of the window measurements, that is how it came out... So he is using the galvanized pipe (he is a welder by trade) and bolting it together for future portability for the frame, coupled with these I don't' know what they are 3ft pieces that he said are like metal 2x6's that he welded together to make 21' and 14' long pieces for supporting windows. He is using the 3'white r panel for skirting under the windows and we are buying the clear Suntuf polycarbonate panels for the roof. I have a gazillion solid antique bricks (from the old auditorium) for the floor/pathways. A local garden guru radio talk guy's nursery people suggested we use tar paper instead of weed fabric for the floor and some sort of gravel or mulch to cover. All the windows open and have solar screens they go all the way around thee greenhouse. So I think I have ventilation covered...?

Can you experts look at my descriptions and advise on trouble spots or make any suggestions that would prevent future problems? I am a gardener from way back but new to greenhouse gardening. I have hopes of using it for any silly thing I might think up. I love flowers, starting cuttings of roses, starting seeds. I am a heavy duty veggie gardener, and have a small farmette with my own milk cows/chickens (goats and pigs are gone) I am also considering vermaculture and rabbits to of course go hand in hand and add to my organic gardening/greenhouse.
PS he also "collected" a several hundred foot "board walk -decking" from the portable classrooms that the school used temporarily while the school was being rebuilt. It is all pressure treated, mostly short-ish pieces, but plans to build my greenhouse shelving and benches from these...Thanks for your suggestions and comments.
Lesli

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Cherie Vickers

7 years ago

Completely love this!!

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Comments (55)

Kattsgardening
11 years ago
Would love to see some pictures!!
lesli8
Original Author
11 years ago
Well dh has the walls all built and the trusses, and there it sits, waiting for muscles (my sons') and time to work on it and get it all together. He has each wall built and lays them on the ground. He did get my sons who were here yesterday to help move one of the longer walls back to the super huge metal table so he could install the door frame. He has not done that yet, today he had to run to his mom's place to remove a shed roof so the well people could pull the well and fix what ever is wrong with it, tomorrow he has to go to my mother's and do drywall in a newly built on room. It is nice to have a husband that can do so much, but aggravating that he has to do it all for others first. ;) So when the walls start going up, I will try to add photos! Thanks for all of your comments. We do have vents for the gables, but they are not powered. I may have to work on that particular idea. I plan to use the Suntuf clear polycarbonate roofing panels, but I had thought of alternating with solid sheet metal on every other one on the south side (long side) to give extra shade. And I have looked into the shade paint stuff. I guess I will have to experiment with different things. Those are the tips I need!! love the bug killer tip too thanks! More tips please! I do have tons of old bricks, so I may be doing that esp. the paths and walk ways in the greenhouse and gravel under the plant shelves/benches.
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rayinpenn
11 years ago
You are killing with curiosity can you please post some pictures!
karin_mt
11 years ago
Very cool project! In Texas, you will definitely need shade cloth plus as much ventilation as you can possibly get: windows that open, doors that can be propped open, plus roof vents. And then on top of that some sort of misting system or swamp cooler.

There are roof vents that open automatically as the temperature rises but they do not use electricity. I can't recall the name but they are easy to find via Google or browsing greenhouse supply stores like Charlie's.

The old bricks will be perfect for walkways and edging - I love that idea. Under the bricks you can use regular weed blocking fabric - no tar paper please (what does tar leachate do to plants?)

What a great project - thanks for sharing! Do keep us posted!
lesli8
Original Author
11 years ago
oops deleted duplicate message, but have to type something...

This post was edited by lesli8 on Mon, Mar 18, 13 at 0:46
lesli8
Original Author
11 years ago
I do have a mist/fogging system already, we used to use it for our hog operation, now no more piggies so they will be perfect for my greenhouse, already had that in the plans. Well, the folks who suggested the tar paper instead of weed block are actually running one of the most successful organic nurseries in San Antonio, TX. Said since it is heavier it does not move around as much and keeps the product (sand, gravel/bricks) or what ever from sliding around as much, and as we have Bermuda grass (the bane of my existence, unstoppable, evil, most awful grass to keep out of gardens, and flower beds, large flower pots, etc and yes it will grow through the weed fabric!) that we will be trying to keep out I guess they thought I would be more successful with it instead. And they say it will last a lot longer. Also the soil in my yard is probably more than 4ft deep of a fine sandy loam, heavy on the sandy. DRAINS SUPER WELL. My dh and I have had the same discussion wondering about the tar paper and drainage, but something tells me it wouldn't be quite the issue here as it would be in other types of soil. Dh has suggested putting in a drain in the middle (or created low spot into a drain pipe-- piped under and away from the greenhouse.) Esp. if we do the gravel under like was suggested above with the weed fabric. I imagine that we will probably use the weed fabric instead. But I would sure hate to have to fight the grass for ever and ever...

;) sorry, Ray, I will try to take a few photos of what we have already, just looks so boring laying on the ground...LOL!!
jannz77
11 years ago
Hi lesli8 --

Very interested in your greenhouse project -- so cool that you're able to reuse all those materials... and lucky you to have such a skilled - and willing - handyman husband!

I also live in TX and will be building a greenhouse as part of our new house design. I'll create a separate post with my questions so as to NOT hijack this post. Just wanted to thank you for checking into that 'tar paper' for the floor issue. We also have sandy loam soil and I think it sounds like a good idea.
lesli8
Original Author
11 years ago
The greenhouse is going up!! I am so excited!! I have posted some of the long awaited photos on my blog.

Here is a link that might be useful:
lesli8
Original Author
11 years ago
Here is a photo. I have ended up using the Suntuf brand of polycarbonate roofing panels. I decided to get the grey transparent version for the south side, and will put clear on the North side of the roof. We still need to install 3 windows and the flooring. But I am so happy I am beside myself!!

Lesli
lesli8
Original Author
11 years ago
Forgot to add that we had to special order the ridge cap and it has to be installed at the same time as the north side of the roof and it won't be in till 4-22-13 so we have to wait to do any more with the roof.

Lesli
cole_robbie
11 years ago
I can tell from the pic that "dear husband" doesn't cut corners. That looks very strong and well-built.
lesli8
Original Author
11 years ago
;) Thanks!! I think so! He generally does everything 'heavy duty', most often that is a really good thing, and sometimes it's just heavy! LOL He is a very handy guy and I love him so much for doing this for me!! He got the last of my windows in today. Still waiting on the ridge cap. ;-( . It should be here Tuesday.

This post was edited by lesli8 on Sat, Apr 20, 13 at 21:25
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
**Update**

Well I will have to add a photo tomorrow! DH has nearly completed the structure of my greenhouse. He needs a few pieces of trim and 3'x8-10 inch piece over the door of the clear polycarbonate. Then we will get to work on the floor. We have been somewhat distracted by dear son's HS graduation and his family party that has taken on a life of its own. It will be this weekend and then I have 2 more weeks of school left then I will be out for the summer. With my last baby leaving the nest, I will have some time on my hands for playing in the greenhouse ;)
I am very glad that I chose to use the smoke grey roofing that only allows in 20% sun over the south side of the greenhouse roof. It makes up for most of the greenhouse during the hottest part of the day. You can really notice the difference between standing under the shaded roof and the clear part of the roof! I think in the winter it will still get plenty of sun the way it is designed. I think when we get the floor in and the misters/foggers it will make a huge difference. Then there is the benches/tables etc. And the *plants* of course!

This really has been a HUGE Job for folks who have never built a greenhouse before and are building from scratch instead of a kit.

I went to a local nursery the other day and went in one of their greenhouses and they had a rubber tree that had grown through the pot into the ground. It was huge! There were tree frogs all over it. So cool, that is on my list too. Rubber tree, ficus, fiddle leaf fig, pony tail palm, ferns and all sorts of "giants" for the jungle look ;). **Can't wait !!**
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
oops sorry I got busy and forgot to add the photo. We are still not finished. He got the door on and all that, but he will remove it tomorrow and hopefully soon we will have base delivered for the floor, we are going to put in a limestone base and then the tar paper then the bricks and so on and so forth. I kind of jumped the gun and ordered my African night crawlers. Wow! those are some kind of wigglers I have to say. I will have tons of worm castings. Now am thinking I might need a bunny for the worms. What if I skip the bunny and feed the worms bunny food? Hmmmm
Lesli
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
oops sorry I messed up...how does one delete a message?

This post was edited by lesli8 on Fri, Jun 14, 13 at 22:56
karin_mt
10 years ago
Wow, that's really a nice structure! I can imagine your excitement and anticipation.

Why do the worms need a bunny? Or is it the bunny who needs the worms? Elaborate please!
dreamgarden
10 years ago
Wow. I am really impressed with your greenhouse. It is looking great!

You are fortunate to be blessed with such a handy husband!
Wish he could be cloned! ;)

My DH is also very handy, but a torn rotator cuff is preventing him from building something similar for me.

I am looking at kits at the moment but always appreciate seeing perfectly good materials be repurposed instead of ending up in landfills.

Please post more pics as the progress continues. I'd love to see a rubber tree with tiny frogs!

Thanks for sharing.
dreamgarden
10 years ago
Wow. I am really impressed with your greenhouse. It is looking great!

You are fortunate to be blessed with such a handy husband!
Wish he could be cloned! ;)

My DH is also very handy, but a torn rotator cuff is preventing him from building something similar for me.

I am looking at kits at the moment but always appreciate seeing perfectly good materials be repurposed instead of ending up in landfills.

Please post more pics as the progress continues. I'd love to see a rubber tree with tiny frogs!

Thanks for sharing.
dreamgarden
10 years ago
Duplicate message removed.

This post was edited by dreamgarden on Sat, Jun 22, 13 at 10:02
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
Well, we have done a lot more work. This photo shows the limestone base, we used a plate compactor and tamped down the base, then we lay down the tar paper and then bricks, we are 3/4 through with the bricks. I will try to get that photo soon. It is looking great. Frustrating sometimes, but my dh is a perfectionist, so it all has gone slower than I'd hoped, but way more wonderful than I had ever hoped it would.
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
here are a few more photos.
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Textea
10 years ago
Have you got it filled it up yet? Hope to see more pictures soon.
7deuce
10 years ago
Very nice greenhouse! I agree with textea, more pix please.
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
No, I still need to take more photos. It has been mighty hot, I have a few things in it. Been our hottest week so far its been around 104-ish and greenhouse has been staying around 100 degrees. Dh has been working on putting the screens in. He built me two tables. We hung an ugly tarp on the inside in the rafters to give a deeper shade for my few plants, as dh said the wind would tear it up on the outside. It has helped tremendously. Fall will be the most help of all. I will see about taking more photos.
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
No, I still need to take more photos. It has been mighty hot, I have a few things in it. Been our hottest week so far its been around 104-ish and greenhouse has been staying around 100 degrees. Dh has been working on putting the screens in. He built me two tables. We hung an ugly tarp on the inside in the rafters to give a deeper shade for my few plants, as dh said the wind would tear it up on the outside. It has helped tremendously. Fall will be the most help of all. I will see about taking more photos.
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
A few photos,

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{{gwi:289761}}

I have put up a huge ugly tarp to give a little shade as I have not been able to get the GH shade screen yet. But I played out in the greenhouse most of the day. Our temps finally dropped, and the good Lord has given a bit of rain. We expect temps around 90* all week, great relief over the 100*+ days. Today I found a snake in the greenhouse, he came out and got a drink out of a large saucer I had a large pot in. I have never seen a snake drink before, so that was pretty cool. It was only a rough green snake, but it gave me quite an initial fright! He was about 3ft long and as large around as a large garden hose. I lost track of him and don't know if he got out or not, I fear he is enjoying the large pot of oakleaf fern.
{{gwi:289763}}
Lesli
realityfaery
10 years ago
Absolutely love your greenhouse! Look forward to seeing more pics!
Textea
10 years ago
So very nice keep the pics coming.
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
I have been playing in the greenhouse in between writing on my novels.

{{gwi:289765}}
Rubber tree with mixed planting

{{gwi:289767}}
red leafed philodendron
{{gwi:289768}} urn with macho fern
wilsocn
10 years ago
That's a great looking greenhouse and I also wanted you to know that its awesome how calm your are about the prospect of sharing space with the tree snake!
dreamgarden
10 years ago
I wonder how the greenhouse is doing.

Is the snake still living there?
lesli8
Original Author
10 years ago
LOL, I haven't seen the snake since I took these photos. I hope it is because it moved out!! But I have some green anoles that I released (3) but one was a tiny baby and I saw it outside shortly after. And after the first few times I only ever saw one at a time. I am pretty sure that one was a female and one a male, so I am hopeful they will breed in or out of my greenhouse this coming year. I used to see them in my yard years ago, but our drought has been the end of them I am afraid, naturally, so I transported some from my MIL's yard last year. I love all sorts of critters, but snakes less so. But I do love the little green grass snakes. We have a huge 500+ year old oak tree in our yard and we have a pair of small green snakes that raise babies under the roots of it some years. It was really cool to see several tiny green snakes the size of regular green yarn about 6 inches long come out all at the same time. Tree frogs are also a favorite, I hope to see many, but the drought has hampered them too. If we'd just have a wet year, it would be so appreciated by so many critters.
My husband installed an old wood stove for the winter. Some of the plants still have gotten too cool for their preference. For Valentines day he is installing florescent lighting for me this weekend. I suppose (cross your fingers) I might get an old farm sink installed w/water hook up inside the greenhouse for my April 1, 25th wedding anniversary. It is wonderful, I love my greenhouse and my husband, but ;) he milks it for all its worth! LOL Basically, I won't ever get another gift as long as I live, because he gifted me with the "ultimate" gift of the greenhouse. LOL
poaky1
10 years ago
I have looked at all 3 pictures and can't see any snake.
annalog_gw
10 years ago
Poaky1, the snake is in the last (fifth) photo in the Sep 9 post, not in the three photos in the Nov 9 post.
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
9 years ago
I'll try to post some updated photos. I'm at work now and not sure how to post them from here. It is just about busting at the seams with plants etc. Many that I had before have really grown, the ficus trees and rubber trees love it!

When I moved the variegated ficus closer to the heat last winter, something slapped me in the face and I realized I had a very long snake skin in my face. It had shed its skin in my tree, I haven't seen the snake anymore, so I guess its still probably in there.

My dh started a project this past January (always has to have a project) He started saving seeds from some Cherokee purple tomatoes we grew last fall. He purchased a heated seed mat and started a few seeds in a flat of potting soil. He was quite successful! We had in excess of 300 tomato plants that we probably the healthiest tomato plants I have ever seen. All grown organically! We have moved about 80 of them out to the garden and given a way the rest, to family, at church, at my work, at his work, to the mail man, etc.! LOL Just hope he plans on sticking around the house when the tomatoes all start getting ripe! We'll need to can them and with my work hours, I won't be able to do all that buy myself! pictures later if I can figure out how to insert them....
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
8 years ago

Like I always say, my dh does everything heavy duty. I only hope he'll take the same interest in canning all these tomatoes! Cherokee Purple anybody?
User
8 years ago
Very cool! Thanks for sharing!
poaky1
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Lesli, I know this is the greenhouse forum, but, could you post a pic of the 500+ year old oak? Is it a Live oak, if not, post a pic anyway? I love oak trees. And I envy that nice greenhouse! Thanks Poaky1
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
7 years ago
Let me see if I've got one on my phone
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
[IMG]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d41/Lesli8/limbdown-1.jpg[/IMG] don't know if this will work
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
7 years ago
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d41/Lesli8/Mobile%20Uploads/20160709_180308_zps9hfnjcyk.jpg
roselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
It worked. The link takes us to Photobucket, but you can also paste the Photobucket direct link into the space that comes up when you click the photo icon and the photo will show, but that's okay. I can see that it's a huge and beautiful tree for sure!
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
7 years ago
I think you can scroll left or right and see it in different shots. Several years ago we had a 54 ft limb drop, during a drought I think k that is the first picture, that shows just how large the tree us, and one of my husband next to it.
roselee z8b S.W. Texas
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Okay, scrolled left and see more photos. Have you ever measured the circumference of the trunk?
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
7 years ago
Um... that doesn't seem to work on my phone, drats
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
7 years ago
Probably 10 years ago it was 14.5ft around 3 ft up from the ground
poaky1
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Wow Lesli, a Live oak, I love them. I'm trying to grow a Live oak here in Pa. It is the Quartz mountain Live oak, the hardiest Live oak, probably in the world. It did good last winter, which was a mild one. Your's is likely a Texas Live oak, but, if you are in Eastern Texas you could grow the plain Live oak that is usually grown in the more humid (rainier) parts of Texas. And is usually found in the moister southern states. Either way that is a beautiful tree, and good sized, well, you did say it's 500+ years old. I hope mine can handle my winters good enough to get some size to it before I croak.
Lesli Neubauer (South central TX zone 8b/9)
7 years ago
Well I have to say the photos don't do it justice. You can't really grasp how grand it is except in person
poaky1
7 years ago
I can imagine.