pond to greenhouse project (adenium related)
Well, the bug has hit me. I keep thinking about winter and moving all of the plants around. My yard is small & already inhabited with decks and a raised pond.
The pond is 6 X 12 and my idea is to empty the pond, use the sides as a base and add
a hoop roof to it.
I found a hoop bender for "low" plant covering (bender )
and a kit of fittings ( fittings )
and an insulated covering...... ( covering )
The idea would be to attach the "low" hoop roof to the sides (extended)
of the pond & then create a door and window on the ends. The positive
side of this is that I already have electricity to the location for a fan or heater.
The downside is that I loose my pond.........
Comments (103)
John Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoRelated Discussions
Building a greenhouse
Comments (32)The jury is in on the cool greenhouse: it's not cool enough. After July 6th or 7th the real summer heat started and despite the swamp cooler the temperature crept up to and over 80F. Backyard temp has been over 90F, GH shot up to 82F. The GH temp, without cooling efforts, would be an easy 110F and up so the swamper is doing it's job. Anticipating this, I had a swath of Aluminet (30%) ready and installed it this morning. Covering the structure now is agricultural plastic (13% shade), regular black shade cloth (50% shade) and now the Aluminet (30% shade). About 10" between each layer. That seems like a lot of shade but standing inside, it is still not possible to look directly at the sun so plenty of light is getting through. With the Aluminet in place the temp today maxed out at 76F, 6 degrees better than the 82F of yesterday. 6 degrees in the right place make a lot of difference, I'm happy with the result. If I had been smart, I would have used 50% Aluminet to start with. This is my first experience with it and I would recommend it over regular shade cloth any time. The warm greenhouse performed as expected. With three sidewalls open for the top 2 feet and the cool greenhouse discharging it's cool, moist swamper air into the warm house, the temp never rose above the ambient temp of the backyard. In the winter the walls will be closed and a heater will spring into action. Nick...See MoreHeating a greenhouse / indoor pond
Comments (55)Bellaroo, I have a pond in my greenhouse and I have been using the water to water my plants and intend to continue with using the pond water. If you have fish in your pond it makes for healthy plants as they are getting fertilizer too. Using the pond water will allow me to continually perform 30% weekly water changes to keep my fish healthy. I was not going to respond to all the additional posts as this is a rather old post. However, I have noticed a few things with my pond and thought they may be useful for anyone just beginning the planning stages for a greenhouse and perhaps an indoor pond. 1. I had only 15 to 30% humidity in my greenhouse prior to adding the water in my pond. Please note where I live. It is very dry here and we very seldom have much humdity. It has increased my humidity to a very high rate 60's and 70% humidity sometimes even higher requiring me to turn on my exhaust fans. 2. If you have a wooden structure (as I do) think twice about a pond OR make sure you are using a very good primer and outdoor high gloss paint. I am flabbergasted at the amount of moisture that just drips off the polycarbonate panels I've framed into the ceiling, not to mention the moisture which drips from the walls. 3. I had initially thought the water in my gh would heat up drastically from the sun during the day and produce an abundance of heat during the evening. Not so, perhaps it's the depth of water I have. My pond is 4' deep to house my Koi for the winter months. The water has never really heated up and I can't see an enormous amount of heat that the pond is giving off into my greenhouse. 4. I tried building my pond so that I would not waste a lot of space in my gh. I built it so that if I run out of room I could build a table or plant shelves over the top of my pond allowing me to use all the space I'm using in other parts of my gh except the floor directly under the table/plant racks over my pond. Just a little food for thought when considering a pond in your greenhouse. Honestly, I love mine and hope to keep it. However, if it causes damage to my structure, I will fill it in, or just not fill it with water for one year to see if that makes a difference. Happy Greenhousing Everyone! ~Tj~...See MoreSeeking Advice on Building A Greenhouse
Comments (17)Diane, Dawna & Randy: Thanks so much for sharing your greenhouse knowledge and experiences with me. OwieBrain: When that precious baby finally lets you get back onto the computer, will you tell me what you'll do differently when you build the permanent greenhouse after the house you're building is finished? Dawna: Well, wish I'd known about the greenhouse auction too! That's the breaks! Thanks for describing your greenhouse so well. From your description, I felt I could really picture it! You and Randy both made me realize that I needed to go wider than I was originally planning. And thanks a lot for telling me that peagravel is hard to walk on. I had no idea! And, there is no way on this earth I am going to tell my DH just how much time you spend in your greenhouse....even though I am sure I'll spend just as much in mine! I wouldn't want him to think of it as "gaining a greenhouse and losing a wife...." lol lol lol So, where are y'all going to build in the fall? In the same area where you are now? Randy, I think I'd give my left arm to have a greenhouse as large as yours...but then, I'm not planning to make a living with mine, so guess it wouldn't be necessary for it to be that large! I love that yours is expandable. Also, thanks a lot for the description of the heating system...it is an area that has baffled me the most. The Jet Flow system sounds amazing! And the advice on estimating costs is so helpful. Since we've built the mega-garage/barn and the new chicken coop lately, we've gotten pretty good at estimating what it will cost us...and we know it always costs more than you think it will! Last week I was reading a newspaper article about my favorite regional gardening expert--Texas horticulturalist, writer/publisher and radio show host Neil Sperry. In they article they mentioned two facts that amazed me: (1) after THIRTY YEARS he believes his home landscape is "coming along" and he just about has it the way he wants it. That reminded me that home landscaping is a long-term project and I need to be patient! (2) His greenhouse is 30' wide by 60'long! Can you imagine having all that space? I am sure I'll never have a greenhouse that big, but it is fun to think about it, isn't it? With a son in college and with us writing that college some big tuition and dorm payments every semester, my greenhouse may have to start out small to medium and grow over the years, after he finishes college and all that. I do think I will start out larger than I originally planned, though, as wider seems better. I am learning so much from this thread. Hope those of you who have greenhouses will continue to educate me! Thanks! Dawn...See MoreAdenium Garden - Martin in Denmark
Comments (158)Martin, your Bursera look lovely ! I'm quite envious ! :) I would love to grow some from seed. Maybe when I've got some space...I've just put 8 pots of rooted cuttings of P. Afra on ebay as I have too many ! If they find homes, I'll get my heated propagator out again, and maybe try some Commiphora too. I'd really like to try Boswellia, but it's hard to get seeds (and even harder to get them to germinate !) My Bursera is very much a work in progress. When I got it, it had no branches and was about 3 feet long ! The first 6 or so inches was maybe an inch thick - it then tapered off like a whip. It had lost almost all of the few leaves it had whilst in transit (I imported it from Spain !) It's shorter now, and thicker, and has developed some branches - it really is pot luck where they appear - but for me, any branch is welcome considering what it looked like when I got it ! As they are quite rare, I try to root everything I cut off it, and have had some success with that. I'll get some photos later today, or over the weekend....See MoreJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years ago
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoWell, after five days of "elevating my leg" I have installed the second run of the roof Solexx.
Ryan Succulent collector 9b (CA)
7 years ago
rcharles_gw (Canada)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years ago
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoBoth sides of the roof have been installed, cut & caulked......
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoThe 1 X 2 stringers I used to tighten up the overlap of the layers of Solexx.
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoThe Desert Rose benches in full sun.
I will leave the sides open for a while as cool weather is a month or two away. I would like to bring in water if I can push a pipe out from under the deck. Probably the exhaust fan will get installed next, then the floor & benches......... ;-)
Pagan
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoThis morning was spent in the search for water........
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More Infopreparing to BLAST my way through......
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More Infothe "faucet"
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More Infothe hookup...... Everything in my back yard has weedblock over it. This makes digging a real pain. I cut some of the weedblock & then decided to run the rest of the way on top of the weedblock. As it looks now.... you can't see any pipe except for the vertical hookup.
addicted2plants Southern IL USA
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl) thanked addicted2plants Southern IL USAJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years ago
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoThe 12" exhaust fan installed
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoNext I have to work on the north facing wall. The pond base is inside the 2X6 columns so the Solexx has no place to attach on the bottom. Both north and south walls have this same issue but my first bench will be installed on the north wall......
John Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoaddicted2plants Southern IL USA
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoaddicted2plants Southern IL USA
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl) thanked addicted2plants Southern IL USAJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoWhile waiting for more Solexx to get delivered I covered the floor with pea rock and started on benches. I'm only starting with the benches on the north wall first.
John Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoPagan
7 years agoIt's really not presentable at all. I only just tested the pump and filter yesterday. I'm moving the fish because it has started to get cold at nights and they might not have time to hunker down for winter if I move them after I am done. So, I'll have to finish up with them already in the pond.
And my lilies---there are two in this fabric pot. Can I get away with keeping them in the same pot? Or should I pot separately? It's hanging from this pole because the substrate will not arrive until today. It's just for accessibility until I've decided what to do. Advise?
Pagan
John Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoPagan
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoPagan
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years ago
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoThe beginning of the west wall. They sent me extra Solexx that I didn't
expect. I actually have enough to cover the right side (next to the
door) but not all of the wood so I'll wait for the next order.
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoThe east facing wall closed in. Now I need to get an oscillating fan to move the air around some......
John Lasseter (Fl)
7 years ago
the adenium plants and a few plumeria tucked away in the greenhouse (minus one wall) awaiting the wind & rain from the storm.......
SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl) thanked SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)Pagan
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years ago
katiedolittle
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl) thanked SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)addicted2plants Southern IL USA
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl) thanked addicted2plants Southern IL USAJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years ago
Two steps forward, five steps back!!
We'll see if we evacuate or not. Now to work on Patty's house.......
jedobaTX9b
7 years ago
ConnyNL (The Netherlands, 8b)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoJohn Lasseter (Fl)
7 years agoThe plants have come inside the greenhouse for some cooler weather........
Retrofitting a pond into a greenhouse. · More InfoThe south side Solexx has been installed (with four more vents) and an oscillating fan installed by the doorway. Our cool weather...... 57 degrees...... ;-)
Francesco Switzerland ZH, 8a
7 years ago
addicted2plants Southern IL USA