A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2006 $199.99 Greenhouse from Rural King.....

Hey all,

I was at my local Rural King Saturday and noticed that they have a rather nice greenhouse for $199.99! It's 6'X6.5'X8'. And, the cover is not thin, cheap plastic like I have seen on some of the inexpensive greenhouses. It's almost like tarp material. And it's semi-transparent.

If you would like, you can check it out here . And, just in case you don't know if there is a Rural King close to you, you can check out their locations here .

If anyone has or gets this greenhouse, I wish you'd let me know how you like it.

Ain't got the money for one right now, but I'm gonna get one when I have the money..... if they still got them!!!!!

This looks like it would be great to start seeds in the spring and would likely heat up less than a transparent greenhouse. Probably would be simple to construct and take down later (if you wanted to). The price is right too.

I have seen that style advertised,
and it didn't look tooo bad of a price..
*but sometimes, who has those $$??*

Here guys, take a peak in here..
This may give you an idea *or two or three*
and may be even cheaper *(or not )*
PVC Plans

also, another idea that definately doesnt' cost
that much is a simplier idea, with alot of work
but can be in the same idea..

Cattle Panel Hoop House
Just put some plastic around it with those plastic clips or something..

Hope this gives you some ideas..

Weezie said:
That's a fact for sure!! But, it's still much cheaper than a lot of the similar greenhouses that I've seen for sale on Ebay or other places on the Internet.

As for the PVC plans being cheaper, they might be.... I haven't figured the total cost of one in a particular size. I didn't because of the fact that my fear is that if I made one from their plans it would be very light and unstable in higher winds. I was also concerned about having to deal with the weight of snow on top. We don't usually get that much snow here, but Mother Nature has been known to "act up" that way! Oh, don't forget to figure the cost of a good UV treated cover when calculating the cost!

I have similar concerns about the cattle panel hoop houses. The cattle panels that I've seen usually have some sharp points that can cut the cover. But, one could put duct tape over them. The cattle panels around here run about $16 plus tax. And, you still have to purchase a good UV treated cover.

After studying the greenhouse very closely (in person), here are the main things that I found to be so great about the greenhouse that Rural King offers:

• A curved roof frame made of 1 1/4", 16 guage steel. It should be stable in higher winds and with the curved roof, it should shed snow rather easily. But if snow does collect, the steel frame will stand quite a bit.

• The way the frame is made, it would be very easy to anchor to the ground or to a concrete slab.

• It has screened vents at both ends

• It has a zippered door that is tall enough and wide enough to allow easy access to the inside

• The cover is thick and opaque. Should give strong protection, make it relatively easy to heat in the winter, and relatively easy to cool in the spring/summer.

• The design should make it easy for one person to assemble or disassemble.

• Price.... I've seen comparable greenhouses on the Internet that were as expensive or more, plus you had to pay shipping.

I've been researching the "buying" vs. "build it yourself" greenhouse ideas for just about a year now, and have come to the following conclusion. By the time you pay for the materials to construct a greenhouse that will withstand the elements (especially wind and snow), be easily assembled/disassembled, have easy access to the inside, have proper ventilation, purchase a good UV treated cover, and make it as large as the one that Rural King has, you will probably have about as much or more invested in it as you would if you bought one. And, Lord knows if you are going to spend about the same amount of money either way, it's a lot easier to pick one up from your friendly neighborhood Rural King than it is to design and build one!!

I may sound like it, but I assure you that I'm not a sales person for Rural King or for the greenhouse manufacturer!!

You're absolutely right..

I know about the wind, we jokingly call the back of our property "Wind Alley", we've found many things in the neighbors' yards before..

That's also when my husband built my green house,
he didnt' get the base from the place, he did ours with wood, and it would need a hurricane to take that greenhouse now..

But you're right on the work, and having to design your own and hunt down all the parts and cheapest prices.. is way easier to dial and wait for it to be delivered...
Ohhhhhhh yeah...

Are you going to get one????

I don't know Weezie. I want one more than I want dinner!!! But, we just don't have the money right now.

Some good news though.... I heard from my disability attorney this morning. He said that according to his conversation with Social Security this morning, I should have a disability court date any day now! Ooooohhhhhh, I hope so!!

If I get the money that Social Security owes me, I am still alive, and Rural King still has them, I WILL own one!!!! I'd like to use treated 4X4's to make a base frame and floor it with about 4 inches of pea gravel for drainage. Right now it's just a dream..... but, I'm holding on TIGHT!!!!!

Mine was a culmination of many Christmas's, Mother's Day, Birthday presents...
*free shipping and handling too.*

here's a picture of the floor inside mine..


With the wood, he made it so I can sweep and stuff will fall thru with minimal effort...

It's a little drafty in the winter time..
but, I can spill stuff on it, and am not worried about it, cause it will dry up...

I hope you get one..
They are fun...
*Some work, but what fun work it is..*
And they keep you active instead of sitting in
a chair.. *keeps my girlish figure too*

Mine was $299.00 and no shipping and handling..
Harbor Freights Greenhouse

That's a nice looking greenhouse Weezie!! I like the way those are made too.... especially the sliding door!

I checked out Harbor Freights' site and it is about the same size as the one from Rural King. I can see things about each one that I like better than the other one!!

But, the thing that I like the best about the one from Rural King is still the price. And, shipping won't be a factor for me either. Rural King is only 3 miles from my front porch!!

Weezie said: With all of the physical problems that I have, my wife just can't understand why I want to fool with honey bees, a garden, and a greenhouse. I've tried to explain it to her, but she still doesn't understand.

Doing these things keeps my body AND my mind busy!! I don't work at public work and the kids are grown and gone from home. My bees, garden, and greenhouse (when I get one) give me a purpose.... a reason for getting up and getting out of bed in the morning!! Without them, I'm sure I would have already died!! I've seen it happen to too many others..... can't do anything.... sit down.... begin estimating the numbers of years, months, and/or days that are between them and the funeral home..... and soon DIE!!!

There were a few "recovery" days that I had to spend in the hospital after my open heart surgery. All I could think about was that I needed to get home and mow my yard!! I told the Dr. that and he told me I would not be allowed to do such a thing only 3 days after open heart surgery. "Watch me," I thought!! When I got home, I crawled on my electric start riding lawn mower and mowed the yard!!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating going against a Dr.'s orders, but I know me. If I sit down very long, my mind and body will give up and I will die!!

I'm not afraid of dying, but I ain't ready for the bone yard yet either!!!!!

Sorry about getting on my soap box!! I guess I just needed to vent a little!!!!

I'm not afraid of dying, but I ain't ready for the bone yard yet either!!!!! You sound exactly like our Jimmy/JV...

But it's so veryyyyyyyyyy true..
I have always gardened, with my parents and such,
but I really got into gardening after having my first kid.. I had a C~section and couldn't do much. *upstairs, hot summer, a hungry baby, and a sore belly* and I learned about gardening even more than I already knew.. by reading...
and reading and more reading...

I then would take the baby outside the following summer in his play pen and I'd just keep my self busy with veggies and such..
and it's escalated ever since...

but mostly, I did the reading to keep my mind active, I'd always had many conversations going on at one time, with my work, was able to multi the multi tasks.. and do it quite fluently...
but once I had that baby, and was nursing, I'd be in the middle of a conversation, and forget what the heck I was talking about.. we joked, the kid was sucking half my brain out.. **my husband was afraid to have another child, in fear that one would suck the other half out.. heheheheheehe, and it is funny, I can laugh... now..*

Cause, most of my memory is back, oh, er, um what werrrrrrrrre we talkin' about... haha lol!!!
Just kidding..

That's why I said they do keep you active..
You do have to check them alot..
*but heaven forbide you get sick.. have someone as a back up person, who knows you and stuff,
cause I had just gotten mine, and came down a 3 day flu bug, something realllllll bad, and roasted and fried every plant in the green houses I'd started..
(I felt so bad cause I'd had tomato seeds given to me by Bigboy and Limey and they all got dead
actually, I've never taken a seed since, cause I didn't want to do that to anyone else's seeds..I felt so bad...
So, have someone that can come open up the doors for you if your not available..)

Ohhhhhhh, I sincerely hope you get one, I know you'd have alot of fun with it...
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!!!

My husband constantly asks me
"Whyyyyyyyyy can't you just go to the store and
BUY a tomato?????

hahahahaha

Yeahhhhhhhhh, right, I tell him...
I just can't bring myself to do it..
I think about it, and then it goes away!!! :p

hi there beebiz! I haven't seen ya posting for a while! that is a REALLY neat looking greenhouse! and weezie I love yours!! I wish that I could get one but just don't have the room for one right now. but I do have one of those cheap zipper ones though because! (like my grandpa says...) storebought ones taste like plastic!! (well in my opinion I'd rather eat the plastic ones )

Actually the store bought ones, in the winter are getting tastier with technology, so, I can't complain tooooooo much about the taste..

BUT I DO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE $$$$$$ OF THEM!! :p

Holy Cow, Check out the New Greenhouse at Harbor Freights!!!

oh myyyyyyy, I wish I had that one toooo!!!

I hear what you saying Robert...I know the feeling!!! But I want a glassed in area on the side of our house the full length..it would face the East. When we have disabilities, if we just give up and quit trying, we become disabled, But as long as we can keep the dream alive we can carry on with our gardening and our lives.

Weezie after looking at the ones you posted...It would be difficult to choose the cheaper one. But I'm not picky..I'll settle for any of them if they wanted to give me one

Hey I bought this loz\'s little greenhouse and it only set me back 20 bucks....

I can't wait to set it up outside and get things moved out there.....

Did you see the cold frame that Robert..beebiz built on his web site??? If not take a look at it.

Oh I know, I saw it..
That's why I posted that other PVC ideas site...
thought maybe he'd get some more ideas for him..

Hey Miss Jamie!! I've been sick and I've been busy trying to do some things for my honey bees. It's good to finally be back!!

Weezie said:
At least you started out with a complete brain!! I was born with two functional brain cells. Until a couple of years ago, I was in good shape. They both misfired, but one only misfired about 25% of the time and the other about 75% of the time. Now, the worse one is non-functional and the other one misfires over 90% of the time. When it does work right, it's too busy trying to get my heart and lungs restarted to have room for anything else!!!!!

The next time hubby bugs you about the tomatoes, you tell him that if he wants to eat tennis balls that are masquerading as tomatoes to go right ahead!! But, wait a minute. The tennis balls aren't quite as green as the store bought tomatoes and they aren't quite as hard either!!

In all seriousness, SOME of the greenhouse tomatoes sold in the winter time have a decent taste. But, they are still picked toooooo green for my taste!! That's probably because I know what a ripe tomato really tastes like! And, don't EVEN get me started about the price that they get for them!! I just refuse to pay that much for them. I'll wait for my own to come in. You know how they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder? Well, the same thing applies to tomatoes. Nothing makes that first taste of your own garden ripened tomato any better than having drooled and dreamed about it all winter and spring long!!!!

That other greenhouse is nice too. And, the price isn't that bad for the size. But, I'm just afraid it would be larger than I would use. Actually, I'd probably use it, but I'm not sure that I really need to use one that big! I really just want a small one that is well made and has a ceiling that is tall enough that I can walk into it.

As for making sure that there is someone who will take care of the greenhouse in case I get sick, I think I can cover that. I have a next door neighbor that loves garden ripe tomatoes and honey so well that I think he'd murder his own mom if I told him that he had to in order to get any more tomatoes or honey from me! Seeing how that watching my greenhouse for a few days would be much easier and would get him in a lot less trouble, I think I can probably seal the deal with a few extra tomatoes and an extra pint of honey!!

As for sounding just like Jimmy, I take that as a HUGE compliment!! I love his zest for life!! And when it comes to trying something new, the word fear is not in his vocabulary!! He just jumps right in with both feet and then looks around! I love it!!

Comfrey, I love your enthusiasm for a glass house. They are very pretty and usually last for years and years and years. However, I lack two things that are required to own and care for one. First, I lack the funds for the initial investment!!!!!! Second, I'm just too damned lazy to keep the glass clean!!! Having a greenhouse that has an opaque cover is kind of like having a car or truck that is brown. It may not be the most popular color, but it sure hides the dirt!!!

Okay guys, I'm kind of pooped! I've been on the computer quite a bit today and I've built the bees a new hive. I haven't even stopped long enough to eat a decent meal today. I'll talk to you all later!!

Man, I must be tired. I posted that from page one without even noticing that there was a page 2!! Darn misfiring single functional brain cell brain of mine!!

Loz, I like your greenhouse too. It looks like it would do an excellent job doubling as a cold frame. The only problem that I would have with it would be the fact that I couldn't walk into it. But for the price, it looks like an excellent buy!!

Good luck with it!

Hi Weezie
Do you have to heat your greenhouse in spring when starting your seeds? You mentioned it was drafty. I have so many questions about greenhouses but thats the first one. I'll be back with plenty more! I've just been debating if it would be worth it for me to buy one or to continue doing my seeds in the house?
Thanks Weezie!
Christina

Robert thanks for the compliment coming from you means a lot. I looked at a greenhouse last week for $50.00 and another for $200.00 both were too small I cannot bend down to get in them very easy have to have something I can walk into with limited bending do to spine injuries. So I am still looking. PVC is cheap enough I could build one but getting the right type of plastic to cover it so sun and wind and rain when we get it wont ruin it.
Jimmy

Hey Jimmy,

I know what you mean about needing a greenhouse that you can walk into. And, I know the dilemma of finding a cover that will stand up to the elements. It would be a sad thing to work hard to get your plants up and just about ready to set out, then get up one morning only to find that the wind has blown your greenhouse over!! It would make for a lousy day!!!

Did you check out the greenhouse that Weezie has? It came from Harbor Freight , was only $299.99 and included shipping. It's roughly 8' long by 6' and is about 6' tall. It has a sliding door and uses UV coated polycarbonate panels to cover it. They usually have a pretty decent life span. It sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

If you don't like that one and you don't mind me being nosey, what size greenhouse are you wanting? I don't know that I can help, but I do have a lot of stored information about greenhouses from different places.

Robert no bigger the 8x6x10 that will be plenty large enough. I have several I looked at went to HF the other day they are not interested in selling greenhouses here I guess as the manager told me he didn't have time to fool with things unless was for construction industry so I will look some where else. Going to Dallas H&G show Friday may have something there I can get or order. Pm me your links always glad to have other things to consider.
Jimmy

I have not found a heater yet, well, I have, just can't afford it..

But I do have 5 mini~zippered~greenhouse's I do put up inside the greenhouse...
I start about April something...I keep the zippered greenhouses zippered... which creates a micro~climate inside the greenhouse... inside they are a little warmer than inside the big greenhouse.. like a buffer of sorts..
If it's 45*'s outside.. it's 65*'s inside the big greenhouse, and it's about 70(ish)inside the little one's...
It's not too bad over night by April, if I've got it that warm inside the little ones'...

The drafty part comes from a stiff breeze, cause the big greenhouse is on a base, that's up semi in the air, with slats that don't quite touch..
It's not tooooo bad..come around that time, but in the winter, it's very noticable...

The one thing I really like about starting the plants outside is, I don't have to harden them off to the sun.. cause they literally grew up into it... and I don't have to harden them off too much, cause they've already been exposed to a cooler temp at night, in the greenhouse, *the up's and down's* but I do HAVE to harden them off to the wind...
Alot of time I do set them in the door way, during the day, before I'm ready to put them out side..that way, they get a bit of a breeze and start getting used to the outdoor temps..