I live in melbourne which is probably milder than houston, yet a GH is very useful for getting cuttings going, somewhere to sit outside when it rains, and as a way to keep plants alive during strong drying north winds. I think it's a good idea. And you won't need a heater ;)

Thanks Nathan, after spending all afternoon climbing over my furniture to get to the windowsills to water my seedlings, plants and cuttings, I think I do need one. Besides all the reasons you listed, of course (some of which I hadn't thought of, thanks!) :)

I love to sow seeds and take cuttings so I know it would come in handy...

Thanks for your input!

Any other thoughts?

I have a friend in Casa Grande, AZ that has a Gh...

Nothing at all wrong with a G-house in Texas... But like was said, will be more of a cooling issue in the summer. good streatch of 60-70% shade cloth and a misting system or swamp cooler will make a nice place to get our of the summr heat

Virgo, thanks for the affirmation. I think I am going to do it. The deal is, I get a greenhouse and he gets new golf clubs...everyone wins that way! (Of course he has to put the GH together...so maybe not...hehe)

Have you considered making a 'shade house' instead? using only shade cloth on a frame will be much cheaper and solves the cooling problem!

In summer, with 70% shade and an electronic leaf mister I can assure you that the greenhouse is the last place you'll want to be. As my swamp cooler just died on the first warm day (35C) of this year, I can't common on how effective that would have been...

Why would you have plants in your g/h during the summer?
Why spend the money trying to cool it? Just get them outside. Your house is small enough to do that rather quickly.

Home grown tomatoes in December. Need I say more?

mylu, the reason you keep plants in a greenhouse over summer is because in hot climates small plants can't deal with the water loss. Particularly cuttings, many of which will only strike in summer anyway.

Anyone who has a greenhouse in Zone 4 in winter needs to be sent to a Government institution where they put you in a nice room with padded rubber walls and they dress you in a canvas jacket that has the fasteners up the back.

Anyone who has a greenhouse here in mid-summer needs to be put in the same kind of room....

Ah... but there is 3 months of Spring and almost 2 months in the Fall when a greenhouse is really worth the money and effort.

Know the limitations of your structure and learn to use the positive aspects.

Thanks guys, your comments have been very helpful.

As to using it in the summer, I could see myself trying just for the challenge, but I know full well it probably won't work. I have a lot of plants that really suffer during the heat of the summer so IF (and that's a BIG if) I were able to cool it, I could use it.

Eitherway, I see no reason not to do this! YAY!!!

Roxy, I just got my HFGH in ... September? Enjoying every moment with it. Just a few more thoughts to get your own ideas perking:

Following the lead of another HFGH owner, I plan to try replacing some of the panels in summer with screen panels. Therefore, while I planned to caulk the roof panels, I used weatherstripping instead on the side panels so they can be removed. It sits in high dappled deciduous shade, and with a shade cloth and the screens, it may make a dry and bug-free retreat from which to enjoy the koi pond in wet weather ... but not thunderstorms! :-)

Hm, guess I should have asked my son to build collapsible benches. Fiddle de de, I'll worry about that later; we've got a winter to get through.

If you haven't already, please take a look at the thread "conifer" started documenting the construction with photos ... this and other threads really made construction so much easier ... the manufacturer's instructions really leave a little too much to the imagination!

Enjoy your greenhouse adventure!

Chris: I agree wholeheartedly with the last two sentences of your December 1 message ... lol, will reserve comment on the first two, however, as I don't live in Zone 4 ;-)

Diane

(Actually, you might not need either caulk or weatherstripping, considering your mild winters.)

Nathen I don't really see cutting as "plants" Not at that stage.

Myloo, just don't tell them that - they get horribly offended and refuse to strike.

Hi, Roxy; We live in Houston (Kingwood, actually) and I've had a greenhouse for about ten years. It's an 8 x 20 lean-to. I grow orchids. I use two small electric heaters to keep the place warm in winter; and a regular window air conditioner to keep it cool in summer. Also have a misting system (very low cost from HD) and an exhaust fan connected to a timer that I can set to come on and off each day when neither heating nor cooling is needed. When the weather gets cold (yes, it can get REALLY cold in Houston), I put my outdoor potted plants in it. It's also a great place for starting seeds, rooting cuttings, etc. I use shade cloth in the summer, but the gh is on the north side of the house, and gets virtually no direct sun during the winter months. Hey, go for it!!! It's fun.

Thanks all. Fiance surprised me today and got it for me for my birthday! It's sitting in the garage and the only sad part is we have to wait till we get our vacation from work to get it put together. Next week hopefully.

I know there is a lot of useful information here, so I will certainly be back.

I dont think he knows what he's gotten himself into, I can see it now, the next thing will be power hook ups, then water...he will probably wish he hadn't gotten it!! LOL!

Thanks again!

Hi
talk about silly ideas ,I live in zone 10 Florida lol
Had hurricane damage to the shadehouse last year and would love to come up with a greenhouse for this climate without building a power plant lol.
For the life of me i can't come up with what to use for a wall covering that would work year around.
Would be soooo nice to have a place to keep the plants during a frost.
gary

Ha, Zone 10 Florida must be fun gardening, if you don't mind the hurricanes!!!

:)

hello
I t is fun gardening here but like every place has limitations. Usually way to hot and humid even during winter
So temperate plants must be grown during winter as annuals. Tropicals love it but about every third year we get a frost. not always fatal but damaging.
Would love to come up with a year around structure that would work and ddidn't cost a fortune to operate.
As to the hurricanes have lived here 30 years and experienced 3 and had no damage til last year.
Like the frost another" maybe" lol
Ah, to live in either a true tropical or true temperate climate so all decisions are already made.
gary

Gary, you may already know about this technique, but a friend in Florida successfully protected his tender plants through frost with Christmas lights and blankets.

Isn't it a little reassuring to know that no place is really perfect? Some are just closer to it than others.

Hi
Have used the Christmas light trick many times.Works but doesn't work well or reliably. I once enclosed the shadehouse in plastic during a 30 degree night.When i went to work at 6 Am was 60 degrees inside supplimented with heat from the house.When I came home at 4 Pm was 125 degrees inside while 71 outside. lol
Over the last several years i cover half the roof with frost cloth and have a heavy vine cover during winter.
have a large heated aquarium and force heat from the house.
Of course this has cold and hot spots and dries the air too much. Move the more tender into the house and cover yard plants. Almost works most of the time.lol
Last year for example the low was 42 for 3 hours. This year ,who knows lol
gary