Sorry to confuse ya sfallen, I don't think i mentioned the back wall will be tied to the foundation via piers, so the load bearing framing will stay in place, so I think it will stay rigid if I move that back wall out another 8 feet. I sure would love to build something like a 20 x 30, but this is a joy jar project, so it has to be limited to what is in there this year. Kinda tight, hub laid off and in college, oldest getting married and in college, middle one in college, youngest graduating high school and going on to college. They sure do put a knock on that jar lol. Fuzzy, the only extra heat I plan this year is the small woodstove, firewood is plentiful on this hill of mine. Which I am counting on to help with cooling via breezes swooping up the field. Another plumb job is out lol, the dh just will not go for more plumbing to go wrong, but I hope to sweettalk him into the power this fall. Thanks again for all the advice. minerva

It's a big adventure, especially to one who does not have any gardening experience to help guide your desires, tempered by your knowledge and abilities. It's all best gained by doing it firsthand. The first steps are always just a big pile of questions and mysterious natural and technical processes. The best hobbies are those that seem outwardly simple, but have layers of complexity one can grow into. Gardening fits this premise very well. Perhaps ask your neighbor what their thoughts are. Sounds like your retiree friend may be providing a lot of the sweat equity, at the least their broader experience, unless you are out there shoulder to shoulder, sharing the work load and learning as you go. If their plot is small now, are they willing and up to the task of attending to a large space devoted to a multitude of "new" plants they are not currently growing? Does this person have any gh experience? Actually, the large greenhouse you're dreaming of could keep three or more people busy. Especially with such "exotic" plants (for a gh) as you're contemplating. For your circumstances, I'd also suggest starting smaller. By all means choose a high roof, it does help stabilize temps a bit. Try all sorts of things, but keep it simple, too. Later on, the first gh could become a tropical space, a potting/starting area, or devoted to some more specific use while you add a larger greenhouse that utilizes what you learned in that first, smaller space. If I were a bug, I'd head straight to that shady area in your pic. Lots of shade, good understory (small plants to cling to and breed in) and plenty of moisture. Bug heaven! Your gh choice probably has plenty of gaps, but a sealed up gh is just heaven for molds and fungus to invade. That'll be harder to control than anything if not dealt with by proper moisture control. For bugs, you'd need to screen all openings and plug the gaps, which decreases air transfer a bit as well. So, it's all a trade-off of one thing for another. Fortunately, if you can afford it, the liberal application of money can address most of the issues, lol! Seriously, many problems can also be dealt with by addressing them early and it doesn't always take a ton of money if you're willing to be creative, fabricate and scrounge a bit. I made a temperature controlled air exchanger from a couple cheap box fans, an old aquarium thermometer, a relay and a model train transformer! Looks odd, but works great! You will probably see bugs no matter what. I usually don't have a large problem with bugs, but more than once, an infestation required I sacrifice the plant or plants, as all the bugs were on them en masse and it was easier to just remove the entire plant very carefully and more or less be done with it. I have a few uninvited dinner guests this season, but so far, it's pretty minor. Keeping mulch in place and picking off the dead leaves and keeping it clean helps greatly. The larger or more gh's you have, though, the greater the area to patrol, clean and treat for problems. But, presumably, the larger space would let you have room to grow things yet get around them from all sides. Still, it can become a chore, even a job, if you over-plan and bite off more than you and your helper can tackle. One week unattended, you can find disease, bugs, dried out plants, overgrowth with plants flopping over, equipment problems, you name it, any or all suddenly taking over. It's not like model ship building, where you can park it for weeks or months. Once committed, you are in for the long haul. Sometimes I think I should be committed! ;) I also wonder about debris from all those trees falling on the gh. An arched roof is strong, but a heavy branch could penetrate or even something minor like bird droppings might become a nuisance if those trees were also nesting sites. Better to move the gh more into the yard and add cooling and shade cloths. The money you save on the purchase of a smaller gh can be put into the utility bill. Generally, a gh will amplify certain things and temper others. Overcrowding, lack of air movement or heat and moisture control can run rampant in a gh, yet be milder in their effects outdoors. On the other hand, nasty weather, cold snaps, rainy drenches or dry spells are more easily dealt with, and the heat problem can be conquered. You can control the bugs for the most part. Manual pollination of flowers is fun when there's only one or three a day, but I don't think I'd relish having surrogate sex with an entire tree full of blossoms! Somethings like peppers, tomatoes or even squashes it's faily easy, but for cucumbers, it can become an exercise in futility. God made bees for a reason, after all! I'd love to have a 700+ square foot gh. That's about 7 times the space I have now. I have 6 seasons experience to help tell me what's required, but I'm really just a newbie myself, still experiencing new things every season. I imagine you could start with a space that large, but not try to fill it all right away and sort of grow into it season by season. Every yard, every situation is different. You won't really know what you need till you get one up and start growing your own stuff. Don't overload and take it into the "job" category, and it should be a ton of fun and healthful foods for you and your friend! -Ed

What i found out with a 6 by 10: 1: it gets just as cold inside as outside at night. 2: It get HOT! they talk about a vent..what good is a vent when outside is 98 degrees? I use a 3000 cu ft swamp cooler into mine and it needs every bit of it. Keep in mind that this is dry Colorado and swap cooler work great here. So best count on a BIG fan. Have fun...KennyP

Hi everyone, I bought a small greenhouse from Ocean State Job Lot that is pvc and plastic. I don't have enough room in my house or the right light direction. I know this is a dumb question but can I start my seeds on my porch that is not heated and very minimally insulated? I live in MA. If not, any suggestions on a non fire hazard heat source? Should the temp not dip below a certain degree? Thank you so much in advance for any advice!!!