Welcome, Sqftgarden. The previous post is correct - you'll find a wealth of information on the 6x8 HFGH if you run a search. Overall, I believe most people are very happy with them; in most places, they don't require the structural modifications the 10x12 does. I am in a similar zone, USDA 7, coastal New Jersey, have one and have been thrilled with it (though it is a little cramped ... but I think I'd have the same problem with a much larger one anyway, lol). The amount of info you'll find in a search can seem overwhelming, so, in brief, I believe I spent somewhere between $600& $800 all told; the following list may not be all-inclusinve, but probably close. Trailer rental for transport (we picked up at a local HF store), treated 2x10's & hardware for base, weatherstripping tape, caulk, gravel, paving blocks, benching & shelving materials, U-clamps for hanging things, circulating fan, electric heater, small propane heater for backup, wireless thermo-hygrometer, automatic roof vent, clear solar pool cover, 2 sheets 1" foam board for north wall & roof, hardware cloth and foil faced bubble-wrap type insulation for rodent and draft barriers around perimeter, GFCI outlet. I didn't buy a shade cloth, since ours is under a limbed-up tall oak, which provides dappled shade May-late September in all but the morning hours. Ours took about 6 hours to build (we had prepared the site the day before, and electric had already been run to the garden shed, so it was a very short run from there to the greenhouse.) I can provide you with more specifics, but first run a search and take a look at what others have already posted. Lots of good ideas out there, and "Conifers" posted a wonderful set of photos and notes documenting his assembly. A lot will depend on what your site is like (i.e., any special conditions like high winds, sloping ground, etc.) and how you plan to use the greenhouse. Be careful, though, as these things can be habit-forming. I am completely hooked ... I'd give up my second bathroom before I'd give up my greenhouse! Diane

Hi, Taylor, I'm in Monmouth County, NJ, near the shore, so our winters are just a tad warmer, but we have very similar conditions. Congratulations on the greenhouse! I'm sure your head is swimming, but going over those threads was the best thing you could do. I learned a lot from the other folks here. I've had my 6x8 HFGH since November of 2005 and am still thrilled with it. I use it pretty much as you hope to do: greens, cherry tomatoes and herbs through the winter, Meyer lemon (the tree form is lovely, but I opted for the bush as space is so dear in such a small GH), propagation by seed and cuttings and overwintering tender perennials; many houseplants get rotated through there, too, for "R&R". It is a delightful place to spend time in the winter, even for people who are not gardeners ... by all means, try to leave room for a reasonably comfortable chair. As far as essentials go, you will need a fan to keep the air circulating. I highly recommend an automatic roof vent opener. You may also want a shade cloth; it can heat up a lot in there on a sunny day. I've been making do without, but have many tall oaks about and I've noticed that even the shade of the bare branches in early spring causes a slight temperature drop inside. Speaking of which, you'll need a thermometer; I'd recommend a wireless thermo/hygrometer (measures both temperature and humidity), so you can put the sensor in the greenhouse and have the readout inside your house. I found one for around $30, but if you want to spend more, you can find models that have alarms, will feed the data right into your computer, etc. For the uses you've outlined, you will want a heater. My first choice would have been a radiant oil-filled, but I settled for an available convection heater and have been very happy with it. I do like this better than the forced-air types, as I believe it provides a more even, gentle heat. A back-up heater is a good idea. Check out the little propane heaters. I've got a little Coleman catalytic model that will run on one 1-pound cylinder for up to 8 hours. You'll also want to have a back-up plan for what you'll do if a power outage should last a long time (do you have space to move your plants inside your home, basement, garage?) Heat sinks are a good idea; they really help moderate temperature swings. You've probably seen lots of ideas already. I like 1-gallon milk jugs, 2-liter soda bottles and 1-gallon Arizona iced tea jugs because I can tuck them in where I want them. You will want to insulate. While building, we put foam weather stripping tape around the edges of each panel; some people prefer to caulk them in place. I did caulk any gaps I found in the frame. We added foil-faced 1" foam board on the north wall and north 1/3 of the east and west walls, and a foil-faced heavy bubble-type insulation on the lower half of the north ceiling. Outside, we wrap the whole thing in a clear solar pool cover for the winter. Insulation/pest barrier for the floor. I recommend a pest barrier of hardware cloth around the perimeter of the foundation. We stapled this to the inside of the wood foundation and ran it about a foot or more inside, then covered with the flooring gravel. Feeling drafts that first winter, I later retrofitted more of that foil-faced bubble-type insulation in the same manner. Some people have dug out several inches inside, a bit like a tiny, shallow "cellar", insulated that, then refilled with the soil. In an area with very cold winters, or if you really want to save on heating costs, that's probably a good idea. I have no experience with misters (maybe in the future), so can't advise on that. Also haven't bothered with auxiliary lighting for winter. Herbs, greens and snow peas did fine; cherry tomato production fell sharply for a bit, but then began to pick up again sometime in February. Think about the temperatures you're going to try to maintain in there. You'll want appropriate germination temps, so will either need to have heat mats or germinate your seeds indoors. I keep my greenhouse at a minimum of about 50 degrees at night, which is too cool for most seeds. It's also a bit cool for the lemon, so I wrap a string of exterior grade Christmas lights around the pot; it seems to provide enough heat to keep the lemon happy, healthy and productive. While we're speaking of electricity ... of course you'll have all your electric on a circuit with a ground fault interrupter. I do not have a water line running out to my greenhouse ... really wish I did. You may want to consider that if you don't already have water handy. (Lugging gallons of water 75' to the greenhouse in February is a bear ... but worth it, definitely worth it!) And, voice of experience here, if you go out to your greenhouse on an icy cold, wet day ... maybe take your cell phone along, or at least don't close the door all the way ... it can kinda freeze up and be really, really difficult to open from the inside ... and if your family's like mine, they won't come out to get you 'cause they'll be thinking you're just having such a great time out there playing in the dirt and don't want to be disturbed. Oh, doors ... I noticed a draft around the door, too, so cut some extra solar pool cover material into three wide strips the length of the door plus several inches and hung those, overlapping, just inside the door. It really does help cut down that draft (it's awkward, though, so comes down as soon as possible as the weather warms). This is much longer than I'd intended it to be. Hope it is helpful to you; by no means expert advice, but it's working for me. Just take your time building your greenhouse. Assemble that base first and measure it, then assemble your foundation accordingly. Good luck; I'm sure you're going to enjoy your new greenhouse. Diane (wondering what I've forgotten to tell you)

I ALWAYS play nice (well, at least MOST of the time!!!) Okay, pictures have been taken - but not DL'd to computer yet (I'm surfing @ poolside via WiFi... Oh the SACRIFICES I have to make! ;-) I think I've been inspired to post an addendum to my "Garden Page" (you can get there from my webpage, linked below). I haven't done it yet, but I'll try to post my GH erection efforts "Step-By-Step." They won't be as good as conifers'/Dax's pictorial, but I'll do my best (Gotta "Give Back to the Community," right?!!) I think the wood-cutting is still a "hair" off, but the 'errors' will be put on the back-side (next to a fence, where no one will ever walk / have an opportunity to bend the aluminum base). Or maybe I'll add some skinny/lath/shim kinda material for the Too hot to dig up veggies right now, so I'll postpone that 'til early evening (or early tomorrow morning). I'll probably move my "boring observations" to the webpage (When I start it!). I'll just make note, on here, when I post updates - so I won't bore everyone with my long-winded commentary!!! Of course, I'm *sure* I'll have more questions as I go through this - and I *will* post those questions here! And I just thought of another Q: Should I paint the RW base before I assemble it? If so, white (for reflective qualities)? Or black (for heat-sinking)??? Or should I just hold off on that altogether (bearing in mind that it'll be easier to paint BEFORE I assemble it)??? Any thoughts...??? Thanks - AGAIN - for all the support, insight and advice! And thanks - in advance - for enduring my upcoming questions!!! You guys ROCK!!! -Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: IMQTPI's Garden Page (I'll update it soon!!!)

You don't say how often you have to replace the portable, but if you're willing to dedicate the space to a more permanent structure, based on my experience in NJ, USDA zone 7, I think you'll find the 6x8 HFGH satisfactory. Ours is also somewhat sheltered (by a garden shed, large oak and bank of trees and understory shrubs) and has come safely through wind gusts well above the 25-30mph you mention. It sits on a foundation of 2"x10" treated lumber, and, with our winters, I do use a solar pool cover as well as north wall insulation. Definitely check all parts, and maybe we just were lucky, but we found nothing missing or damaged. My adult son and I worked on this, but he really did most of the work and it was completed in one November day. It did help that my adult daughter applied the aluminum tape to the ends of the glazing panels as we were finishing up the frame. I'd suggest reading through the directions from start to finish before you begin, and check out Conifers' thread (link below). If you're handy and careful and think it through, you should have very little, if any, trouble. We deviated a bit from the instructions at times. For example, we started the frame first, then measured it, constructed the foundation accordingly and squared but didn't secure it; carefully lifted the partially-built frame onto the foundation to be sure the dimensions were all correct and everything square and level, then set the frame aside, secured the foundation together and put the frame back and secured it to the foundation. Aside from the insulation, I've not found any retro-fitting necessary. You may not need to, but I added foam weather stipping tape around the perimeter of each panel. We also installed a hardware cloth barrier at the foundation, running under the gravel floor, to discourage burrowing mammals. Despite being in the shade of a large deciduous oak, ours does get very hot in the warmer months and I'd like to follow up on someone's idea of exchanging screen panels for the glazing. If I can keep the temperatures moderated, it is a good safe place for seedlings, cuttings and other plants that might require some coddling (we have very curious - and somewhat destructive - squirrels and crows here). You'll appreciate having both electricity and water close at hand! Good luck, have fun ... and please keep us posted. Diane Here is a link that might be useful: HFGH Assembly (6x8)