A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Homemade Greenhouse

Thanks for the info eclo...What type of heat source do you use?

Yeah, I was going to ask the same thing....

The small electric heater in this photo is the only heat source we use in the winter. As you can see in some of the other photos, we also put a layer of foam insulation board on the roof and cover it with a tarp as well as some foam board mainly on the north wall inside just to cut down on winter drafts. The temperature in the greenhouse stays between 60 and 70 pretty much all winter! During real cold snaps it might dip as low as 50 degrees. Several years ago we had a terrible ice storm and were without power for seven days. I actually moved the barbecue grill in there and kept charcoal burnin like a smudge pot and managed to keep everything alive until power was restored. It took forever to clean all the residue from the smoke off the windows. There are some more pictures of the inside and plants in the 'cacti and succulent' forum under "cactus in winter"

Oh your cactus are wonderful, You have done a great job!

Oh I love it I love it I Love It! How did you construct it and join the windows together?

Get this... I spent days actually measuring all the windows and I even built a cardboard model of it before I built the real thing... then, I just used 1" X 4"s lapped over to join the panels together! Since then, I have gone back on the inside and reinforced it because over the last 5 years or so the ground under it has kinda started to settle even tho I poured a foundation for it ... bummin me out but I'm dealin with it...

That just sounds way to simple on the put together. I would have though there would be a lot more holding it all together.

I noticed there is a (vent type) window above the door...are there any other vents or windows that open for ventilation?

Yes Comfrey... there are a couple of vents a bit smaller than the one you mention in the opposite wall down about three foot off the ground so it gets really good airflow. We also put a small fan in there when the weather gets real hot to keep the air moving. I wanted to put a thermostatically control hinge on the front vent but alas... uhumm, they are expensive... :p and I am not!

I have been thinking of you and your project here..

I was driving around the other day, and it was garbage day and some folks had some windows out..
I wanted to grab them sooooo bad...
*but I didn't have any way of getting them home,
and they were gone believe it or not, the next day.*

Too bad you missed out on that Weezie. Did you find anything good?

I have been looking at options out there for greenhouses and fell in love with your wonderful idea of using windows. That is about the coolest idea I have seen. Am going to start my collection immediately. What else have you recycled?

Almost everything in my yard is recycled in one way or another... check out this old handrail off of a porch! I turned it up on edge and made a really nice trellis for my grapevine. I also found an old wrought iron door that has done really well as a trellis for our Mandevilla flowering vine. The window directly behind this trellis is the window in our shower so it helps to make my wife more comfortable when showering. I will have to take some more pictures of some of the other stuff I have "aquired" for the garden! I'll take a little better picture of the way I have these two trellis's mounted into the ground also. I am so glad to know that my greenhouse is inspiring to others and if you have any questions about how to assemble them... dont hesitate to ask!

I would have never thought to mount a handrail sideways and use it as a trellis. That has got to be one of the more clever things I have seen! I can see in my minds eye several of them lined up along a blank wall and filled with several different kinds of flowering vines!

Eclo...I meant to ask...how much sun will a greenhouse need to be in? Here in Ms. our summers are hot and then some. It looked like yours was in some shade. Will I need to have some kind of shade thingy to block out noon sun?

Eclo...oh my gosh, I have all most that same rail. Have been dragging it all over the yard trying to do something with it. You are just full of ideas. Can't wait until this weekend to try standing it on end. Also have a window iron grill, door size, I have been saving and another one with glass I am going to use in MY greenhouse. [ I have really big plans]lol. Thanks for the motivation. By the way, neat rope trick.

Taylo.....

Yes my greenhouse does have some shade in the summer months. I took into account the low southerly path of the sun in the winter and placed my greenhouse in a position to take advantage of that. It faces South so in the winter it gets full sun all day. Helps with the heating bill. In the summer I keep very little in the greenhouse if anything so if it heats up to much it really isnt a big deal. Hope this helps!

Your greenhouse is georgeous! I love what you have done with everything! Looking foreward to seeing more pictures. Beautiful job!