Shelf supports: 2 2x4's set on edge (8 feet long) supported in a "sandwich" of 2 2x4's 32" high at either end of the HFGH. This brings the great covered grating exactly to standard kitchen counter height. Shelves are easily removed in 2 four foot sections. I used untreated 2x4 because with the plastic drip pans underneath we can let excess water drain off - and I did not want the chemicals in treated wood dripping on any plants we might set below. We have the 2 6' greenhouse benches that HF sells for the 6x8 HFGH as well. They are "spares". Insulation: Exterior panels are simply wedge fit. They have been in daily on/off use for over a month and are working perfect even in 20-30 mph wind. Our HFGH is protected by a Northside 8' fence and the house. Interior insulation. North wall, bottom - wedge fit 4x8 insulatin trimmed to (I think) about 44 inches tall. North wall ceiling - the extra bolts you are instructed to add in some of the Garden web HFGH construction posts are simply popped through the insulation at the ridge rafter. Bolts: The underside of the roof rafters has a track in it. If you ever want to hang plants inside, during construction you need to slide a nut with abolt attached down that channel before assembling the roof rafter to the ridge and side walls. We used 2" x 13/16 eye bolts which will take the hooks from most hanging baskets. These eye bolts are popped through the insulation and turned 90 degrees to the face of it - hold it up fine. For "personal or detailed responses" please include your personal email - it is a pain finding this thread on Gardenweb! Hard to add photos to the photobucket series as doing so will knock the logical order of the slides all to simthereens Happy thanksgiving Steve & Kathy Wisconsin

I built this greehouse specificially for starting bedding plants. I don't start heating it until the first week in Feb. At the time I didn't think a ground heat sink would have that much effect so I didn't do it. If I had it to do over again I would put the lip of the 2x4 base to the inside and put some foam board into a trench and up to the redwood around the base on the outside. The insulation on the north side just goes to the bottom of the redwood. The trays didn't melt uniformly along the whole shelf. It was just the 2 trays or so in the corners on the top shelf where the light would get concentrated. None of the seeds in those trays germinated however. Low angle sun reflecting from the top combined with the corner reflection against the dark plastic of the trays made for some real hot spots. I you look at my weather station at http://wx.uvci.com I have a temp sensor in a tray of soil on the soil heating germination mat. When the soil is dry and a bright sunny day the temp will get up to 130 easily. Another change I would make is to have the potting bench in the end just sit on supports rather than build it in. That way it could be easily taken out when not in use. It would make getting to the last two feed of shelf much easier. It also gets a lot of water on it when watering which has caused the composit material it is made from to expand. I will probably replace it next year and when I do It will not be built in permanently like it is now.

Here's some photos. #1 buy an exhaust fan on a thermostat with a shutter or shutters on the same thermostat loop. I ripped my door off and got rid of it. I took a few 2 x 4's went to the hardware store ... bought some screen, attached it to the frame I built and then got a bunch of poly and tacked it to the frame I built and brought a few bricks inside to hold the poly to the floor. On days when you are around (a "weather station" unit is helpful so you are alerted when the temps rise) , I'm always around so that's an easy deal, but, at anytime I could drape that poly up so the screen was allowing air exchange. The door was held on with a big clamp. That piece of chicken crap "bar/track" on the top of the door frame, I clamped MY DOOR to it. DONE! Cost me 10 cents the way I see it. Everyone has a saw, a hammer or screwdriver so fix it and stop complaining. Those vents don't do jack squat. You need an exhaust fan. Get yourself a shade cloth too. That'll lower temps 10 degrees. Again, I found some bricks laying around and anchored it. Again, Done! Sorry but this is going no-where. Dax Here's your photos. This is a cool mister you can buy anywhere. I'd recommend a larger one that holds more water. This too will lower temps.

Hi Northerner. Thanks for sharing your pictures! I loved the poppy in the first picture. I have one with similar coloring (it has changed shape about 4 times since I got it) and it is now a large pom pom type. Still the same color though. The burgundy hollyhock is gorgeous! I'll have to try and find one. The pink petunias in the clay pot are similar to the ones I grow, they're called 'Fantasy'. I get the seeds from Veseys or Dams. I have also collected the seeds and they came true to the parent plants. Marg