How to build a greenhouse fairly cheap

[donnay]

How to build My 50 Dollar Greenhouse



http://doorgarden.com/10/50-dollar-h...se-green-house

[tangent4ronpaul]

a variation of this fits over single deep bed. basically, you get some pvc pipe polls, and the next larger size PVC that the poles will fit in. cut the bigger ones to 3-4" and mount along the sides of the deep bed, add poles and toss a clear plastic sheet over it. either weight down with rocks or staple/tack to the deep bed frame.

-t

[squarepusher]

The hardest part about DIY greenhouses, is the plastic is like a huge wind sail, and dealing with this issue is problematic for "diy" structures.
A solution is to use shade cloth if possible since it handles wind much better.

[TomKat]

Awesome!! I have been looking into "simple" designs like this for my raised bed gardens as well as one for my aquaponic garden so I can continue to grow in the winter months. I have been thinking about doing the plastic sheeting even though I live in a high wind area because our property is in a low spot and when localy we are getting 30 or 40 mph wind, my property barely gets a breeze. Although if I had it up when another hurricaine comes through it would probably either be gone or stuck up in the trees, lol. My biggest hold up has been trying to figure out how to make it plastic sheeting for the winter and shade cloth (or an old loop lock pool cover that I have) for the summer without having two different structures for each. I have had many ideas on how to tackle this, I just need to start it.

[CaseyJones]

your gonna wanna let that PVC sun for awhile it gives off toxins for months in the sun and some half moon cuts in the plastic would probably make it less a sail but that would also make it less thermal

[TomKat]

your gonna wanna let that PVC sun for awhile it gives off toxins for months in the sun and some half moon cuts in the plastic would probably make it less a sail but that would also make it less thermal

I don't doubt this knowing how it is made and what it is made of (Polyvinylchloride) but how long should you have to leave it out in the sun? I know from experience that white pvc gets pretty brittle in the sun so I guess the real question is where is the sweet spot of sun exposure to expell the toxins and when is it the time that you should replace it before it gets too brittle to be a structure. Also I was wondering where you would make the "half moon" cuts? I'm guessing you mean in the plastic sheeting? If that is it then if you could also have a "resealable" design then it could act as ventilazation as well as maybe being designed to put a downward pressure on the structure to keep the structure stable, depending on the wind (this would take someone way smarter than me to design).

[CaseyJones]

well I made a thread about this exact same greenhouse design a couple years ago and someone (I think moderator Kotin) said they had made one and that the first year the PVC caused the sheeting to rot where it touched it because of the fumes it gave off so they suggested using cheap plastic the first year to not waste good sheeting is all I remember

[tangent4ronpaul]

I don't doubt this knowing how it is made and what it is made of (Polyvinylchloride) but how long should you have to leave it out in the sun? I know from experience that white pvc gets pretty brittle in the sun so I guess the real question is where is the sweet spot of sun exposure to expell the toxins and when is it the time that you should replace it before it gets too brittle to be a structure. Also I was wondering where you would make the "half moon" cuts? I'm guessing you mean in the plastic sheeting? If that is it then if you could also have a "resealable" design then it could act as ventilazation as well as maybe being designed to put a downward pressure on the structure to keep the structure stable, depending on the wind (this would take someone way smarter than me to design).

Don't quite get what you mean by "downward pressure", but as far as "resealable", you could cut squares and tape a couple of edges just like a chest seal for sucking chest wounds.

This also brings to mind pneumatic structures, where you either rely on positive pressure or trapped air for structural integrity.

Here's a group making inflatable beehives:
http://festooning.wordpress.com/about-2/

They have a DIY honey battery page too:
http://festooning.wordpress.com/2012...honey-battery/

well I made a thread about this exact same greenhouse design a couple years ago and someone (I think moderator Kotin) said they had made one and that the first year the PVC caused the sheeting to rot where it touched it because of the fumes it gave off so they suggested using cheap plastic the first year to not waste good sheeting is all I remember

There are other structural materials. Chicken wire comes to mind.

Another is cardboard. Collect boxes and lay it out in 4x8 sheets with the comb going one way for the first layer, then the other layer for the second layer and so on. Use wood glue to join layers. Don't underestimate the strength of such material. Bridges have been built with it that have supported cars. You are going to want to seal the open comb with wax or hot glue and waterproof with Tompson's water seal or linseed oil. It can then be treated like a sheet of plywood to cut whatever shape you like.

-t

[TomKat]

well I made a thread about this exact same greenhouse design a couple years ago and someone (I think moderator Kotin) said they had made one and that the first year the PVC caused the sheeting to rot where it touched it because of the fumes it gave off so they suggested using cheap plastic the first year to not waste good sheeting is all I remember

Got a link?

[Barrex]

Why not use 2 sticks (wooden poles) instead of PVC pipes?

Thicker ends that are less flexible go into ground and thinner ends get tied together. If necessary you shave few layers from thinner ends to make them flat so that thinner part of sticks are tied easier.

[CaseyJones]

Got a link?

na if I could have found it I would have linked it

[Valli6]

I found that after a year, the 3 or 4 mil plastic sheeting (from home depot) got brittle from sunlight where ever it rubbed another surface, not just PVC.

If you have a problem with fungus gnats I recommend a product called Gnatrol WDG by a company called Valent - it really works. I find that fungus gnats weaken some plants and are just disgusting. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Gnatrol is a biological control, - bacillus thuringiensis bacteria - which kills the larvae before they can grow up and reproduce. Add a few tsps of granules to water and water the soil. Doesn't smell or anything.