Midwest snow storm..........

16 years ago

Well we made it through. I would definately reccomend a snow load brace and wood braces going across the roof and tied into the frame. We are not heating the gh right now so the snow accumilated on the roof. I went out there and took a handle and on the inside of the gh I poked the panels gently until the snow slides off the roof. I definatly see the panels bough with the weight of the snow. They are calling for more snow tommorow and saturday. Yipee it is gonna be a white christmas in the midwest. I wouldnt give the snow up for nothing. We can grow peonys here due to the cold weather. nothing looks or smells better than a peony in the spring time. Come on snow....... Time to build a snowman

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Comments (17)

alia
16 years ago
Please post a photo when it's all lit up with those holiday lights. I bet it's lovely!

Alia
mudhouse_gw
16 years ago
That's good information about the snow. Looks like you have at least 4"? 5"? on the greenhouse? Someone asked me the other day if I thought the HFGH 10x12 could take a few inches of snow for a short time, and I told them I thought it probably could, but I really didn't have any experience to know for sure. I guess a heated greenhouse would cause the snow to slide off...but an unheated greenhouse would be much more at risk?

Beautiful pictures Barb!
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memo in NE, I was shocked to hear your snow plows don't go through until 2-3 days after the snow stops! That must leave you stuck at home for a very long time during severe winter blizzards! Our snow plows go through along with the salters all during the storms, unless the drivers stop to sleep. Maybe that's because we're between Milwaukee & Chicaco, living close to Interstate-94. That highway NEVER sleeps - it keeps going, even if it's at a crawl. I agree with you, mary lu, I hope the power doesn't go out. I went to the store last night to get a few things, among them, water. Because if the power goes out, the well pump won't work. I guess the kind of precipitation we get depends on the temperature. Right now it's 35Â°F . I have a feeling it will be a nasty mix by the time the storm reaches us. I actually don't mind the snow. It's the freezing rain that makes for some very dangerous situations. Stay warm & safe everyone! Julie
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This is by far the most snow I've ever seen in Chicago. Storm totals of over 20 inches are being reported. My downtown Chicago office is closed for the day for only the second time in my 38 years there. I have drifts of over 4 feet in height crossing my driveway. Tonight it is supposed to go below zero so the snow will insulate my perennials nicely. The worst thing, however is that my heat went out this morning. The air intake on the furnace became clogged with drifted snow and after I cleared the intake the furnace would still not run. I called my heating contractor and he said he cannot make any service calls today; the roads are impassable. Fortunately, we have electricity and we can run a space heater. I hope that it is adequate until the service can get here. The birds are huddled in the shrubs near the feeders. I counted 10 cardinals at one point today. It is getting brighter and the wind which had been over 50 mph seems to be dying down. It's a good day to stay in and look at catalogs and old pics. Think Spring! Mark
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Julia and Brad, it snowed lightly again last night and we are in for more snow tonight into tomorrow, lasting all day. I think we're supposed to get another 5 inches. My guess is Julia you are getting more too. School has already been cancelled once and probably again tomorrow, which my grandsons love, but me, not so much.....they stay here with Gram and beg to go sledding....lol. I don't really know what the snow totals were from the last storm because there was already some snow on the ground from another front.....but it was enough that the ski areas are operating and this is the earliest they've opened with 'natural' snow. Our state and towns are expert at keeping the roads clear. They do an excellent job with the main roads. My road, not so much (because it's rural). It's supposed to get even colder mid-week with another blast of frigid temps. Stay warm everyone!
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Comments (19)
Very pretty. I know how much I would have accomplished last night...I'd have been sitting inside the window and watching him. I'm sorry for your snow though, I think most of us are ready to put all things chilly or wintery behind us.
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rosepedal
Original Author
16 years ago
Mudhouse, I think even with a heated gh if you have a heavy and fast falling snow it would still accumulate. Say a person heats their gh to 50 or 55 at night I am willing to bet that the snow will stay on the roof. The panels appear to be not that strong to me. Especially the vents. My opinion is to keep the roof cleared and safe. If you want to use the pictures for your blog go ahead. I posted them on the other gh site (grin). It was about 4 inches. I wouldnt let all the snow accumalte on the roof I cleared it a couple times. We have another 10 inches coming through the weekend. I might turn the heater on just to see if the snow does melt. By the way we ran the heater for 24 hours. We got our gas bill in and it was less than last year and last year was colder. We havent put up bubble wrap or solar cover yet. I thought that was interesting. I found the 48" bubble wrap on ebay. Pretty cheap not as much as the moving places around here. They were not cheap.......
mudhouse_gw
16 years ago
Thanks for posting about your snow experience. I agree, I'd try to keep my roof as clear as possible, too. I think posting your experience here will help others in the future. If I lived in a heavy snow area that would be one of the questions at the top of my list before buying a HFGH.

10 more inches, wow. If I was you, I'd be very glad to have that sturdy wooden framework in place, too! Even if there are antlers tacked to them! ;-)
C Schaffner
16 years ago
That looks so cool. I don't know if I could live in snow. I am COLD at 50 degrees, I guess I could get use to it.
rosepedal
Original Author
16 years ago
Pelicanhead I was born and raised in San diego Calif. Navy brat. I have to say WI has been my favorite place to live. It really is nice having the four seasons of the year. I am envious of all the flowers you can go grow though and down south also. Especially all the cactus you are lucky........

Mudhouse I made him put the antlers on better so they could not bonk me in the head again. I cant wait to get in there and play........I have growlights all over the kitchen. Baby hostas have popped their heads up whohoo
gardenerwantabe
16 years ago
I got 6 inches today. I did nothing to remove the snow we had 9 inches last winter and it did not hurt anything.
If we get a foot or more then I may drag some off but 6 inches isn't enough to cause me to worry
birdwidow
16 years ago
Snow, and more snow here, about 40 miles south of Chicago.

I really only ordered my GH with a curved eave because I liked the looks of it, but a bonus of the design is that it causes snow to slide off long before it can accumulate enough weight to affect the structure. So it drops down and piles up around the sides, further insulating.

But as much as I too love the seasons, I love some far more than others. Okay- we have had snow. Now I'm ready for the daffodils.
tsmith2579
16 years ago
I designed and built my greenhouse myself in 1992. On March 13, 1993 we had the snowstorm of the century with 13 inches of heavy, wet snow. My greenhouse is a steep pitched modified A frame structure. The glazing is corrugated polycarbonate. Other greenhouses with more conventional roofs collapsed from the weight of the heavy snow load. I watched numerous times as the snow was shed from my greenhouse in a mini-avalanche. The heat inside was just enough to keep the plants from freezing so I don';t believe heating had much effect on shedding the snow.
chris_in_iowa
16 years ago
alia,

Your post really made me smile!

""Please post a photo when it's all lit up with those holiday lights. I bet it's lovely!""

I can just imagine rosepedal all set up to take a photo with it all lit up and pretty like when BANG out goes the power....

Four days later still with no power and just one candle left...

Our winters can be beautiful, but deadly.

I have a double layer poly greenhouse and if the snow builds up too much I connect a shop-vac to the inflation tube and let it blow, let it blow, let it blow!!!!

:)
gardenerwantabe
16 years ago
I have a double layer poly greenhouse and if the snow builds up too much I connect a shop-vac to the inflation tube and let it blow, let it blow, let it blow!!!!

And if the power goes off you do what????????
rosepedal
Original Author
16 years ago
Gardenerwantabe,
This is a wet snow. There is a difference in weight between a wet snow and dry snow. I would not let 6 inches of wet snow accumalate on a hfgh after seeing with my own two eyes the panels boughing. This is my opinion of course. I spent way too much money and effort to watch a pile of snow take down my toy. I am so happy that we placed the 1x2 going across the ceiling panels into the frame.........It seems to help with the weight of the snow. I would highly recommend this.........Alia I was going to take pics last night but is was way to cold to go out. In the gh right this minute it is -3.5. Brrrr We did blow the circuits last year with the christmas lights. I took it easy this year.......(grin)
chris_in_iowa
16 years ago
If the power goes out I use the 12v blower that I use in the spring.

Slower to inflate but does the job.

Failing that a soft broom on the inside gets the avalanch started.
conifers
16 years ago
Bring it on!

Been waiting to snowboard in some deep fluff forever.

Dax
gardenerwantabe
16 years ago
The snow that I had was wet but it was not a problem I guess the extra bracing that I used made a difference because it holds up just fine.

Like you I worried about snow load my first winter but after seeing what it has been through In the last two winters I don't get so nervous when it snows.

They say two more inches tonight.
rosepedal
Original Author
16 years ago
Dax are you still looking for tree seeds? Do you need redbud or blueberry bush seeds ? You can grow them in the gh. (staying on topic grin) Barb
conifers
16 years ago
Barb thanks for the kind offer, I don't need either (I'm really boosted up as things be). Just another 3 feet of snow and I'm dialed!

Take care,

Dax

Midwest snow storm..........

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Midwest snow storm..........

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