I bought the 10X12 HFGH and it is up. I dug a hole and placed the base frame in it and filled it with what we call red breeze. I did have a bit of a problem with the instructions. I went to HF web site and downloaded a new set of instructions. That helped, but even with these new instructions, it left a lot to the imagination. They were different than the ones that came with the GH. I do want to make some modifications to our GH also to make it stronger. I am new to this site and would like to know how to find pictures on here, especially of the pool cover for insulation. I am thinking of putting up bubble wrap on the inside to help with insulation. I found these items on EBAY. Greenhouse Insulation Fittings - Super Alliplugs x 50 Has any one tried these? Here is the link to his EBAY store. Looks like lots of parts we could use on our HFGH. http://stores.ebay.com/Greenhouse-Warehouse He is located in UK, but the parts look exactly like what came with the HFGH, if you need extra parts. Tom S Colorado Here is a link that might be useful: GreenHouse parts in the UK for HFGH

I don't know much about gardening in your climate, but I think I can offer at least a few suggestions. I imagine that in the winter you will have a lot of sunshine and the potential for a nice warm greenhouse. The trick will be to retain the heat at night. This is very doable. I'll list a few tactics and you can search this forum and other places for more details on the things that interest you. For winter heat retention, you can make a trench around your greenhouse foundation, down below the frost line and fill the trench with sheets of styrofoam. This method is described here and is also described in Shane Smith's book, A Greenhouse Grower's Companion (or something like that). That is a book you should buy right now! Also in winter, you can create microclimates within the greenhouse. By uncovering things during warm days, then covering crops at night you can get a lot more bang for your buck from your greenhouse. See Elliot Coleman's book, The Four Season Harvest. That is another book you need. Some people have had great luck keeping areas of the greenhouse warm by putting black water buckets underneath the row covers. Overall, there is some dispute about the value of using water as thermal storage. Well, no one disputes that it works but if you do the math it would take a lot of water to actually keep the greenhouse warm. But it is nearly free to fill your extra space with water containers. Soil heating cables are another tactic. These can also be used under a frost blanket in the winter. As for the timing of growing and what you can grow, you will have to experiment. I bet you can get a very long season from your greenhouse. I imagine you could have tomatoes until Thanksgiving and you could get them started again in late Feb. As you probably already know spinach is incredibly healthy and has a million uses. You will be able to grow spinach all winter. Carrots also do well. As long as they are past the seedling stage once winter arrives they will generally make it through the winter. I have carrots in my unheated Montana greenhouse 12 months a year. If I were in your shoes dietarily speaking, I would focus 70% of my energy growing the best food possible. But save 30% of your efforts for canning, freezing, pickling, and otherwise preserving your harvests. That is by far the easiest way to have tomatoes in January. And there are all manner of ways to preserve your produce. See the harvest forum for endless ideas and recipes. The design of your greenhouse is going to be very important here. A well designed and well built greenhouse has huge potential. But if you rush, skimp and compromise, you will regret it. Build the very best (and largest) structure you possibly can. The last thing I will say is that having a productive greenhouse is tremendously satisfying! There is value way beyond the actual spinach and carrots - the whole system is fun and uplifting and rewarding. So enjoy the journey! Take your time and do lots of homework now that you are in the planning stages. Karin

I purchased a kit from Lowes. It lasted 2 years. Attempting to purchase a new cover, I could only buy a whole new one. So I purchased the next size up. Again, only 2 years. The PVC cover looks tough but it's no match for Reno winds. This year, I'm installing polycarbonate panels to my existing frame. My only concern is making the door. I expect this one to last many years. Dont go with something cheap. It won't last.

Diane, Dawna & Randy: Thanks so much for sharing your greenhouse knowledge and experiences with me. OwieBrain: When that precious baby finally lets you get back onto the computer, will you tell me what you'll do differently when you build the permanent greenhouse after the house you're building is finished? Dawna: Well, wish I'd known about the greenhouse auction too! That's the breaks! Thanks for describing your greenhouse so well. From your description, I felt I could really picture it! You and Randy both made me realize that I needed to go wider than I was originally planning. And thanks a lot for telling me that peagravel is hard to walk on. I had no idea! And, there is no way on this earth I am going to tell my DH just how much time you spend in your greenhouse....even though I am sure I'll spend just as much in mine! I wouldn't want him to think of it as "gaining a greenhouse and losing a wife...." lol lol lol So, where are y'all going to build in the fall? In the same area where you are now? Randy, I think I'd give my left arm to have a greenhouse as large as yours...but then, I'm not planning to make a living with mine, so guess it wouldn't be necessary for it to be that large! I love that yours is expandable. Also, thanks a lot for the description of the heating system...it is an area that has baffled me the most. The Jet Flow system sounds amazing! And the advice on estimating costs is so helpful. Since we've built the mega-garage/barn and the new chicken coop lately, we've gotten pretty good at estimating what it will cost us...and we know it always costs more than you think it will! Last week I was reading a newspaper article about my favorite regional gardening expert--Texas horticulturalist, writer/publisher and radio show host Neil Sperry. In they article they mentioned two facts that amazed me: (1) after THIRTY YEARS he believes his home landscape is "coming along" and he just about has it the way he wants it. That reminded me that home landscaping is a long-term project and I need to be patient! (2) His greenhouse is 30' wide by 60'long! Can you imagine having all that space? I am sure I'll never have a greenhouse that big, but it is fun to think about it, isn't it? With a son in college and with us writing that college some big tuition and dorm payments every semester, my greenhouse may have to start out small to medium and grow over the years, after he finishes college and all that. I do think I will start out larger than I originally planned, though, as wider seems better. I am learning so much from this thread. Hope those of you who have greenhouses will continue to educate me! Thanks! Dawn