/r/Greenhouses
A community to discuss and celebrate greenhouses in all their glory.
Welcome to /r/Greenhouses
A community to discuss and celebrate greenhouses in all their glory.
Planning, building, using, buying or just plain admiring their wonderful architectural beauty, this sub-Reddit is about everything and anything Greenhouses. We hope you enjoy your stay, feel free to post links and join the discussion.
Links:
Be sure to also check out these awesome related Reddit communities:
- /r/Agriculture
- /r/Aquaculture
- /r/Aquaponics
- /r/Composting
- /r/Domes
- /r/Environment
- /r/Farmtech
- /r/Gardening
- /r/Hydro
- /r/IndoorGarden
- /r/OrganicGardening
- /r/Permaculture
- /r/RooftopGardens
- /r/Soil
- /r/SuburbanFarming
- /r/Terrariums
- /r/UrbanFarming
- /r/UrbanGardening
- /r/Vermiculture
- /r/ZeroWaste
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/r/Greenhouses
86,997 Subscribers
How to calculate heat?
Hello all, I have a question regarding to regulating heat in a greenhouse during winter. I plan on having an 8 x 10 foot greenhouse in a usda zone 6b. I want to get the greenhouse to a climate closer to zone 10 to grow citrus and Avocado. (All of which will be in containers to bring inside I. Case of emergency) but overall is there a way to calculate how much heat you will need to add via something like a wood burning stove?
03:12 UTC
Marigolds
Perfect flower for the fall. When the rest of the greenhouse is dying and transitioning the marigolds add some amazing color
01:03 UTC
Roof Support?
I’ve got the walls and rafters up. Question: with anything I’ve built in the past, torsional strength for the roof was provided by the sheathing. Since I’ll be using dual wall polycarbonate panels, what can I do (that looks good) to provide bracing? Or will the poly panels add some strength?
18:11 UTC
Avocado advice
Good morning. I had recently pruned and repotted this ‘little cado' avocado which I know they don't love hence some leaf drop. Getting new growth but it looks pretty bad. I new to greenhouse growing and have been making sure to not overwater and have given it fertilizer but new growth just looks poor. Any suggestions are welcome, is it too dry? Still feels like there is moisture a few inches down. Been battling a host of insect issues in the greenhouse (currently scale seems to be the biggest) and have been using neem oil to try and keep things protected. Thanks for any suggestions!
19:43 UTC
DIY greenhouse dreaming
I already have this metal frame with soft edges. Feels like fate. Does anyone have any ideas/strategies on how I could convert this into a greenhouse as cheaply as possible?
As you can see my neighbor has a similar frame he built into a "man cave"
14:08 UTC
Tires?
Has anyone considered using tires for wall construction on a green house? I’m thinking 4ft high with glass on tops d three sides
18:16 UTC
If you put a 90 gallon pond in a greenhouse, would it keep up the heat and humidity?
I mean it’ll have an aquarium heater that keeps it in the 30c’s (86f’s) would the heat and humidity it gives off be enough to keep it above freezing?
I live in the north of England where snows and frost is very high here.
Or should I invest in better heating?
I’m basically wanting a cloud forest with 80% humidity and temperatures from the 5c to 20c ( 40f to 60f)
11:05 UTC
My new hoophouse
Hoping to get it up and running in the spring. Fall/winter got here to quickly
21:04 UTC
New to greenhouses and need some general advice please!
Hi everyone! My wife and I will be moving to our new home at the end of November and we are going to want to get a greenhouse set up pretty quickly. It is just going to be us primarily, with the occasional friend/family stopping by for dinner or vacation. We will be in Bowling Green Kentucky which I believe is zone 7a.
- What size greenhouse would be appropriate to give us enough room for year round produce? I'm seeing that in general 8x8 could be suitable, but a larger space is preferred. I'd rather start off a little larger instead of getting something too small.
- Wood? Aluminum? Polycarb? I see lots of options here. I'm concerned with durability, of a polycarb? Is the savings worth the risk?
- Foundations. I would assume most folks would have a concrete foundation poured. Seems like that would make it easier for cleaning/maintenance.
- Power. Kentucky can obviously get pretty cold, would a small solar/battery setup be sufficient for heating or will I need to run power to the greenhouse?
- Irrigation. Do most people build/create their own irrigation systems?
I'm sure I'll have a million other questions but I'd love for some advice/guidance! Thank you!
18:37 UTC
Temp Setting Workaround?
For those utilizing the Inkbird ITC 308 in their greenhouses:
Is there a workaround to configure two different parameters for the heating and cooling settings?
When the cold weather comes, I set my desired temp (SV) to 42°F.
I set my cooling difference to around 20°F so that my exhaust fan kicks on at 62°F. The issue is that the fan remains on until the thermostat again sees 42F, which, during the current shoulder season, could be days. I know this is by design, but even during the coldest parts of winter (Zone 6b), I don't want the fan to exhaust ALL of the heat, but only to maintain it... say it reaches 62 and kicks on to drop it down to 52, then the fan shuts off. Greenhouse is still 10 degrees warmer than when the heater kicks on.
Is this at all possible with a single Inkbird? I'm thinking I might have to invest in a second one and run the heat and fan separately. 🤔
Alternatively, any other brands/thermostats that accomplish what I'm going for?
Thanks all!
14:30 UTC
Greenhouse Technician Tips?
Hey guys! I just started working as a greenhouse technician. I’m majored in horticulture, and this is my first time working in a greenhouse.
Does anyone have any tips/tricks or advice for greenhouse work? I’d be doing a lot of the repetitive tasks… (or as stated by my new boss: “A good job for podcasts and audiobooks!”
04:32 UTC
Greenhouse incoming!
8X16 Greenhouse arrives in two weeks!
Very excited to build it before we get our first big snow. A local company in the Reno area makes them. Zone 6b-7a
21:11 UTC
Framing Question
Putting together a list of supplies for a basic 4x wall greenhouse which will utilize some reclaimed windows I have as well as a poly sheet roof. Does the framing math add up given what ChatGPT just laid out:
"For a 14x16-foot greenhouse, the framing requirements differ from a house, as greenhouses typically need fewer studs (to maximize light) and often use simpler framing techniques. Here's a breakdown for an efficient frame:
1. Basic Structure:
- Walls: Similar to the house, the total perimeter is 60 feet.
- Stud Spacing: For a greenhouse, you can space studs farther apart, typically 24 inches (2 feet) on center.
- 602=30\frac{60}{2} = 30260=30 studs in total.
- Top and Bottom Plates: You’ll still need double top plates and a single bottom plate.
- Plate length = 60 feet × 3 = 180 feet.
- With each 2x4x8 covering 8 feet, this requires: 1808=23\frac{180}{8} = 238180=23 boards.
2. Door and Windows:
- Door framing: If adding a door, you’ll need additional studs to frame it out (approx. 3-4 more).
- Additional bracing: Since greenhouses often need additional bracing for stability, add about 6 more boards for diagonal bracing and any extra supports.
Summary
- Studs: 30 pieces
- Plates: 23 pieces
- Extra framing (door, bracing): 9-10 pieces
Total 2x4x8 boards: 30 + 23 + 10 = 63 pieces.
Adding a 10% buffer for adjustments, you should plan for around 70 pieces total."
17:22 UTC
Greenhouse Power
I just finished my greenhouse and I want to run power to it. It's 12'6"x9'
My panel in the basement is about a 50-60ft run to the exterior of the house closest to the greenhouse. From the greenhouse to the house itself is about another 30 feet. So the total run from the panel to the greenhouse is around 100ft.
What gauge wire should I run from my panel to the greenhouse? Should I install a service panel in the greenhouse and then just pull the from that?
I already have installed the the following in the greenhouse:
(2) 120V/60W fans, hardwired (no power yet obviously)
I want to add:
(1) 120V/1500W heater, plug in to receptacle
(4) Single Receptacles (Mostly just in case. Not going to be used all the time)
Appreciate any help.
16:02 UTC
Has anyone here built a greenhouse with used skylights similar to this?
I have access to a bunch of free, used skylights, similar to the photo, and was considering using them to put together a small greenhouse. Friend owns a roofing company and is replacing a bunch for a complex. Theyre in good shape, they just want a different style. I'm imagining the construction would be a bit complicated but I like a challenge. Maybe it's similar enough to a used window greenhouse that anyone who has done that may have some insight on what to do/not do/would do differently?
If anyone has any thoughts about things I should consider before going ahead with it, I'd love to hear it! I'm thinking maybe a 100 square foot kind of thing, nothing crazy. Just enough to grow some greens through winter, and keep some of my dormant and tender stuff out of the frost and snow.
Info that may matter: I'm in the PNW (zone 7) so we do get heavy wet snow on occasion. Im thinking a sloped roof to help snow slide off when we do get it. Where I'm planning to put it is shaded in the late afternoon by my chicken coop, so I'm not too concerned with things cooking in it during summer. Some of the skylights open with a crank kind of handle so ventilation sort of takes care of itself. It's a fairly sheltered spot so wind shouldn't be an issue at all. I can't think of anything else at the moment. Thanks for any input you all may have!
23:34 UTC
Sunburn in Costco yardistry greenhouse
I have the cedar Costco yardistry greenhouse and I've been having some issues with sunburn. It's not often, but every now and then a plant will get a very localized/circular sunburn, about 2-3" in diameter. It makes me think there's something in the greenhouse that's reflecting or concentrating light directly onto the plants but I'm not sure what or where. It seems to happen in different locations but most frequently near the front/door. Anyone had this issue and figured out what caused it?
22:53 UTC
New Greenhouse Mega Post - Progress pics and questions answered
Wow, so many questions and comments on my last "My two year project finally finished..." post. As requested, here are some progress pics and I will try an answer some of the questions you guys had.
My two year project finally finished...
Construction process; why did it take so long? : There were several setbacks, I had a builder that was going to do it and then backed out 4 months later so that set me back 6 months or so because I had to get all the subs myself. The only thing that saved me is I have a friend that is a builder so he put me in touch with all the subs I needed. During the framing it was pretty smooth because the Amish know their shit. Some of the gusset plates had to be re-engineered about a week in because the framers discovered some of the resting places for some of the timbers were not sturdy enough so they had to stop for a few weeks while they got redone. Then had to wait on the glass, it could not be ordered until all the channels were in because the sizes had to be exact, so had to wait on them to be installed then had to wait months for them to be constructed.
Ventallation: Ridge vents running on both ridges, exhaust fans on each gable end and vents that will open and close along the bottom when the fans are on to suck air in from the bottom and exhaust out the top.
Glass: OMG the glass. When I started the project, I figured the glass would be the least of my worries; just call a local glass company and have them come out and measure. Nope. I don’t even know how many people I called, but everyone took one look at the plans and said they won’t touch it. I’m guessing because of the roof needing to handle snow, etc.. I finally found a company about 5hrs away that would do it which added quite a bit to the cost; they had a crew of 5 people here for nearly 2 weeks installing the brackets and then another 3 weeks installing the actual glass. Low-e 2 pane tempered glass. Panels are about 1” thick but not sure how thick each piece is. They are supposed to be able to handle snow loads and hail.
Birds: Some were concerned with bird strikes. The glass has a slight green tinge to it especially on the roof where the panels are viewed at an angle so it is not entirely transparent so it hopefully will be visible to them. If they do strike it, they will most likely hit the roof which is at a steep angle so maybe they will just glance off…? May need to do something if it is a problem though.
What will I grow: Just vegetables, some citrus trees and some decorative stuff.
Heating and Cooling: Will have a high efficiency heat pump that will do heating and cooling. I don’t really expect to use it much because hopefully the ventilation will keep it under control for the most part. I don’t really plan on heating it unless it gets below 50 degrees internal or on the high side 100 degrees plus.
Where I am: Southern Missouri zone 6b.
Why is each piece of glass different?: Timber frame construction is not made from dimensional lumber so each piece is unique. So for example if you have a 12x12 post, the actual dimensions for one of them may be 11 7/8 x 12 3/16 and another may be 12 1/8 x 11 15/32 and so on. Not a big difference but the channels that the glass fit it needs to be exact otherwise it may fail over time.
Gravel flooring: Yes, plan on keeping it gravel.
Size: about 1400 sq ft 46’ x 31’
Gusset plates: Not something you can find off the shelf, they had to be manufactured specially by a local metal shop who had to laser cut them all. Each one is heavy as hell.
Insurance: My insurance does have coverage for external buildings so increasing that amount was an extra $500/year.
Biggest question: Cost (numbers approximate)...
Engineering: $18k
Foundation (need footing only): $15k
Dirtwork: $4k
Framing: $120k
Brackets (gusset plates): $15k
Glass (includes all vents): $250k
Outside landscaping (includes fire pit/walkway): $45k
HVAC (heat pump): TBD
Stonework: $25k
Electrical: $15k
Painting: $6k
I’m sure I missed something so let me know if there is something else you want to know.
18:57 UTC
Temp fluctuations in winter for dummies
Hi, I am in need of someone to explain to me in the most simplistic terms what I should be thinking about when it comes to my heated greenhouse in zone 6b. I have citrus trees inside.
Last year, my first year with the greenhouse, I kept my automatic vents “on”. They would open with the warm sun, even if it was below freezing out.
But in an effort to cut down on the amount of heat I was wasting, I closed them.
it gets hot in there, usually about 80 even in January on a sunny day. And I would heat it at night so it wouldn’t go below 55.
Can I just use fans to keep air circulation without letting all of the heat escape?
Do I really need to vent it?
Thanks!
16:53 UTC
How to keep plants cool in a hotter climate?
I know generally green house keep plants cool but here in my climate it easily reaches 122°F. Is there a way to keep plant cool inside? starting from march temperature increases upto june and then monsoon hits with high humidity and heat. Is there a way to create a shade/poly house that keep the temperature low enough to grow something like peas, fenugreek or cabbage?
09:38 UTC
Hot peppers under the hot Texas sun
One of two 100’ hoop houses my pops uses to grow weapons-grade hot peppers year-round in central Texas. These things have all the bells and whistles.
04:33 UTC