Things I'd Do Different In My GH

14 years ago

Three years of GH'ing and what I'd do different (let me count the ways :-)....

1) Build it at least 5 feet away from the closest branches of an evergreen tree (ouch, that hurts) OMG, you'd think I'd remember to duck by now!!!

2) Leave plenty of ground to expand - it's kinda like a fish pond, never big enough!!!

3) Install more electrical outlets - on all sides and on ceiling - AND bigger amp circut box (ya, ya, ya, DH thinks it's big enough already!)

4) Figure out ways to hang more plants instead of shelving for everything.

5) I'd have my water inlet centered in the GH, instead of at one end. But I really do love my curly-hose, ya know-they really do stretch a long ways :o)

5) STOP WISHING I WAS IN AN "EASIER" ZONE TO GROW PLANTS AND GARDEN IN! Zone 4 - WHATEVER!.....

Anybody else ever have good hindsight and after-the-fact-ideas ????

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Comments (6)

garyfla_gw
14 years ago
Hi
Since I have been running mine for almost 30 years. Have a lot of looking back lol Interestingly after all the changes improvements and addittions I'm almost back to the way it started lol
First it was built to be an attached screenroom but evolved into a shadehouse then GH now integrated "rainforest"
I'm in zone 10 and have found a temp controlled GH almost impossible for the opposite reasons. HEAT lol
1. I'd rebuild exactly in the same location but choose MUCH smaller growing plants outdoors.
2. Planted everything in pots ,some not sat all as thery regularly take the roof off.
3. Found them dangerous when watering not to mention corrosion .
4. Planted more suitable plants for more epiphtes rather than terrestrial.
5. Refuse to stop wishing I was in 11 !!! Heck then I wouldn't need the structure at all. How cool would that be ??lol
  Most serious mistake was building a "pond" takes up way to much floor space too shaded to grow water plants constantly invaded by terrestrial plants.. Accidently stepped into even fell off a ladder into it once.
  One of my most brilliant ideas was a stand mounted 150 gallon aquarium Was soooo useful as well as ornamental.
  Might add to #2 that I can't expand due to city ordinance. No use even thinking about that.lol gary
seamommy
14 years ago
I agree on more electrical outlets, I could use a couple more. But I like having the water on one end rather than in the middle. If it was in the middle I'd just trip over it. Mine is a standpipe but it's only 5" off the floor. I wish I had told the plumber to make it 3' tall so I don't have to bend over to turn it on.

I have a swamp cooler and I wish it was located higher on the wall, it's at eye level so it's uncomfortable when it comes on if I'm in there. The heater on the other hand is located at the top of the roof peak and since heat rises, I'm not sure how effective it will be. The GH is only 10 x 12 though so maybe it will be adequate.

Like I said in my earlier post though, I like almost everything about it. I really am going to have to learn how to post pics though, it sounded like that guy didn't believe I even have a greenhouse. haha Cheryl
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I don't have that same view as Dave. My GH tomatoes have been getting plenty of natural light; after all we just had the vernal equinox. The main problem you will have by moving plants now is that daytime sun is hard on the house grown plants and they will need hardening-off at this point and not so much when they move to the garden. Mine are loving the GH environment, but I wanted to give you a few ideas as to the whens and whys in my situation: First, you need to figure what heat costs are going to be to keep plants warm in a GH. I guess I got less money to burn than most because I keep plants in my house until I run out of space- I still have over a thousand tomato plants waiting for a few overcast days to make their move. Plant size doesn't become as much of a factor as the weather moderates for me. Also what is your in-house setup like? Are the plants an inconvenience? Many people wouldn't want 12 shoplights in their living room as I have now. There also comes a time when there just isn't enough room. The 300+/- tomato plants in my GH are all in qt. pots and tomorrow they will go in the ground of another greenhouse because I'm running out of room even in my benchtop GH. I've been waiting too long for this cold spell to end. Those tomatoes are setting fruit. One big factor to consider is the time you have to provide the extra immediate care after moving plants to a potentially stressing environment. You'll need to monitor the temperatures more closely than in your house and probably water more often as the plants dry and wilt more quickly in full sun. For me the care extends into the night to tend for a woodburner. Often I could get by with one loading in the middle of the night but with temps in the teens lately I need to fire hotter and set my alarm for more trips. I wasn't making those trips three weeks ago when all plants were in my house. So my reasons for moving when are not as well defined as others but if you keep everything in balance you can usually end up with nice plants regardless of when you move them.
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sheila0
14 years ago
Great Information!

I have been here for years, and have only had a small greenhouse once, and only for a short time, but I'm finally building my home, with a GREENHOUSE ATTACHED TO IT!

I have waited years for this, and your suggestions will help me a lot.

Following this forum for so long, you notice how things changed over the years, and topics that were so important years ago, sometimes are a given now. So keeping up with what is important to people today, is a really great thing to share with everyone. I know it helped me to make new decisions on what I need.

1. Leave room to expand (a must)
2. More AMPS (this was always a great issue)
3. Placement of water source 3' up, not on the floor
4. Place water source in the center of the GH
5. Place for hanging more plants, not just shelving

And this is just the start.

I knew a lot of these, but think of them differently these days, some, like hanging plants, never really considered it! The water issues are wonderful, and exactly what I needed to see. AMPS is one issue that has been constant, never enough from what I remember.

Now for my greenhouse.

It will be part of my home, it's 12' wide by 40' long, faces east and south on my lot, will have huge drains in it, will have a special tile floor, will be 1/2 open to my living room/dining room/ kitchen area, but stops at the kitchen, which is a full wall with a window to the greenhouse, it will also contain my office, if I can figure out how to keep it separate from all the water that will be used in it. On the outer wall, it will have windows on 3 sides, about 3' up from the floor all the way around it, and of course, a glass ceiling. The heat and venting is being worked out by our landscaper, an old and dear friend of ours, and that's about it.

Now you can see, why reading this was so important. Time to rehash years old information, that I needed to consider again.

Thank you all for your information and thoughts.

Keep it up, I can use a lot more!
kbhale
14 years ago
I would like to have a separate green house or a separate area to over winter outdoor plants during the winter. So that the bugs don't spread to what I keep/ grow year round in my green house. Mostly salad greens. Ants and Aphids just love living in a sheltered area.
User
14 years ago
My list is different that those above. My GH size is fine, 20' x 23'. I put in enough amps (100) and outlets (15, all four walls and ceiling). My water source is 3' up exactly, inside the GH.

The only thing on my list is that I wish I had installed a cistern under the floor.
greenhouser2
14 years ago
More outlets and a HIGHER GH for more hanging baskets.

Things I'd Do Different In My GH

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garyfla_gw

seamommy

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