Hello!

This is my first time positng a message. I am a Canadian Gardener (zone 5). I run an Organic Gardening Enrichment Program for children ages 2-12 at our child care centre. I am considering adding a green house to our property to enable us to run the program year round. Can anyone recommend a good book or web site for information on greenhouses? Any advise would be appreciated!

Thanks to all!
Discovery

Welcome and thank you for doing what you do.
As you will have noted, most of the info available on the internet is on US based products but there are "good" gh manufacturers in Ontario, too. From outstanding to fair- enough-for-the-purpose.

This is a good starting point for research:

http://www.greenhousegarden.com/kit%20sellers.htm

And another one:

http://www.h2othouse.com/html/kits.html

Depending on available budget funding:

http://www.thegreenhousebuilder.com/home.html

In a previous life I used to build/sell greenhouses and I still adore them. Feel free to bellow for more links!



John

Thanks so much for the links! I will surf tonight and let you know how I make out. I am really hoping I can extend the program for the kids by next summer.

Karen

Hello, really enjoyed reading all about "dis john"!

I checked out the links you sent me, but they were either from the US or the Ontario one was a large scale commercial gh builder. Know of any smaller scale builders? We own a child care centre and unfortunately, it is not a great money making business, so we have to fundraise to put the green house in. (the parents at the centre are very eager to extend out OG enrichment program and have raised $900 so far!)

Thanks,
Discovery

Hey Karen!

You may be wise to start small...as in "hoophouse" and once the thing has become an integral part of everyone's focus, then go with a more permanent structure.

http://www.rainyside.com/resources/hoophouse.html

Are there any plans? Would a "lean to" be possible as opposed to a "free-standing"?

What about seasonal use, heating? Is a foundation required?

It is not difficult to make a basic greenhouse structure out of decent lumber, then add glazing (lexan, polycarbonate, not glass/safety issues!)
and this can certainly be done "within budget".

Here are a few more "regional" suppliers with good info:


http://www.cedarbuilt.homestead.com/

http://users.eastlink.ca/~greenhouses/

http://www.lexisgreenhouses.com/

And this is worth reading too:

http://agweb.okstate.edu/pearl/hort/greenhouses/f6705.htm



John

Try WWW.charleysgreenhouse.com

I think you may find some very economical greenhouses/kits @ this site.